Design and Testing of a Secondary Row-to-row Device for Weed Control in Corn Seedling Rows

Abstract:

Inter-row weeding during the maize seedling stage is essential for ensuring healthy crop growth. The precision of this process directly affects both weed control effectiveness and crop protection. To improve the efficiency and accuracy of inter-row weeding, a two-stage row guidance device was designed, with its structure and key parameters optimized. The device combined a primary guidance system and a secondary row-spacing adjustment mechanism. The primary guidance system used parallel cantilevers and double-acting hydraulic cylinders to achieve precise alignment, while the secondary adjustment mechanism employed a servo motor and sliding rail to adapt to different row spacings. Theoretical analysis determined that the hydraulic cylinder for the primary guidance system required a minimum thrust of 7536.37N, and the rated thrust for the servo cylinder in the secondary mechanism was 1409N, ensuring stable performance. Indoor tests verified that the servo motor’s efficiency was 82.3%, with a response time of 21ms, indicating good load adaptability and control precision. Field trials showed that at speeds of 0.5m/s and 1.0m/s, the device demonstrated high stability in both alignment and row-spacing adjustment. However, performance was decreased at 1.5m/s, suggesting the need for algorithm optimization at high speeds. The results showed that the device met the operational requirements for inter-row guidance in maize seedling weeding, providing valuable support for the development of weeding machinery.