Abstract:Aiming at the problems of low mechanization level, poor adaptability, and lack of dedicated harvesting equipment for cabbage harvesting in China, a two rows cabbage harvester based on the “vertical clamping and flexible conveying” principle was developed. This was achieved by first measuring the physical parameters of the main local cabbage variety “Qingyu” in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region and designing a compatible planting pattern based on local cultivation practices and mechanized harvesting requirements. The machine primarily consisted of key components, including a pulling device, a clamping and conveying device, a root-cutting device, a transverse conveying device, and a collecting device. It employed a damage-reduction method featuring the coordinated operation of flexible feeding and flexible clamping. Through the tensioning mechanism and the flexible clamping mechanism, mechanical damage during harvesting was significantly reduced, effectively adapting to the harvesting of cabbage heads with different diameters. It can complete the operations of root cutting, lifting, clamping and conveying, and box collection for two rows of cabbage in a single pass. To enhance operational performance, theoretical analysis and calculations were conducted for each key device, followed by field trials. Furthermore, a multi-factor response surface methodology (RSM) optimization experiment was employed to study the effects of machine travel speed, pulling roller speed, flexible clamping conveyor belt speed, and dual-disc cutter speed on the qualified harvesting rate. The optimization results indicated that the best working performance was achieved at a travel speed of 1.0km/h, a pulling roller speed of 110r/min, a conveyor belt speed of 180r/min, and a cutter speed of 300r/min. Under these conditions, the key components operated stably, harvesting effectiveness was high, and the qualified harvesting rate reached 93.83%. The research result can provide both empirical data and theoretical foundations for the design of mechanized cultivation systems in cabbage production, while also offering valuable experience that can be referenced for the mechanized production of other vegetable crops.
