Abstract:Aiming to address the low transfer efficiency, poor root-cutting consistency, and relatively high clamping-conveying damage of existing mechanized Chinese cabbage harvesting equipment in Shandong Province, a self-propelled wheeled two-row combine harvester for Chinese cabbage was designed according to the local single-ridge double-row planting pattern. The machine can complete root cutting, clamping-conveying, and collection of Chinese cabbage in one pass at row spacing of 50~60 cm. To improve its adaptability to field operating conditions and plant morphological variations, a machine-soil-plant coupled root-cutting mathematical model and a clamping-conveying force model were established. Combined with theoretical analysis, agronomic spatial constraints, and preliminary field tests, the key structural parameters of the profiling mechanism, root-cutting mechanism, and clamping-conveying mechanism were determined. A root-cutting device with mechanically presettable cutting height, cutting angle, and feed displacement was developed, and a flexible clamping-conveying mechanism covered with high-density CR sponge was adopted to improve root-cutting consistency and reduce clamping-conveying damage. Taking the qualified harvesting rate as the evaluation index, a multifactor response surface experiment was conducted with forward speed, cutter rotational speed, cutting angle, and clamping-conveying belt rotational speed as influencing factors. The optimization results showed that the predicted qualified harvesting rate was 95.95% when the forward speed, cutter rotational speed, cutting angle, and clamping-conveying belt rotational speed were 0.41 m/s, 238.62 r/min, 12.58°, and 188.23 r/min, respectively. After rounding the optimized parameters, field verification tests were conducted. When the forward speed, cutter rotational speed, cutting angle, and clamping-conveying belt rotational speed were 0.40 m/s, 239 r/min, 13°, and 188 r/min, respectively, the maximum, minimum, and average qualified harvesting rates were 95.17%, 93.00%, and 94.08%, respectively, and the average clamping-conveying damage rate was 3.55%. The field verification results showed that the machine had good root-cutting consistency, stable clamping-conveying performance, and favorable transfer mobility and trafficability. It can meet the requirements for low-damage mechanized harvesting of the mature spring Chinese cabbage cultivar "Xiaoyi Heqiu" and similar planting patterns, and the results can provide a reference for structural optimization and operating parameter setting of Chinese cabbage combine harvesters under similar physical conditions.