Development of a multi-adaptive feeding device for automated plug seedling transplanter

Yuanyuan Shao, Xiang Han, Guantao Xuan, Yi Liu, Chong Gao, Gongpu Wang, Zhichao Hu

Abstract


In order to improve the adaptability of the seedling feeding devices to different plug trays for various seedlings, a multi-adaptive plug seedling feeding device for automatic field transplantation was developed. Its efficiency and adaptability have been improved using a seedling delivery device equipped with a row of end-effectors, which were provided with continuous plug seedlings by a compact seedling tray conveyor carrying out a reciprocating action. Each operation for the seedling feeding device could work automatically through a control system. Three categories of plug seedlings, cucumber, pepper and tomato seedlings, were tested. The results of the performance test for the prototype demonstrated that the best performance emerged in the cucumber seedlings in 50-cell trays with the highest success rate of 88% at the feeding frequency of 6 groups/min. The lowest success rate was 73.33% for the tomato seedlings in 105-cell trays at the feeding frequency of 12 groups/min. It can be concluded that the automated feeding device developed in this study could be used for various plug seedlings as a result of its strong adaptability.
Keywords: plug seedling, automated feeding device, vegetable transplanting, control system
DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20211402.6003

Citation: Shao Y Y, Han X, Xuan G T, Liu Y, Gao C, Wang G P, et al. Development of a multi-adaptive feeding device for automated plug seedling transplanter. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2021; 14(2): 91–96.

Keywords


plug seedling, automated feeding device, vegetable transplanting, control system

Full Text:

PDF

References


Du S, Yu J Z, Wang W B. Determining the minimal mulch film damage caused by the up-film transplanter. Advances in Mechanical Engineering, 2018; 10(3): 1–13.

Zhang X, Wang C, Chen Y. Properties of selected biodegradable seedling plug-trays. Scientia Horticulturae, 2019; 249: 177–184.

Feng Q, Zhao C, Jiang K, Fan P, Wang X. Design and test of tray-seedling sorting transplanter. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2015; 8(2): 14–20.

Jin X, Li D Y, Ma H, Ji J T, Zhao K X, Pang J. Development of single row automatic transplanting device for potted vegetable seedlings. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2018; 11(3): 67–75.

Kumar G V P, Raheman H. Vegetable transplanters for use in developing countries—A review. International Journal of Vegetable Science, 2008; 14(3): 232–255.

Jiang Z H, Zhou M C, Tong J H, Jiang H Y, Yang Y F, Wang A C, et al. Comparing an ant colony algorithm with a genetic algorithm for replugging tour planning of seedling transplanter. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2015; 113: 225–233.

Jiang Z H, Hu Y, Jiang H Y, Tong J H. Design and force analysis of end-effector for plug seedling transplanter. Plos One, 2017; 12(7): e0180229. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180229.

Suggs C W, Thomas T N, Eddington D L, Peel H B, Seaboch T R, Gore J W. Self-feeding transplanter for tobacco and vegetable crops. Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 1987; 3(2): 148–152.

Armstrong E C, Hanacek W A, Spinetti T A. Automatic soil plug loader and feeder. United States Patent 4443151, USA, 1984.

Ting K C, Giacomelli G A, Shen S J, Kabala W P. Robot workcell for transplanting of seedlings. Part II-End-effector development. Transactions of the ASABE, 1990; 33(3): 1013–1017.

Ting KC, Giacomelli G A, Shen S J. Robot workcell for transplanting of seedlings part i - layout and materials flow. Transactions of the ASABE, 1990; 33(3): 1005–1010.

Ni Y L, Jin C Q, Liu J. Design and experiment of system for picking up and delivering seedlings in automatic transplanter. Transactions of the CSAE, 2015; 31(23): 10–19. (in Chinese)

Han C, Zhang X, Yang W, Yin W. Present status and analysis of dry-land auto-transplanting seedling technique. Journal of Agricultural Mechanization Research, 2011; 11: 238–240. (in Chinese)

Han L, Mao H, Hu J, Tian K. Development of a doorframe-typed swinging seedling pick-up device for automatic field transplantation. Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research, 2015; 13(2): e0210. doi: 10.5424/sjar/2015132-6992.

Hu J P, Yan X Y, Ma J, Qi C H, Francis K, Mao H P. Dimensional synthesis and kinematics simulation of a high-speed plug seedling transplanting robot. Computers & Electronics in Agriculture, 2014; 107: 64–72.

Zhang Z, Igathinathane C, Li J, Cen H, Flores P. Technology progress in mechanical harvest of fresh market apples. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2020; 175: 105606. doi: 10.1016/j.compag.2020.105606.

Zhang Z, Flores P, Igathinathane C, Naik D L, Ransom J K. Wheat lodging detection from UAS imagery using machine learning algorithms. Remote Sensing, 2020; 12(11): 1838. doi: 10.3390/rs12111838.

Fu L S, Majeed Y, Zhang X, Karkee M, Zhang Q. Faster R–CNN–based apple detection in dense-foliage fruiting-wall trees using RGB and depth features for robotic harvesting. Biosystems Engineering, 2020; 197: 245–256.

Gao F, Fu L, Zhang X, Majeed Y, Li R, Karkee M, et al. Multi-class fruit-on-plant detection for apple in SNAP system using Faster R-CNN. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2020; 176: 105634. doi: 10.1016/j.compag.2020.105634.

Ye B L, Li L, Yu G H, Liu A, Cai D. Design and test on cam mechanism of seedling pick-up arm for vegetable transplanter for pot seedling. Transactions of the CSAE, 2014; 30(8): 21–29. (in Chinese)

Han L H, Mao H P, Yan L, Hu J P, Huang W Y, Dong L L. Pincette-type end-effector using two fingers and four pins for picking up seedlings. Transactions of the CSAM, 2015; 46(7): 23–30. (in Chinese)

Wu J, Zhang X, Jin X, Liu Z, Zhu L, Sun X, et al. Design and experiment on transplanter pot seedling disk conveying and positioning control system. Transactions of the CSAE, 2015; 31(1): 47–52. (in Chinese)

Yang Q Z, Xu L, Shi X Y, Ibrar A, Mao H P, Hu J P, et al. Design of seedlings separation device with reciprocating movement seedling cups and its controlling system of the full-automatic plug seedling transplanter. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2018; 147: 131–145.

Zhou M L, Hua Z Y, Wang J Y, Wang L, Zhao Y, Yin D Q. New type of transverse moving box mechanism for pot seedling transplanting machine. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2018; 11(2): 70–75.

Yu Y X, Liu J K, Ye B L, Yu G H, Jin X J, Sun L, et al. Design and experimental research on seedling pick-up mechanism of planetary gear train with combined non-circular gear transmission. Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2019; 32(1): 1–13. (in Chinese)




Copyright (c) 2021 International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

2023-2026 Copyright IJABE Editing and Publishing Office