Design and testing of a posture-adjusting precision metering device for high-speed maize planting

IntroductionThis study introduces a new technical method that involves adjusting the seed-filling posture and fluidizing the seed group to improve the capacity of mechanical seed-metering devices for high-speed maize planting. The design of a novel posture-adjusting seed-metering device is presented...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jianxin Dong, Xiaojun Gao, Zhouzhou Zheng, Pengfei Zhao, Yubin Bi, Yuxiang Huang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Plant Science
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1458597/full
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Summary:IntroductionThis study introduces a new technical method that involves adjusting the seed-filling posture and fluidizing the seed group to improve the capacity of mechanical seed-metering devices for high-speed maize planting. The design of a novel posture-adjusting seed-metering device is presented and its operating principle is described. In the seed-filling area, the seeds maintain the same postural characteristics and are detached from the seed group. This method creates favorable conditions for mechanical seed-metering devices to achieve effective seed-filling under high-speed planting conditions.MethodsFirstly, the key parameters of the core component were analyzed. Secondly, the influences of the seed posture adjusting efficiency and seed flow distribution characteristics on the seed-filling effect were clarified by the EDEM simulation. Finally, the high-speed metering performance was optimized and validated using bench testing.ResultsThe experiment demonstrated that the type A groove had the highest seed posture adjusting efficiency, a more uniform seed flow distribution, and a superior seed-filling effect as compared to the other groove types. The best metering performance was achieved with an opening angle of 21.6° and an opening width of 8.4 mm; this resulted in pass, repeat, and leak rates of 94.8%, 1.3%, and 3.9%, respectively. Within the speed range of 8–14 km/h, the posture-adjusting seed-metering device demonstrated a pass rate of over 94%, a repeat rate below 2.1%, and a leak rate below 3.9%.DiscussionThe designed device had a better high-speed planting capacity than a seed-metering device without a posture-adjusting mechanism, thus proving the effectiveness of the novel seed-filling method. These findings provide a reference for improving the high-speed planting capacity of mechanical seed-metering devices.
ISSN:1664-462X