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Innovative Designs for Cotton Bionic Topping Manipulator

Author

Listed:
  • Yang Xu

    (College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
    Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Intelligent Agricultural Equipment, Urumqi 830052, China
    Xinjiang Intelligent Agricultural Machinery Equipment Engineering Technology Research Center, Urumqi 830052, China)

  • Changjie Han

    (College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
    Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Intelligent Agricultural Equipment, Urumqi 830052, China
    Xinjiang Intelligent Agricultural Machinery Equipment Engineering Technology Research Center, Urumqi 830052, China)

  • Jing Zhang

    (College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
    Key Laboratory of on Site Processing Equipment for Agricultural Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hangzhou 310058, China)

  • Bin Hu

    (College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, China)

  • Xu Ma

    (College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China)

  • Hanping Mao

    (College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China)

Abstract

Topping reduces the growing point at the top of cotton plants. This process enables the plant to allocate more energy and nutrients to fruit growth, thereby enhancing both the quantity and quality of the fruit. Current cotton-topping machinery often leads to over-topping, which can affect crop yield and quality. Manual topping is effective in controlling over-topping due to its adherence to agronomic requirements, but it is labor-intensive. This study integrated principles from biology (bionics) to design a manipulator that mimics the action of hand pinching during manual topping. Screening grids of different sizes were designed based on a statistical analysis of the biological parameters of cotton tops to optimize the topping process. A disc cam mechanism was developed to enable the automatic opening and closing of the manipulator. From the results, it was evident that the spring tension must exceed 81.5 N to properly cut the cotton stem near the top. The spacing of the screening grid (40 mm) and the position of the topping manipulator (less than 50 mm) were optimized based on experimental results. Performance testing showed promising results with a 100% topping rate. This study not only identified the challenges with current cotton-topping methods but also proposed a bionics-inspired solution; a bionic manipulator equipped with a screening grid was proposed to achieve high accuracy in cotton topping, which significantly reduced over-topping rates to 6.67%. These findings are crucial for advancing agricultural technology and improving efficiency in cotton cultivation.

Suggested Citation

  • Yang Xu & Changjie Han & Jing Zhang & Bin Hu & Xu Ma & Hanping Mao, 2024. "Innovative Designs for Cotton Bionic Topping Manipulator," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-23, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:14:y:2024:i:9:p:1469-:d:1465781
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yunfei Zhao & Zhong Tang & Shuren Chen, 2022. "Loading Model and Mechanical Properties of Mature Broccoli ( Brassica oleracea L. Var. Italica Plenck) Stems at Harvest," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-25, September.
    2. Md Nafiul Islam & Md Zafar Iqbal & Mohammod Ali & Milon Chowdhury & Md Shaha Nur Kabir & Tusan Park & Yong-Joo Kim & Sun-Ok Chung, 2020. "Kinematic Analysis of a Clamp-Type Picking Device for an Automatic Pepper Transplanter," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-17, December.
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