Design, simulation and test of roller comb type Chrysanthemum (Dendranthema morifolium Ramat) picking machine

Abstract At present, Chrysanthemums are still picked manually. In order to improve picking efficiency and reduce harvesting costs, this research designed a roller comb type Chrysanthemum picking machine. The picking machine was mainly composed of comb teeth, a power device, walking parts, and a collecting box. According to the mechanical characteristics of the Chrysanthemum, the picking structure model of Chrysanthemum was established based on ADAMS. The generalized force connection was used between the receptacle and the flower stalk of Chrysanthemum. The fracture condition of the flower stalk was monitored by setting sensors. The main factors affecting the harvesting effect were determined by simulation test, and the simulation test was verified by single factor test. The orthogonal test showed that: when comb speed was 50 r·min−1, comb clearance was 6 mm, the working depth of comb was 175 mm, and comb insertion angle was 45°, Chrysanthemum has the best harvest effect. The picking rate was 94.12%, the impurity rate was 7.81%, the damage rate was 2.20%, and the loss rate was 3.12%. The experiment proved that the roller comb type Chrysanthemum picking machine has a good picking effect, which can provide a reference for the optimization design of Chrysanthemum harvesting machinery.