Parameter Optimization Design and Experimental Validation of a Header for Electric Rice Reaper Binders Employed in Hilly Regions

The operation of electric rice reaper binders in hilly and mountainous areas currently faces the challenges of poor conveying efficiency and high harvest losses caused by the large dispersion of rice stem posture angles. In this study, we propose a multiparameter collaborative optimization method fo...

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Main Authors: Jinbo Ren, Difa Bao, Zhi Liang, Chongsheng Yan, Junbo Wu, Xinhui Wu, Shuhe Zheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Agriculture
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/12/1242
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author Jinbo Ren
Difa Bao
Zhi Liang
Chongsheng Yan
Junbo Wu
Xinhui Wu
Shuhe Zheng
author_facet Jinbo Ren
Difa Bao
Zhi Liang
Chongsheng Yan
Junbo Wu
Xinhui Wu
Shuhe Zheng
author_sort Jinbo Ren
collection DOAJ
description The operation of electric rice reaper binders in hilly and mountainous areas currently faces the challenges of poor conveying efficiency and high harvest losses caused by the large dispersion of rice stem posture angles. In this study, we propose a multiparameter collaborative optimization method for improving header structure in an effort to address these challenges. First, key parameters influencing lifting performance and their operational ranges were determined based on a theoretical analysis of the stem-lifting mechanism’s kinematic characteristics. A dynamic model simulating the header’s lifting process was developed by using the ADAMS multibody dynamics platform. Subsequently, we designed a quadratic regression orthogonal rotation combination experiment with three factors, i.e., the stem-lifting speed ratio coefficient, the cutter installation position, and the header tilt angle, using the stem-lifting angle as the evaluation metric. The variance in the experimental data was analyzed with Design-Expert 13.0, and response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to elucidate the parameter interaction effects. The optimal parameter combination was identified as a speed ratio coefficient of 2.14, a cutter installation position of 258.79 mm, and a header tilt angle of 62.63°, yielding a theoretical stem-lifting angle of 2.36°. Field validation tests demonstrated an actual stem-lifting angle of 2.44° (relative error: 3.39%) and a header loss rate of 0.59%, representing a 49.6% reduction compared with the pre-optimized design. These results confirm that the optimized header satisfies operational requirements for hilly terrain rice harvesting, providing both theoretical guidance and technical advancements for the design of low-loss harvesting machinery.
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spelling doaj-art-f3ff6db198f94e3485faddbae25e81c42025-06-25T13:19:38ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722025-06-011512124210.3390/agriculture15121242Parameter Optimization Design and Experimental Validation of a Header for Electric Rice Reaper Binders Employed in Hilly RegionsJinbo Ren0Difa Bao1Zhi Liang2Chongsheng Yan3Junbo Wu4Xinhui Wu5Shuhe Zheng6College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaCollege of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaCollege of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaCollege of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaCollege of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaCollege of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaCollege of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaThe operation of electric rice reaper binders in hilly and mountainous areas currently faces the challenges of poor conveying efficiency and high harvest losses caused by the large dispersion of rice stem posture angles. In this study, we propose a multiparameter collaborative optimization method for improving header structure in an effort to address these challenges. First, key parameters influencing lifting performance and their operational ranges were determined based on a theoretical analysis of the stem-lifting mechanism’s kinematic characteristics. A dynamic model simulating the header’s lifting process was developed by using the ADAMS multibody dynamics platform. Subsequently, we designed a quadratic regression orthogonal rotation combination experiment with three factors, i.e., the stem-lifting speed ratio coefficient, the cutter installation position, and the header tilt angle, using the stem-lifting angle as the evaluation metric. The variance in the experimental data was analyzed with Design-Expert 13.0, and response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to elucidate the parameter interaction effects. The optimal parameter combination was identified as a speed ratio coefficient of 2.14, a cutter installation position of 258.79 mm, and a header tilt angle of 62.63°, yielding a theoretical stem-lifting angle of 2.36°. Field validation tests demonstrated an actual stem-lifting angle of 2.44° (relative error: 3.39%) and a header loss rate of 0.59%, representing a 49.6% reduction compared with the pre-optimized design. These results confirm that the optimized header satisfies operational requirements for hilly terrain rice harvesting, providing both theoretical guidance and technical advancements for the design of low-loss harvesting machinery.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/12/1242ricereaper binderheaderADAMSoptimization
spellingShingle Jinbo Ren
Difa Bao
Zhi Liang
Chongsheng Yan
Junbo Wu
Xinhui Wu
Shuhe Zheng
Parameter Optimization Design and Experimental Validation of a Header for Electric Rice Reaper Binders Employed in Hilly Regions
Agriculture
rice
reaper binder
header
ADAMS
optimization
title Parameter Optimization Design and Experimental Validation of a Header for Electric Rice Reaper Binders Employed in Hilly Regions
title_full Parameter Optimization Design and Experimental Validation of a Header for Electric Rice Reaper Binders Employed in Hilly Regions
title_fullStr Parameter Optimization Design and Experimental Validation of a Header for Electric Rice Reaper Binders Employed in Hilly Regions
title_full_unstemmed Parameter Optimization Design and Experimental Validation of a Header for Electric Rice Reaper Binders Employed in Hilly Regions
title_short Parameter Optimization Design and Experimental Validation of a Header for Electric Rice Reaper Binders Employed in Hilly Regions
title_sort parameter optimization design and experimental validation of a header for electric rice reaper binders employed in hilly regions
topic rice
reaper binder
header
ADAMS
optimization
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/12/1242
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