Influencing factor analysis of cabbage root cutting force based on orthogonal test

Abstract: The development of a cabbage harvester is urgent in China. The cabbage harvest is still in a condition of artificial operation, which results in labor intensity and low efficiency. Therefore, a kind of cabbage harvester is needed to finish the task. The cutting device plays an important role in the process of the cabbage harvest. In order to design a more reasonable cutting mechanism with a better cutting effect for the 4YB-I cabbage harvester, single factor and multi-factor orthogonal tests were carried out on the multi-function testing machine of microcomputer control. These factors were the main influencing factors of the cutting force applied to cabbage root. The maximum diameter of cabbage root chosen was 30 mm. Each experiment was carried out between top leaves and with a distance from the top leaves of 40 mm. The experiment was started on the distance from the top leaves of 40 mm. The main influencing factors were blade types, cutting ways, cutting speeds and cutting positions. Blade types were smooth-edge blade and serrated blade. Cutting ways were vertical cutting and sliding cutting. The angle of sliding cutting was 30°. To account for the influencing universality of cutting speed, cutting speeds were chosen randomly. They were 50, 100, 150 mm/ min in the paper. When experiments of blade types and cutting ways were carried out, 60 similar cabbage roots were chosen, which were divided into groups of twelve. When experiments of cutting speeds were carried out, 135 similar cabbage roots were chosen, which were divided into groups of nine. Each group experiment was conducted five times to get an average. In order to cut the cabbage root cleanly, the work scope of the cutter was between top leaves and the distance from the top leaves was 40 mm. The above experiments were all done on distances from the top leaves of 40, 20, or 5 mm. Based on the single factor orthogonal test, a multi-factor orthogonal test was carried out in a different cutting way, blade type and cutting position. Finally, experimental dates were analyzed by an analysis of variance. In the experiment, some results were obtained. Cutting position on the cabbage root had the greatest effects on the cutting force. The cutting force would be decreased with the changing of the position of the cabbage root, which showed that the best position was between the top leaves and with the distance from the top leaves of 40 mm. Cutting force could be greatly reduced by using a serrated blade with the angle of sliding cutting. The cutting force of the cabbage root would be decreased with the increasing cutting velocity. It was good for smoothly cutting to keep a certain cutting speed, which was 150 mm/min. At this time, the maximum cutting force was 97.8 N. The changing of the cutting speed in the experiment has provided an actual cutting speed of cutter of 4YB-1 cabbage harvester with a theoretical basis. The best way of cutting cabbage root was using a serrated blade with sliding cutting angle. The best position of cutting had provided a theoretical basis for the installation position of the cutter of the 4YB-I cabbage harvester.