Simulation design and experiment of key mechanisms of above-film transplanters

To solve the problems of bad up-film operating effect and poor stability of the greenhouse vegetable pot seedling transplanter, an eight-bar transplanting mechanism was developed. Its mathematical model was established with simulation analysis and effect verification. Using Adams dynamic simulation software, the virtual prototype of the eight-bar mechanism was simulated and analyzed with the plant spacing of 200 mm, 300 mm, and 450 mm when the efficiency of seedling picking and dropping was 120 plants/min and the planting depth was 60 mm. The simulation results showed that the length of the plastic film met the industry standard of vegetable transplanter. The prototype of the eight-bar mechanism was tested according to the measuring method of film surface connection length of vegetable transplanter. The test results showed that when plant spacing was 200 mm, 300 mm, and 450 mm, the average connection length of the film surface was 141 mm, 237 mm, and 368 mm, which were 8.5%, 6%, and 6.1% different from the simulation results respectively.