Dynamic analysis and experimental study of sweet potato seedling transplanting mechanism with non-circular gear system <i>via</i> ADAMS-EDEM co-simulation

Soil resistance encountered by the sweet potato seedling transplanting mechanism during soil penetration is a critical factor influencing the dynamic characteristics of the mechanism. However, the intricate mechanism-soil interaction makes the fluctuation patterns of soil resistance analytically intractable. Therefore, this paper conducts a dynamic analysis and experimental research on the transplanting mechanism with the non-circular gear planetary train for sweet potato seedlings via ADAMS-EDEM co-simulation. ADAMS and EDEM software were used to establish simulation models of the sweet potato seedling transplanting mechanism and soil discrete element models, respectively, to conduct joint simulation analysis of the interaction process between the transplanting mechanism and the soil, obtaining the resistance and resistance torque curves exerted by the soil on the transplanting arm. A kineto-static analysis was employed to establish a dynamic model of the transplanting mechanism considering soil resistance, followed by an analysis to derive the loading and driving torque profiles for each component. A dedicated dynamic test bench was developed to conduct experimental evaluations and capture the dynamic characteristics of the prototype. The experimental dynamic curves exhibited high consistency with theoretical predictions in terms of mean, variance, and overall trends, validating the accuracy of the proposed model and analysis. This study integrates ADAMS–EDEM co-simulation into the dynamic analysis of a non-circular gear planetary transplanting mechanism for sweet potato seedlings. Unlike traditional research that treats soil resistance as a constant or simplified value, this work establishes the nonlinear, time-varying loading characteristics model during the soil-entry phase. By incorporating the simulated force and torque curves as direct inputs into the dynamic equations, this approach effectively resolves the discrepancy between external loads and actual working conditions inherent in previous models. The proposed approach offers a robust methodology for the dynamic modeling and analysis of complex soil-engaging mechanisms.