Design and operational parameters optimisation of a citrus substrate filling and transporting machine

Aiming to address the problem of low mechanisation of filling and transporting citrus seedling pots in China, a new type of pot filling and transporting machine with 120 pots at a time was designed. Based on the study of flow characteristics of the seedling substrate, key components of the filling and transporting machines, such as the hopper component, transmission mechanism, flip mechanism, and steering mechanism, were designed. The effects of the opening width of the hopper, the rotating speed of the stirring shaft, the moisture content of the seedling substrate, and the forward speed of the transporting device on the filling effect of the seedling pot were studied by the experimental method, and the optimal operation parameters were determined. The prototype tests were repeated 3 times with the best combination of parameters. The test results indicate that the machine was in good condition for loading and unloading. The number of filling pots was 120 once, and the average filling time was 40 s. The average filling mass was 1.881 kg, 0.006 kg different from the predicted value of 1.887 kg, and the relative error was 0.32%. The coefficient of variation of the mass was 2.97%, which was 0.12% different from the predicted value of 2.85%, and the relative error was 4.0%. This designed machine can provide a reference for developing and optimising the citrus substrate filling and transporting machine.