Innovative Design of a Whole-Stem Sugarcane Harveste
Fang Juguang *
School of Mechanical Engineering, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou -450045, China.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The small whole-stem sugarcane harvester is a type of sugarcane harvesting machinery designed for individual farmers. It ensures a complete cutting plane during the harvesting process, resulting in low sugarcane head breakage and reduced sugar loss. The sugarcane harvesters currently developed mainly come in two forms: whole- stem and cut-stem. The cut-stem harvesters are larger in size and more expensive, making them unsuitable for the hilly terrain and small-scale cultivation in China. The whole-stem harvesters have poor adjustability of the cutting platform, leading to uneven stubble and high head breakage rates, making it difficult for farmers to choose the right sugarcane harvesting machinery. Currently, the aforementioned issues have not been effectively addressed. Therefore, this paper designs a low-cost, rationally structured, easy-to-operate, and individual-farmer-friendly small whole-stem sugarcane harvester that can efficiently complete sugarcane harvesting tasks.
Keywords: Agricultural mechanization, cost-effective, structural design, harvesting technology