Mechanical high-speed precision maize metering device based on seed pile stratification

Seeding technology plays a critical role in ensuring food security and improving agricultural production efficiency. To tackle the challenges associated with seed-filling in maize mechanical precision seed-metering device during high-speed operations, a method for seed pile stratification is proposed. A mesh hole structure conducive to stratification is designed to assist seeds in passing through the mesh hole and separating from the population, thereby effectively achieving stratification and improving seed-filling performance, enabling effective filling under high-speed conditions. The mesh hole structure was designed with diamond, square, and circular configurations, with an analysis of seed screening performance revealing that the circular mesh hole structure had the highest screening efficiency. Under circular mesh hole conditions, a theoretical analysis of the seed screening process was performed, identifying key factors influencing seeding performance, such as the seed-metering disk rotational speed, mesh hole quantity, and mesh hole diameter. Theoretical calculations indicated that an initial angle of 15° and a terminal angle of 75° at the endpoint of the seeding zone yield the optimal seed screening rate. Orthogonal experiments were conducted with seed-metering disk rotational speed, mesh hole quantity, and mesh hole diameter as experimental factors. The results demonstrated that, at a maize plant spacing of 18 cm and an operating speed of 273 rpm (approximately 12 km/h), with 5 mesh holes and a mesh hole diameter of 14 mm, the qualified rate reached 89.24%, meeting the technical requirements for high-speed precision maize seeding. This study offers novel insights and a theoretical foundation for further research into mechanical high-speed precision maize seeding technology.