Experimental Wear Behavior Analysis of Coated Spindle Hook Teeth under Real Harvesting Work Conditions

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the wear failure changes of spindle hook teeth and the reasons for such failure during field work. Spindle samples were obtained from a fixed position of the spindle bar under different field picking area conditions and combined with the spatial distribution characteristics of cotton bolls in Xinjiang. After cutting a spindle sample, a scanning electron microscope and an energy spectrum analyzer were used to characterize the micromorphology and element composition of the hook tooth surface and cross section under different working area conditions. The wear parameters of the hook teeth were then extracted. The results showed that the thickness of the coating on the surface of the hook tooth used in this study was between 66.1 µm and 74.4 µm. The major chemical element was chromium, with a small amount of nickel. During the field picking process, failure of the coating on the surface of the hook teeth initially appeared on the tooth tip and tooth edge, and then spread to the entire hook tooth surface. The wear failure of the hook teeth resulted from abrasive wear, oxidative wear, and fatigue peeling. As the picking area increased, the wear area of the hook teeth increased exponentially, while the wear width increased linearly. When the field picking area reached 533.33 ha, the maximum change rate of the wear area was 2.33 × 103 µm2/ha, and the wear width was 1.84 µm/ha. During field work, the thickness of the coating decreased from the cutting surface to the tooth edge, and the wear rate gradually increased. The wear rate at Position 1 was the slowest, at 0.01 µm/ha, and the wear rate at Position 5 was the fastest, at 0.25 µm/ha.

Experimental study on wear failure of spindle hook teeth of cotton picker

“…The spindle is a key core component of the cotton picker, and its performance directly determines the picking efficiency and effect of the cotton picker field operation (Chen et al, 2020b;Bi, 2007;Li et al, 2022b). At the same time, the spindle is also the most consumed among wear parts on the cotton picker, and spindle hook teeth are very prone to wear failure problems (Wu et al, 2013;Zhang et al, 2017;Li et al, 2018;Gu et al, 2021;Li et al, 2022a). The wear failure of spindle will lead to a decrease in cotton harvesting rate of the cotton picker during field operation and serious wastage.…”

Development of a mid-infrared sensor system for early fire identification in cotton harvesting operations

“…6–9 In the process of the cotton harvesting operation, the friction between the high-speed rotating cotton-picking head and the cotton stalk easily produces sparks, and these sparks are unavoidably wrapped in the cotton. 10,11 Consequently, early fire, namely smoldering, occurs inside the cotton, which is flameless and difficult to detect. 12 Once smoldering changes to flaming combustion and fire, great threats are posed to the safety and lives of people and property.…”

Calculation of the change in raw cotton mass when passing through the working chamber of the harvester

“…As is known [11,12], the process of drawing-in and compression of a cotton plant and its elements through the working area formed by two parallel spindle drums depends on the linear velocity of rotation of the spindles, the peripheral velocity of the spindle drum and the movement of the branches of the cotton plant. Experimental studies have shown [13][14][15] that an increase in the productivity of cotton harvesters (serial and improved ones) with epi-and hypo-cyclic spindle drives with the same working width and the same agricultural background is ensured by increasing the length of furrows, the speed of the cotton harvester, and the completeness of the cotton harvest.…”