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Design and test analysis of a rotary cutter device for root cutting of golden needle mushroom

Summary

This study develops a specialized high-speed cutting machine for harvesting golden needle mushrooms, which are currently picked by hand due to their delicate nature. The machine uses a fast-spinning blade with a special sliding angle that cuts smoothly rather than crushing the tender stems, similar to how a sharp knife slides through vegetables rather than crushing them. Testing showed this approach reduces energy use and damage while improving cutting quality, making mushroom harvesting more practical for commercial scale operations.

Background

Golden needle mushrooms (Flammulina velutipes) are commercially important but currently harvested manually due to challenges with mechanized harvesting of delicate, flexible stems. Existing machinery designed for rigid crops causes tissue damage and poor cutting quality. There is a need for specialized harvesting equipment that can efficiently cut mushroom roots while minimizing damage.

Objective

To design and optimize a novel high-speed rotary cutter device with a slitting cutting angle specifically for root cutting of golden needle mushrooms. The study aimed to determine optimal structural parameters of the cutter and operational parameters to reduce cutting force and energy consumption while improving cut quality.

Results

Optimal cutter parameters identified: slitting cutting angle of 26°, cutting edge angle of 15°, and thickness of 2 mm. Best operational parameters: cutting speed of 1400 r/min, turntable feed speed of 6 r/min, and cutting height of 20 mm. The new design reduced cutting force by 39.4% and unit area power consumption by 24.5% compared to conventional cutters, with significantly improved cutting flatness.

Conclusion

The high-speed rotary cutter with optimized slitting angle represents an effective solution for mechanized golden needle mushroom harvesting. The sliding-cutting mechanism minimizes tissue damage while achieving high efficiency, addressing key technical challenges in mushroom harvesting mechanization and providing a pathway for industry automation.
  • Published in:Scientific Reports,
  • Study Type:Engineering Design and Optimization Study,
  • Source: 41136535
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