Resumen
The mechanical properties of tomato stalk, relevant to the harvesting and crushing of tomato vines, significantly impact its harvesting quality and efficiency. Establishing a simulation model, which accurately mirrors these properties, is foundational for designing related mechanical components. The discrete element method models tomato stalk harvesting and is optimized through mechanical tests and simulations. A blend of Plackett?Burman, steepest ascent, and central composite design modeling identified three contact model parameters influencing the maximum stalk shear force. The optimal values of these three parameters were a normal stiffness of 1.04 × 1010 N m-3, tangential stiffness of 7.59 × 109 N m-3, and bond radius of 1.06 mm. The relative error in the simulated versus measured shear force was <1%, affirming the model?s accuracy in characterizing cutting properties. These findings lay the theoretical groundwork for numerical simulations of tomato-stalk-related equipment.