Improving the seed detection accuracy of piezoelectric impact sensors for precision seeders. Part II: Evaluation of different plate materials

Abstract

Precision seeders are crucial in modern agriculture as they directly affect agricultural productivity by ensuring the uniform distribution of seeds in the field. Any non-uniformity in seed distribution can lead to missed or multiple seedings, resulting in potential yield losses. To overcome this issue, researchers have dedicated significant efforts to developing efficient and precise methodologies for assessing and enhancing the seeding performance of precision seeders.Piezoelectric impact sensors are widely used for detecting impacts or collisions and can measure the magnitude and duration of such impacts. This study explores a method to improve the reliability and accuracy of seed detection using piezoelectric signal acquisition and analysis to evaluate the seeding performance of precision seeders. A fast and high-precision piezoelectric detection system was designed and tested using steel, acrylic, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), fiberglass, and autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) as plate materials. The results demonstrated that fiberglass exhibited the highest measurement accuracy, exceeding 95 %, in detecting soybean, corn, and sunflower seeds at simulated forward speeds of 6 and 12 km/h.The findings of this study contribute to the development of more efficient and accurate methods for testing and detecting the seeding performance of precision seeders. Using fiberglass as a plate material for piezoelectric impact sensors is a promising approach to improving seed detection accuracy and ensuring the quality of seeding operations.