Abstract
A simulation program for a transplanting system employing a piston-activated vacuum was developed and tested. The effects of four basic parameters upon the characteristics of movement of the transferred seedling block, namely the velocity of the seedling block and the rate of consumed energy. The terminal velocity of the seedling block was presumed to be the velocity at the door attached to the end of the drop tube. The simulation program was validated by the results of laboratory test. Further, in order to provide free of harm dislodging of seedlings from tray cells by high speed pull-out and consequent soft landing in plant-beds at low velocity, double acting pneumatic cylinder was incorporated in the plant transferring system. Experimental and simulation trials were conducted for diameters of drop tube 34mm and 43mm. The experimental terminal velocity was generally higher than the simulated terminal velocity.
