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Procedia Engineering 174 (2017) 956 – 964

13th Global Congress on Manufacturing and Management, GCMM 2016

Modal and Harmonic Response Analysis of Key Components of

Ditch device Based on ANSYS
Yongchang Yu, Shuaijun Zhang, He Li*, Xiaofei Wang, Yadong Tang
College of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering of Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China.

Abstract

This paper presents a ditch device which is suitable for being used in rainy area. It can effectively reduce field work frequency by
installing such device on a seeder. Through conducting ANSYS-based modal analysis for such ditch device, we obtained the
natural vibration frequency and response effect of the ditch device (during field working, the vibration frequency of the ditch
device was 8-9HZ). The natural frequency of ditch device completely avoided the machine vibration frequency in seeding period,
and thus avoided poor working conditions caused by resonance. Harmonic response analysis was also performed on the basis of
modal analysis. Results showed that the ditch device was subjected to very small stress and deformation displacement when the
machine was in vibration condition, which will not affect the strength and stability of ditch device.
© 2017
© 2016TheTheAuthors.
Authors. Published
Published by Elsevier
by Elsevier Ltd. is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
Ltd. This
Peer-review under responsibility ofthe organizing committee of the 13th Global Congress on Manufacturing and Management.
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of the 13th Global Congress on Manufacturing and Management
Keywords:Water Drainage; Ditching; Vibration; Modal Analysis; Harmonic Response Analysis

1. Introduction

Agriculture drainage ditch is not only of great influence to agricultural production, but also a key component of
agricultural ecosystem. Properly using its drainage and waterlogging reduction capacity can bring great economic
and hydrologic benefits. In addition, severe overland runoffs during agricultural production create huge soil and
nutrient losses, therefore it is very necessary to reduce overland runoffs and develop field drainage ditches, so as to
improve field eco-system [1-4].Most existing field ditch devices have only single operation mode, because of which
the ditch devices can proceed other agricultural activities only after finishing trenching work, and therefore the field
work frequency will be increased. If the machine enter into field too frequently, the soil will be press compacted,

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +86-1551-5549-801.

E-mail address:chungbuk@163.com

1877-7058 © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of the 13th Global Congress on Manufacturing and Management
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2017.01.247
 Yongchang Yu et al. / Procedia Engineering 174 (2017) 956 – 964 957

enhancing land overflow and soil erosion. Moreover existing ditch devices cannot realize satisfactory performance,
normally the drainage ditch developed by ditch devices need to be further processed by manual work, which is not
conductive to the realization of whole-process mechanization [5-8]. In this paper, we develop a new ditch device
which is installed on a seeder, which can reduce the frequency of field working. However when the ditch device is
working, the phenomenon of vibration will make impact on the strength and stability of ditch device. If the machine
vibration is in frequency band which is near the natural frequency of ditch device, resonance phenomenon will occur,
which will lead to large position displacement and resonance loads and thus make negative impact on the strength
and stability of ditch device [9-15]. In this paper, a 3D model of proposed ditch device was established using
SOLIDWORKS 2014 and ANSYS (software of finite element analysis) 16.0. First, we conducted modal analysis
and obtained the natural vibration frequencies of ditch device and the response effect under each natural vibration
frequency. We investigated the occurrence of resonance phenomenon of ditch device by comparing natural
frequency and the vibration frequency during working, with the purpose of avoiding resonance influence to the
strength and stability of ditch device. After that, we further analyzed the stress and displacement of ditch device
under vibration condition, in order to provide a theoretical basis for the optimization of ditch device.

2. Structure and working parameters of ditch device

Fig.1 shows a seeder installed with ditch device. The ditch device is mainly composed of gearbox, rotating
trenching part, and gutter-plough. When the device is working, the rotating trenching part will return residual straw
to the field at area to be trenched and preliminarily chop the soil in the meantime. After that the gutter-plough will
develop drainage ditches (See Fig.3 and 4) at chopped soil layer. Finally the press wheel will press the soil and
finish trenching. The ditch device mainly consists of rotation ditching part and gutter-plough. The rotation ditching
part adopts L-shape blade, with tilling depth and breadth of 200mm and 400mm, respectively, and rotating speed of
220 r/min. The penetrating angle of gutter-plough is 5°, with tilling depth and breadth of both 200mm.

1.Seeder frame; 2.Fertilizer can; 3.Seeding unit; 4.Fertilization furrow opener; 5.Gutter-plough; 6.Rotation ditching part; 7.Gearbox

Fig. 1. Structure of seeder.

1.Rotation ditching part;2.Soil layer after rotation ditching;3.Gutter-plough;4.Unploughed soil

Fig. 2. Work diagram of ditch device.

958 Yongchang Yu et al. / Procedia Engineering 174 (2017) 956 – 964

3. Establishment of finite element analytical model of ditch device

A 3D model of ditch device was established in SOLDWORKS 2014 by comprehensively considering the
structural feature, processing requirements, and solution calculation amount. The 3D model was led in ANSYS 16.0
software via SOLIDWORKS 2014 and ANSYS 16.0 interfaces, as shown in Fig.3 and Fig.4. The rotation ditching
part adopts structural steel; gutter-plough flange adopts 65Mn steel and remaining parts adopt structural steel. Using
automatic mesh generation, it can obtain mesh generation results as that the node number of rotation ditching part
was 7622, unit number was 1976; the node number of gutter-plough was 29006, unit number was 14999. According
to actual assembly relationship, distal displacement constraint was applied for rotation ditching part, wherein Z axial
direction was free; the front end of gutter-plough was supported by fixed constraint.

Fig. 3. Three Dimensional Model of rotary cutter shaft

Fig. 4. Three dimensional model of gutter-plough

4. Modal analysis of ditching device

The dynamic design and analysis were conducted for ditching device using ANSYS 16.0. Through modal
analysis, it can obtain natural frequencies, modal shapes, modal dampings, modal quality, and modal stiffnesses of
various major components structures. Based on these results, we carried out vibration analysis and concluded that
the stability of ditching device can be guaranteed through avoiding these frequencies or reducing the excitation
effect of these frequencies in the largest degree. Undamped modal analysis is a classic eigenvalue problem. The
 Yongchang Yu et al. / Procedia Engineering 174 (2017) 956 – 964 959

kinematic equation is the free vibration of the structure is simple harmonic vibration, which means the displacement
meets sine function
š ൌ š •‹ሺɘ–ሻ ሺʹሻ
Substituting into equation ሺͳሻ, it can obtain
ሺሾሿ െ ɘଶ ሾሿሻሼšሽ ൌ ሼͲሽሺ͵ሻ
Equation ሺʹሻ is a classic eigenvalue problem, the equation eigenvalue is ɘଶड़ , the extraction of a root ɘࣻ is
ன
autooscillation circular frequency, natural vibration frequency is ˆ ൌ ड़ . Vector ሼšሽड़ related to ɘࣻ is mode of
ଶ஠
ன
vibration related to natural vibration frequency ˆ ൌ ࣻ . Model was established by SOLIDWORKS 2014. Model data
ଶ஠
were led into ANSYS16.0 via the interfaces of ANSYS 16.0 and SOLIDWORKS 2014. As the blade is assembled
on rotary tillage cutter shaft, so in this paper we only analyzed the modal of shaft which was not assembled with
rotary blade.

Table 4. Modal analysis results of rotate of cutter shaft of rotation ditch part.

Order Natural frequency(Hz) Maximum amplitude(mm) Main vibration direction

1 0.0037 11.069 Z axial direction

2 204.47 11.237 X radial direction; Y,Z axial direction

3 206.24 11.226 X radial direction; X,Y,Z axial direction

4 439.09 13.373 X radial direction; X,Y,Z axial direction

5 538.86 12.563 X radial direction; X,Y,Z axial direction

6 546.64 11.039 X,Z radial direction; X,Y,Z axial direction

(a)First order(b)Second order

Fig. 5. First and Second order vibration modal displacement nephogram

960 Yongchang Yu et al. / Procedia Engineering 174 (2017) 956 – 964

(a)Third order(b)Fourth order

Fig. 6. Third and Fourth order vibration modal displacement nephogram

(a)Fifth order(b)Sixth order

Fig. 7. Fifth and Sixth order vibration modal displacement nephogram

The modal analysis results of rotary cutter shaft are shown in Table.4 and Fig.5-7. We can see that the first-
order vibration mode is that the rotary cutter shaft rotates along Z axis, and response effect is that the rotary cutter
shaft is in axial rotation; the second-order vibration mode is that the rotary cutter shaft swings along X radial
direction while rotates along X, Z axial directions, and response effect is that the rotary cutter shaft swings along
center point; the third-order vibration mode is that the rotary cutter shaft swings along X radial direction while
rotates along X,Y, Z axial directions, and response effect is that the rotary cutter shaft swings along center point; the
fourth-order vibration mode is that the rotary cutter shaft swings along X radial direction while rotates along X,Y, Z
axial directions, and response effect is that the both ends of rotary cutter shaft are distorted in different directions;
the fifth-order vibration mode is that the rotary cutter shaft swings along X radial direction while rotates along X,Y,
Z axial directions, and response effect is that the rotary cutter shaft swings along the three points; the sixth-order
vibration mode is that the rotary cutter shaft swings along X,Z radial directions while rotates along X,Y, Z axial
directions, and response effect is that the rotary cutter shaft swings along the three points, which is the same as that
of the fifth order vibration mode.
 Yongchang Yu et al. / Procedia Engineering 174 (2017) 956 – 964 961

Table5. Modal analysis results of modal analysis of gutter-plough.

Order Natural frequency(Hz) Maximum amplitude(mm) Main vibration direction

1 40.378 75.151 Y,Z axial direction

2 61.354 75.933 X radial direction; Z axial direction

3 125.15 105.04 X radial direction; Z axial direction

4 221.12 84.509 X,Y radial direction; X,Y,Z axial direction

5 227.54 92.012 X,Y radial direction; X,Y,Z axial direction

6 397.42 103.9 X,Y,Z radial direction; X,Y,Z axial direction

(a)First order(b)Second order

Fig. 8. First and Second order vibration modal displacement nephogram

(a)Third order(b)Fourth order

Fig. 9. Third and Fourth order vibration modal displacement nephogram

962 Yongchang Yu et al. / Procedia Engineering 174 (2017) 956 – 964

(a)Fifth order(b)Sixth order

Fig. 10. Fifth and Sixth order vibration modal displacement nephogram

The modal analysis results of gutter-plough are shown in Table.5 and Fig.8-10.The first-order vibration mode is
that the gutter-plough rotates along Y, X axial directions, and response effect is that the right moldboard swings left
and right; The second-order vibration mode is that the gutter-plough swings along X radial direction and rotates
along Z axial direction, and response effect is that left moldboard swings left and right; The third-order vibration
mode is that the gutter-plough swings along X radial direction and rotates along Z axial direction, and response
effect is that right moldboard is in distortion; The fourth-order vibration mode is that the gutter-plough swings along
X,Y radial directions and rotates along X, Y, Z axial directions, and response effect is that left and right moldboards
are in distortion; The fifth-order vibration mode is that the gutter-plough swings along X,Y radial directions and
rotates along X, Y, Z axial directions, and response effect is that left and right moldboards are in distortion(the same
as the fourth order);The sixth-order vibration mode is that the gutter-plough swings along X,Y radial directions and
rotates along X, Y, Z axial directions, and response effect is that left and right moldboards are in bending and
torsion.
When the vibration frequency during working is close to the natural vibration frequency, the phenomenon of
resonance will occur, which can not only damage machine parts, but also greatly impact the stability of the whole
ditching device. In the designing process of ditching device, such situation should be avoided. Through a further
investigation, we concluded that the phenomenon of resonance will occur when the relation between machine
working vibration frequency and natural vibration frequency meet following condition:
0.75߱ड़ ൏߱ढ़ ൏߱ड़ାଵ ሺͶሻ
Š‡”‡߱ड़ ߱ड़ାଵ ƒ”‡–Š‡ƒ…Š‹‡˜‹„”ƒ–‹‘ˆ”‡“—‡…‹‡•ǡ߱ढ़ ‹•–Š‡ƒ–—”ƒŽˆ”‡“—‡…›ǤŠ‡˜‹„”ƒ–‹‘ˆ”‡“—‡…›‘ˆ
–Š‡ †‹–…Š‹‰ †‡˜‹…‡ †—”‹‰ ™‘”‹‰ ˜ƒ”‹‡• ™‹–Š‹ 8-9HZ. By substituting such value into above equation, it can
obtain that when natural frequency is within 6-9Hz, the phenomenon of resonance will occur. The natural frequency
of the ditch device completely avoids the 12 frequency bands, which indicate the ditch device is reasonably designed
in term of avoiding resonance, therefore when the device is working at field, it device parts and whole stability will
not damaged or affected by resonace.

5. Harmonic response analysis of ditch device

According to above modal analysis results, we can know that the ditch device will not subjected to resonance
during working. To analyze the specific response effects of ditch device, the harmonic response analysis is also
needed to be conducted on the basis of modal analysis.
Harmonic response analysis of the finite element model was conducted using SPSS (square-root method) on
the basis of modal analysis. In the harmonic response analysis based on Response Spectrum, the machine vibration
 Yongchang Yu et al. / Procedia Engineering 174 (2017) 956 – 964 963

frequency varies within 8-9HZ, therefore the frequency band of harmonic response analysis will be within 8-9HZ.
Vibration was produced by RS Acceleration, with accelerating rate of 3 Τ• ଶ , Run "solve", and then the
displacement responses of ditch device can be obtained, as shown in Fig.11-12. The maximum stresses for rotation
ditch part and gutter-plough were 0.10343MPa and 0.73756MPa, respectively; the maximum displacements for
rotation ditch part and gutter-plough were 1.0673 ൈ ͳͲି଺ mm and 3.3353 ൈ ͳͲିଶ mm, respectively. Under the
influence of machine vibration, the stresses and displacements of rotation ditch part and gutter-plough were very
small, which will not impact the strength and stability of ditch device.

(a) Rotary cutter shaft(b) Gutter-plough

Fig. 11. Harmonic response stress diagram of rotary cutter shaft and gutter-plough

(a) Rotary cutter shaft(b) Gutter-plough

Fig. 12. Harmonic response displacement diagram of rotary cutter shaft and gutter-plough.
964 Yongchang Yu et al. / Procedia Engineering 174 (2017) 956 – 964

6. Conclusion

Fig. 13. Field experiment of ditch device. Fig. 14. Field ditch effect.

1)This paper presents a ditch device which can be mounted on a seeder, therefore it is possible to fulfill seeding
operation while trenching out drainage ditches that meet agronomic requirements in the mean time, so as to reduce
the frequency of entering into field.
2)Modal analysis of the ditch device was conducted, and the results showed the natural frequency of ditch
device completely avoided the working vibration frequency, so that the poor working conditions caused by
resonance were avoided.
3)Harmonic response analysis of finite element model was conducted using SPSS on the basis of modal
analysis. It can be known that the stress and displacement of ditch device were both very small during vibration
condition, which will not affect the strength and stability of the ditch device.

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