A VIRTUAL PROTOTYPING APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE PADDY WEEDER DESIGN USING MSC Adams, EDEM, AND ANSYS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58475/2025.63.4.1239Keywords:
EDEM simulation, finite element analysis, paddy weeder, sustainable mechanization, virtual prototyping, Pakistan, PakistanAbstract
The growing demand for sustainable and efficient weed management practices in paddy cultivation has led to the need for eco-friendly mechanical alternatives to chemical herbicides. This study is performed in 2025 to demonstrates the comprehensive virtual prototyping approach towards sustainable design of a walk-behind inter-row paddy weeder using MSC Adams, EDEM, and ANSYS software integration. A 3D model of the weeder was prepared in the SolidWorks software and analyzed using multibody dynamics (MBD) simulation in MSC Adams to determine the kinematic behaviour, which shows a relative error of less than 2% between the simulated and theoretical values. The validated model was co-simulated together with the EDEM to develop a virtual digital twin that provided a realistic representation of soil-tool interactions, from which dynamic forces were extracted for static structural analysis in ANSYS. Among the three blade designs (D1 , D2 , D3 ), the structural integrity was best in design D2 , with minimal deformation (0.18 mm), the equivalent stress was low (63.3 MPa), and the safety factor was 1.26 compared with the excessive stress of D1 (651.04 MPa, FOS 0.38). The developed virtual prototyping framework greatly reduces the need for physical prototypes and field trials, which greatly decreases the cost and time of development. This simulation-driven design offers a low-cost and long-term energy-efficient alternative for sustainable management of paddy weeds. The results highlight the potential of digital engineering tools to drive the adoption of climate-smart agricultural machinery.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Aftab Khaliq, Ibrar Ahmad, Fiaz Ahmad, Muhammad Faheem, Badar Munir Khan Naizi , Hafiz Sultan Mahmood, Mahmood Ali (Author)
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