Dynamic Cutting Properties of Miscanthus (giganteus) Stems Using an Impact Tester

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

1.      The title of the article does not clearly highlight the highlights of the article. Suggest the author to reconsider.

2.      I sugggest the authors to rewrite the abstract with a focus on background, objectives, methodlogy, main findings and conslusion. Please add a sentence which shows the necessity of the study.

3.      In the literature review of introduction, i do not think teh authors make it very clear of this contributions to this field. Although the author has cited a large number of relevant research literature, I am still unclear about the advantages or innovations of this study compared to existing research? Please use concise language to summarize what research has been completed by predecessors and what valuable research has not been done, rather than simply listing literature.

4.      5. Is the optical speed sensor in Figure 1 measuring linear or rotational speed? If it is linear velocity, where is the linear velocity obtained? This is related to the Pc that is calculated afterwards, so it needs to be given in detail.

5.      Is Vc in Eq. (2) the linear velocity of the cut corresponding to the moment of peak force? A clear explanation is needed.

6.      Figure 6(a)-(d) vertical coordinate intervals set to the same value can be more intuitive comparison of the size of the cutting force under different dispositions; The name of Figure 6d is incorrectly labeled, and inconsistent with the previous L230 description.

7.      I read the results and discussionsection completely. The discussion section is the main part of a paper, but this manuscript mainly reported the data for the tests without discussing it through adding available reasoning for justifying the result. I recommend author adding several reasoing and comparison through available publucations in the literature. Meanwhile, please insert some content on the implications of the study. What problem can the study help to solve?

8.      The clearer illustration of contribution or innovation should be further provided in the intruction and conclusion.

 

Author Response

Dear reviewer,

Thanks for your comments. Please find my response to your comments in the attached file. 

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Overall, this paper has a clear research purpose, reasonable experimental design, detailed data analysis, and practical reference value for improving the design of energy crop harvesting and processing machinery. The following are my detailed comments on the paper:

1. it is suggested to add some discussions on the current status and problems of energy crop harvesting machinery design to better lead to the research purpose.

2. it is suggested to add some descriptions about the experimental sample treatment and the number of test repetitions in the Methods section to enhance the reproducibility of the experiment.

3. It is suggested to add some comparative analyses on the effects of different cutting parameters on cutting performance in the discussion section to enhance the depth of the paper.

4. The conclusion section clearly summarises the main findings and significance of the study, but the practical application value of the study could be further emphasised. It is recommended to add some discussion on how the research results can be applied to the design of energy crop harvesting machinery.

5. references are too few should maintain more than 20 citations

6. the overall language is clear and fluent but some of the sentence structures can be further optimised to improve readability. It is also recommended to check the format of the paper to ensure that it meets the journal requirements.

Author Response

Dear reviewer,

Thanks for your comments. Please find my response to your comments in the attached file. 

Thanks

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The aim of this study was to study the dynamic interactions between the cutting blade and stem of Miscanthus in the transverse direction. The specific objectives were (1) to measure cutting force and node and internode energy for the bottom and top of the Miscanthus plant, and to study the influence of cutting blade type and support of the plant specimen on cutting force and energy during high-speed cutting. The abstract of a scientific article reflects its content. However, it is necessary to indicate in the abstract the relevance of the presented research in terms of determining the parameters of cutting speed and energy.

The relevance of these scientific studies is due to the need to reduce high energy costs during harvesting and post-harvest processing of miscanthus, which can also be used as a bioenergy fuel. The original aspects of the presented manuscript include the design of the laboratory installation presented in Figures 1-4, however, the form of presentation of scientific results needs to be adjusted in terms of the presentation of optimal cutting parameters, but not the range of their variation, which ensures minimal energy costs. In addition, the management must indicate the diagrams and general appearance of the technical means used to process the miscanthus plant. The presented research results enrich the scientific concept of developing a methodology for determining the destruction energy of agricultural materials. However, it is necessary to note the lack of information about the physical and mechanical properties of the studied varieties of miscanthus plants, as well as the correlation of the research results obtained for plants of other varieties. When analyzing the graphical dependencies presented in Figures 6 and 7, it is necessary to consider in more detail the changes in the studied parameters, indicating the deviations of the studied values ​​(in numerical terms) from the control values. The given references to the literature are appropriate, but it is necessary to perform additional citation and indicate at least 25 references to the literature on the area of ​​​​the problem being studied. The conclusions must be supplemented with digital material confirming the research results obtained, indicating the prospects for their further use.

Author Response

Dear reviewer,

Thanks for your comments. Please find my response to your comments in the attached file. 

Thanks

Author Response File: Author Response.docx