Abstract:To address the issues of high labor intensity in manual defoliation, high damage rates,,and low operational efficiency in existing mechanical de-leafing devices for Artemisia argyi, the design and experimental optimization of a low-destruction leaf-pulling defoliation device based on DEM?MBD were conducted. Firstly, the kinematic and dynamic model of the defoliating device was established, and the key components such as the conveyor belt, stem-pressing belt, stripping teeth,,and stem-pulling rollers were designed through theoretical analysis. Subsequently, the joint simulation of the defoliation device was performed by coupling EDEM ? RecurDyn to verify the rationality of the device design, and the main operation parameters and their value ranges affecting the defoliation of Artemisia argyi were determined. Finally, prototype tests were carried out, with stripping gap height, conveyor roller speed, and stem-pulling roller speed as test factors, while whole-plant de-leafing rate, damage rate, and impurity rate served as evaluation indicators. The results showed that under the optimal parameter combination of a stripping gap height of 6.8 mm,conveyor roller speed of 25 r/min, and stem-pulling roller speed of 383.7 r/min, the removal rate,,damage rate, and impurity rate of Artemisia argyi were 83.59%,,4.27%, and 4.74%, respectively,meeting the de-leafing requirements for Artemisia argyi.