Track: Design and Analysis

Abstract

The scope of the paper was to design a tractor powered groundnut harvester that is affordable for small scale Zimbabwean farmers with the aim of reducing the harvesting period, reducing harvesting cost, reducing human labor during harvesting and presenting the farmers with an option of collect chaff which might be used for purposes such as mulching and feeding farm livestock. Experiments were done to obtain relevant information which helped in the design of the machine such as the force required to detach pods from roots. The values obtained from literature review and experiments were used to calculate and determine the different dimensions of various components of the machine. The optimum speed of the tractor for better efficiency was found to be 2km/hr and the average PTO speed should be maintained at an average of 540 rpm. The power required from the tractor to operate the machine was found to be 13.6kW and the cost of operation ranged from $41.58 to $74.66 depending on the soil type, soil moisture content, speed of the tractor and soil cutting depth. The cost of making the machine was found to be $1 912. These results are within the range set in the objectives.