TECHNICAL REPORT
on
Design & Development of Tractor Mounted Inter-row
Rotary Cultivator for Wide Row Crops
Funded by
SERB, DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (DST)
NEW DELHI, 110 016
Participating Agencies
Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
CSIR-CMERI Centre of Excellence for Farm Machinery, Ludhiana
CSIR-CMERI CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR FARM MACHINERY
OPP. GNE COLLEGE, GILL ROAD, LUDHIANA – 141 006
Centre for Precision & Conservation Farming Machinery (CPCFM)
A SERB and CSIR Initiative
TECHNICAL REPORT
1. Title of the project: Design & Development of Tractor Mounted Inter-row
Rotary Cultivator for Wide Row Crops
2. Principal Investigator(s) and Co-Investigator(s):
Dr. Baldev Dogra, Research Engineer, PAU, Ludhiana
Mr. Jagdish M, Scientist, CoEFM, Ludhiana
3. Implementing Institution(s) and other collaborating Institution(s):
Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
CSIR-CMERI Centre of Excellence for Farm Machinery, Ludhiana
4. Date of commencement: 01.01.2010
5. Planned date of completion: 31.03.2013
6. Actual date of completion: 31.10.2017
7. Objectives as stated in the project proposal:
To design and develop a tractor-mounted rotary cultivator for other wide-
row crops
To evaluate the performance of the developed rotary cultivator under actual
field conditions
Demonstration and field trials at farmer’s fields.
8. Deviation made from original objectives if any, while implementing the project
and reasons thereof: No
9. Experimental work giving full details of experimental set up, methods adopted,
data collected supported by necessary table, charts, diagrams & photographs:
Operational requirement and Design consideration
The operational requirement of the inter-row rotary cultivator (Theoretical
considerations) are as follows:
Ground Clearance, mm: 600 or more
The wide row crops like sugarcane or cotton over-sheds the height of 500-
600 mm until completion of 3 weeding operations. Also the ground clearance
of the tractor used to be 600 mm.
Depth of working, mm: 50-75
Most of the weeds get germinated from top 2 to 5 cm depth of soil layer
(Reddy and Reddy, 1992). However, we need little more depth as we have
little pulverization of soil to break up the capillaries and earthing up.
Secondly the pulverised soil will dry faster and thus re-emergence of weeds
will reduce.
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Centre for Precision & Conservation Farming Machinery (CPCFM)
A SERB and CSIR Initiative
TECHNICAL REPORT
Bite length, mm: 50-75
As per the review, most of the rotary cultivators have rotor speed of 300-350
rpm and bite length of 60-70mm. Also the optimum length to be tilled in one
bite should to be such that it should not leave any weed in between, weeds
get chopped and volume of soil being tilled will be handled easily.
Working width, mm: 500-550
As most of the wide row crops like sugarcane, cotton gets cultivated at row
spacing of 675 to 900 mm. The covers of the weeding unit have width of 560-
580mm and maintaining the remaining space for avoiding the injury to the
crop.
Row spacing:
(As per agronomic package of practices, PAU, Ludhiana, 2011)
Sugarcane, mm: 675-900
Cotton, mm: 675-900
Selected design parameters for the machine to be developed are:
Rotary blade rpm or gear ratio: 300-350, ~1.8
As per the review, most of the rotary cultivators have rotor speed of 300-350
rpm
Bite length: 50-75
As per the review, most of the rotary cultivators have bite length of 60-
70mm. Also the optimum length to be tilled in one bite should to be such
that it should not leave any weed in between, weeds get chopped and
volume of soil being tilled will be handled easily.
Cutting force of blades, N: 250
It includes the total static and dynamic forces acting on the blade surface.
Static force is dependent on the specific resistance of the soil and the other
part dynamic force of rotary blades is dependent on many factors, but major
parts of this force are due to energy required for throwing soil layer and to
overcome frictional forces. Basically, the dynamic force includes acceleration
force, soil – metal friction force and force due to pressure of soil above the
blade.
Shape of blade: Trochoidal J shaped
Just scratching of the soil is needed along with weeds. However, maximum
tillage depth up to 75 mm was considered as this will increase the
pulverization of upper soil and will act as a capillary breaking and mulching
activity which will suppress the next growth of weeds. Although C – shaped
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Centre for Precision & Conservation Farming Machinery (CPCFM)
A SERB and CSIR Initiative
TECHNICAL REPORT
blades reduce the energy consumption, but to have greater shearing action
perpendicular to soil surface and hence L – Shaped blade serve the purpose
but the energy consumption and surface area of the L – shaped blade is quite
large. Hence the optimum shape would be J - shape as it has minimum
surface area exposed to soil and its performance is also good. Hence, J –
Shaped blades were choosen.
According to Sakai (1978), the coiling trouble of grass and straw to the rotary
tillers occurred more easily on the soft soils than hard soil and generally
weeding is done in tilled or soft soils. The grass removing ability or blade
would be better with the edge curve angle and thus the shape formed by the
edge curve is called as trochoid.
Diameter of rotor, mm: 480-520
As per review the rotor diameters vary between 400-500 mm. Also the blades
used for cultivator should have sufficient length to accommodate the
trochoidal shape.
Load on chain, kN: 49.62
[Selected chain breaking load, kN: 57.8 (IS: 2403-1991)]
As the forces coming on the blade ultimately carried forward to the chain
drive, it comes to the conclusion (after calculations) of having this load and
ultimately suggests us to select the higher breaking load chain.
Power requirement for rotary assembly, kW: 7-8
Calculated from the forces acting on blades and number of blades at a time
in action.
Draft requirement for shovel, N: 1250-1350
Taking into account the unit draft of heavy soils multiplying it with the cross
sectional area of soil slices.
Placement of gear box: Over the frame or on transmission Shaft.
Height of PTO shaft from ground, mm: 650-700 (Standard)
Standard 540 PTO RPM
Cat-II three point linkages is preferred as majority of farmers opting for
inter row rotary weeder will have tractors of 50hp or above.
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Centre for Precision & Conservation Farming Machinery (CPCFM)
A SERB and CSIR Initiative
TECHNICAL REPORT
Table.1: Brief design Specifications of inter row rotary cultivator
Sr. No Parameter Description
1 Length of frame, mm 2000
2 Number of rotary blade assemblies Three
3 Number of flanges per basic unit Two
4 Number of blades per flange Six
5 Width of cut of each rotary unit, mm 250-500
6 Working Diameter of blades, mm 410
7 Maximum outer width of cover of each unit, mm 600
Approximate minimum possible center distance of row
8 675
crops for weeding, mm
9 No of depth wheels Two
10 Speed ratio at gear box (PTO to sprocket ) 2.27
11 Ground clearance 650
12 Square shaft, mm 40 mm
13 Blade. J type
14 Chain drive speed ratio 1:1
15 Diameter of flange, mm 230
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Centre for Precision & Conservation Farming Machinery (CPCFM)
A SERB and CSIR Initiative
TECHNICAL REPORT
Fig.1: Developed prototype of inter row cultivator
Fig.2: A view of machine during field operation in sugarcane
Field Evaluation for weeding in Pigeon-Pea crop:
Fig. 3: A view of machine in weeding in Pigeon-pea crop
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Centre for Precision & Conservation Farming Machinery (CPCFM)
A SERB and CSIR Initiative
TECHNICAL REPORT
Field evaluation of machine in Pigeon-Pea crop
S. No. Parameter Observations
1. Location Research Farm of DFMPE
2. M. C. of the soil % 13-16
3 Type of soils Sandy loam
4 Crop and variety Pigeon-pea, Al-201 & PAU-881
5 Row spacing of the crop, cm 67.5
6 Age of crop , days 48-52
7 Plant height, cm 52-55
8 Effective width of coverage, cm 202.5
9 Speed of operation, km/h 2.5-3.0
10 Field capacity, ha/h 0.34-0.38
11 Field efficiency, % 68-72
12 Fuel consumption, l/h 4.8-5.2
13 Weed intensity before operation, g/m 2 84-102
14 Weed intensity after operation, g/m2 18-28
15 Weeding efficiency, % 72-78
16 Percentage plant damage, % 2.5-3.5
17 Mixing index 66-70
18 Area covered, acre 1.5
19 Crop damage, % 2-2.5
20 Re-emergence, %
After one week 5-6
After two weeks 15-16
21 Machine breakdowns Nil
Taking consideration above results further modification was done to improve
the performance of machine. A technology package was developed for this
improved machine to transfer technology to manufacturers. As this machine was
constantly demonstrated and popularized since development twice in a year in
Kisan Melas, at PAU and different KVK’s in Punjab and field days and in
various workshop which were held at PAU, Ludhiana and COEFM Ludhiana.
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Centre for Precision & Conservation Farming Machinery (CPCFM)
A SERB and CSIR Initiative
TECHNICAL REPORT
11. Conclusions summarizing the achievements and indication of scope for future
10.
work:
The project was initiated by PAU and CSIR-CMERI-COEFM Ludhiana in
collaboration for design & development of tractor mounted inter row rotary
cultivator for wide row crops. A state of the art machine has been designed and
developed by CSIR-CMERI-COEFM. Preliminary and exhaustive testing of the
cultivator has been carried by PAU, Ludhiana. The preliminary lab testing and
field testing of inter-row rotary cultivator was carried out in research hall and
farm of the department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, PAU,
Ludhiana. No breakdown was observed during the laboratory operation.
Effective field capacity of machine is 0.30-0.79 ha/h. Field efficiency ranged from
80-85%. Approximately 50cm of soil strips was tilled by each weeding assembly
of the machine.
The field evaluation of machine in sugarcane crop was carried out at Research
Farm of Regional Research Station, Kapurthala. The machine was operated in the
field about on more than 25 ha. Sugarcane planted at row to row spacing of 67.5,
75 and 90cm was weeded. The machine was evaluated in field for weeding in
Pigeon-Pea crop in an area of 1.5 acre at research farm of department. The
machine was also evaluated for weeding in vegetables crop viz. radish, onion
and cabbage in an area of 12 acre (4.8 ha). These vegetables were planted at row
to row spacing of 65 and 67.5 cm for seed production at University Seed farm
(USF), Ladowal. The machine tilled soil strips of approximately 50cm between
two rows of wider row crops. Three soil strips were tilled simultaneously. In
general field efficiency was low around 70% as no head land was available for
tractor turning and requiring engaging and dis-engaging of PTO gear at every
turn. The plant damage during weeding operation in vegetables crop was just the
damage of leaf and some other parts of plants but there was no complete plant
damage. The performance of this machine was better when compared with
tractor operated high clearance cultivator and sweep type cultivator. Tractor
operated high clearance cultivator and sweep type cultivator being utilized for
weeding operation formed bigger clods of soil. Approximately 10 percent of
these clods cover the complete plant. In weeding operation performed by high
clearance cultivator and sweep type cultivator, complete plant damage was
observed from 10-12 percent.
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Centre for Precision & Conservation Farming Machinery (CPCFM)
A SERB and CSIR Initiative
TECHNICAL REPORT
Features Specifications
Working Depth adjustable. Machine width: 2000 mm
Suitable for Indian condition Row Spacing: 40-60 cm
High ground clearance. Number of rows: Three
Row Spacing adjustable. Working width: 300-460mm
Working width adjustable. Weight of machine: 450kg
Power, HP: 35-45HP
Achievements
Four prototypes have been developed
Technology package prepared
Technology has been transferred to three industries
Technology Transfer
M/s Maghar Singh Matharoo & Sons
#893/5, A-Link Road,
Industrial Area-A,
Ludhiana-141 003, Punjab
M/s Nascent Agrimach
#89/3P, Street No.5,
Baba Mukand Singh Nagar,
Daba Road,
Ludhiana-141 003, Punjab
M/s Raftaar Professional Engineering
Company
Shed No.10, STEP,
Near GNE College, Gill Road,
Ludhiana-141 006, Punjab
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Centre for Precision & Conservation Farming Machinery (CPCFM)
A SERB and CSIR Initiative
TECHNICAL REPORT
12. S&T benefits accrued:
11.
I. List of Research publications
S No Authors Title of paper Name of the Journal Volume Pages Year
1 S P Modak, Baldev Design of Agricultural Paper No 2014-21
Dogra, Ritu Dogra, Rotary Mechanisation in
Dinesh Kumar Weeder Blade Asia, Africa and
Latin America
II. Manpower trained on the project
a) Research Scientists or Research Associates: 04 nos.
b) No. of Ph.D. produced: Nil
No. of M.Tech produced: 02 nos.
No. of B.Tech produced: 08 nos.
c) Other Technical Personnel trained: Nil
III. Patents taken, if any: No
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