Green Living
ISDN2001/2002: Second Year Design Project
William Arvin Fisilo
How Do We Make the Tool More Efficient?
This research aims to optimize current weeding tools to reduce physical strain and increase efficiency in agricultural work. By investigating factors such as weight, handle length and angle, and spike design, the study seeks to improve working conditions for manual weeding tasks, especially for workers who work for extended periods.
Equations
-
Normal force: Fn = Weight Equipment + (Cutting Width x Depth of Operation) x Soil Resistance
-
Cutting force: Cutting force = Total torque force / (Radius of blade x Coefficient of friction)
-
Total torque force: Total torque force = Cutting force x Radius of blade x Coefficient of friction
-
Force required to overcome soil resistance: Force = Depth of operation x Cutting width x Soil resistance
-
Shear force:Normal force x Coefficient of friction x Sin(angle of push)
-
Pull force: Shear force + Normal force x Coefficient of friction x Cos(angle of push) = f(fr)
-
Friction = coefficient of friction x Normal force
-
Push force: f(W d R fr)
Known numbers
-
Weight: Measured the weight of our prototype
-
Push force: average comfortable level for targetted farmers (40-60 year old farmer have 70kg)
-
Friction/soil resistance: Based on soil coefficient and weight
-
Soil coefficient: 0.4
+ other tool measurements
Ideal parameters (results)
Simulation with ideal results
Showed no strain and stress and, blades rotate with very smooth friction
How it changed the prototype
