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Design and Development of a Low-cost Battery Operated Rotary Type Weeder for Up-land Crop (2017 - 2018)

M A Gulandaz,
Farm Machinery and postharvest Processing Engineering Division

M I Hossain,
Farm Machinery and postharvest Processing Engineering Division

M A Hossain,
Farm Machinery and postharvest Processing Engineering Division

M A Matin,
Farm Machinery and postharvest Processing Engineering Division

M A Haque
Farm Machinery and postharvest Processing Engineering Division

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Manual weeding is a common practice in the farming system of Bangladesh. It is the most widely used weed control method but it is labor intensive. Chemical method of weed control is more prominent than manual and mechanical methods. However, its adverse effects on the environment are making farmers to reconsider and accept mechanical methods of weed control. Thus, a rotary type DC motor operated dry land weeder was designed and developed. The developed mechanical weeder was found to reduce drudgery and cost which ensured a comfortable posture of the operator during weeding and increased production. The costs associated with mechanical weeding such as operating cost could be lowered; as such mechanical weeding could represent a viable and cost effective option to majority of medium and small scale farmers. Fields trials of the machine were carried out on maize, chili, and eggplant at different locations of Bangladesh. Weeding indices of the weeder for maize, chili and eggplant were 81.16%, 74.73%, 95.38%, respectively. Effective field capacities of the weeder for maize, chili and eggplant were .048 ha/h, 0.037 ha/h and 0.026ha/h, respectively. Cost of weeding by battery operated weeder is almost one third compared to other two methods and there was no significant difference in yield among these three methods. Further study need to be conducted for fine tuning of the weeder.

Keywords: Weeder, Adaptive trial, Low-cost

Location:

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Weeder

Objectives:

Objectives

a) To design and develop a DC motor operated dry land weeder

b) To test and evaluate performances of weeder by adaptive trial

Methodology:

The assumptions made in the design of the rotary weeder are presented in terms of field conditions, machine capacity and energy requirement required to power it. The machine was powered by a 48 volt 1140 Watt motor which was operated by 48 volt rechargeable dry cell battery. Belt and sprocket arrangement shall be employed for transmission of power. Motor speed was 700 rpm, number of teeth on sprocket was 14, number of teeth on sprocket of rotary shaft was 28 (14x2), rotary shaft speed was 350 rpm, maximum soil resistance value was 1.05 kgf/cm², coefficient of friction was 0.1, efficiency of transmission system was 82%. Bainer et al. (1978) asserted that in designing row-crop weed control equipment, the age of the weed must be taken into consideration. In the early stages of crop growth, implements such as rotary hoe, the spring tine and spike arrows can be operated directly over the rows to uproot small weeds from established crops. A j-shaped tine was designed on the shaft. Length and width of the tine was 80mm and 18 mm, respectively. Dimensions of the shaft were 245 mm in length and 73 mm in diameter. The shaft consists of tines of equal lengths and were arranged in spiral shape. The weeder consists of the following components; a 48 volt 1140 Watt motor which is operated by 48 Volt rechargeable dry cell battery, four ground wheels, tool assembly, frame and handle. The powers to the rotary hoe are supplied from the motor through chain and sprocket. The weeding tines are arranged spirally on 250 mm long cylindrical shaft. Each tine was made of flat steel bar of 10 mm width and has a 120⁰arc of 10mm. Chain and sprocket arrangement was adopted for transmission of power. The maximum rating of the 48 volt 1140 Watt motor was 700 rpm fixed with a sprocket diameter of 50 mm with 14 no. teeth on the shaft carrying the rotary tines. The various components of the machine were constructed while other standard components, such as prime mover and transmission elements were sourced locally and the parts were assembled at the fabrication workshop of the Farm Machinery and Postharvest Process Engineering Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI)

Source of Information: Annual Research Report (2017 - 2018), Farm Machinery and postharvest Processing Engineering Division

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The performance of low cost battery operated rotary type weeder was found quite satisfactory and it is expected that it would be a very good weeding technology for the farmers. Now, the weeder need to be extended among the farmers. So, the machine will be demonstrated in farmers’ fields at different locations of the country.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings