Volume 6 | Issue -14
Volume 6 | Issue -14
Volume 6 | Issue -14
Volume 6 | Issue -14
Volume 6 | Issue -14
Traditional tillage methods employed by hillside farmers, often relying on manual tools or commercially available walking tractors, are demonstrably inefficient on steep slopes. This study presents the design, development, and performance evaluation of a novel single-axle power tiller equipped with a 60-cm- diameter cage wheel system. Solid Works 2017 software facilitated the design process, ensuring optimal functionality and structural integrity through finite element modeling. The final prototype incorporates userfriendly, portable, and farm-field-assembily parts production specifically tailored to address the challenges of variable hillside terrain. Field testing under controlled conditions assessed the tiller's performance metrics, focusing on tractive efficiency (TE) and net traction ratio (NTR). The evaluation employed a standardized load of 121.51 kg with in 175 cc Yamaha engine on sloped farmland with stony soil conditions, simulating a forward speed of 2 m/s. Systematic adjustments were made to pull force throughout the testing process. A positive correlation emerged between NTR and decreasing wheel slip, with the addition of a slanted cage featuring a 30mm angle iron groove demonstrating a further enhancement in this effect. Notably, the configuration utilizing a cage wheel achieved a significant increase in TE of 80.15% at minimal wheel slip of 9%. This research introduces a novel, cost-effective single-axle power tiller design, specifically addressing the tillage limitations encountered by hillside farmers. Prioritizing affordability, ease of use, and suitability for resourceconstrained settings, this innovation has the potential to empower marginalized communities by replacing arduous manual labor with a more efficient and productive agricultural technology. The wider adoption of this design has the potential to create a paradigm shift in agricultural practices for these regions, leading to both economic and social advancements.