Special Issue - 2016 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)

ISSN: 2278-0181
IC-QUEST - 2016 Conference Proceedings

Computer Aided Design and Force Analysis of

Rotor shaft of Rotavator
S. A. Mishra Prof. A. R. Sahu Prof. R. D. Thakre
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering Dept. of Mechanical Engineering Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
B.D.College Of Engineering, B.D.College Of Engineering B.D.College Of Engineering
Sevagram, Wardha, India Sevagram, Wardha, India Sevagram, Wardha, India

Abstract - The intent of this paper is to study the various forces

and stress acting on a rotor shaft of a standard rotavator which
is subjected to transient loading. The standard models of
rotavator, having a progressive cutting sequence was considered
for the study and analysis. The study was extended to various
available models having different cutting blade arrangement.
The study was carried on different papers and identifies the
various forces acting on a Rotor shaft of a rotavator. The
positions of the torque and forces applied are varied according
to the model considered. The response was obtained by Figure: CAD model of Rotar shaft of rotavator
considering the angle of twist and equivalent stress on the rotor
shaft. This paper presented a methodology for conducting III. MAIN PARTS OF ROTAVATOR
transient analysis of rotor shaft of a rotavator.

Keywords—Rotor shaft, Blades, Torsional stresses, flange

I. INTRODUCTION
Rotavator is agricultural machinery, used to perform
primary and the secondary tillage operations in farm. It is
used to agitate the soil as well as to produce a good seed bed
for crops. In the process it increases the Porosity and aeration
of the soil which enhances the germination and growth of the
crops. One of the added advantages of using rotavator is that
it provides some forward thrust there by reducing the traction Figure: Rotavator Parts
demand of the tractor [1]. When compared to conventional
plough the total power requirement is lower. It is the most 1. Independent Top Mast: one end of shaft will be connected
efficient means of transmitting engine power directly to the to tractor P.T.O. and another end to rotavator.
soil when compared to conventional tillage operations [2]. In 2. Single / Multi Speed Gear Box: A gear box with bevel
comparison with that of the plough type rotavator, the rotary gears, main shaft, pinion shaft, heavy duty roller bearings
type consumes 25% less power [3]. Usually the power from combine form a unit to reduce standard P.T.O. rpm 540
the engine is given to the rotavator through the tractor PTO rpm to 204 rpm. It enables the rotor shaft to rotate in the
shaft. Rotary motion is then transferred to the rotor through direction of travel.
gearbox and transmission system. Flanges are mounted in the 3. Chain / Gear Cover Part Flange: A chain and gear cover
rotor on which cutting blades are attached. part flange is a supporting element on which chain and
gears are mounted.
II. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION 4. Blades: The L shaped will be most common due to L
It has been observed that the rotavator assembly gets failed shape is usually superior to others in heavy trash.
during the operation if proper speed is not maintained. it is 5. Chain / Gear Cover Part: A chain and gear cover part is a
also observed that the rotor shaft is not designed or selected covering element in which chain and gears are safely
by the manufacturer by applying any scientific tools like protected from outside.
modeling & FEM analysis. Also they do not considered 6. Frame and Cover: By adjusting the position of rear cover;
working conditions under which rotavator is going to used. the degree of pulverization of soil will be controlled.
Therefore in this paper the author is trying to find out what 7. Adjustable depth skids: It is fixed on adjustable frame to
are the various critical parameters shell be considered for fix up a distance a gap between soil and Blade contact i.e.
proper designing of a rotavator so that it will not get failed depth skid.
during the operation.

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Special Issue - 2016 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
IC-QUEST - 2016 Conference Proceedings

8. Offset adjustable frame: There is fixed rigid support to the working hours of the blades and by using different
side parts mounted on rotary blade mounted shaft. materials increase the wear resistance of the blades.
5. J. V. Perumpral et.al, (1983) prepare A mathematical
IV. LITERATURE REVIEW: model based on limit equilibrium analysis which is
Literature review is carried out to find out what are useful for predicting the behaviour of slow moving
the earlier work has carried out related with design of narrow-tillage tools in cohesional-frictional soils. They
Rotavator predict the draft and vertical forces on a slow moving
1. Vignesh. M, et. al, (2015) has studied the torsional narrow tillage tool in soil and it can be effectively used
response of a rotor shaft of a standard rotavator which for parametric studies to better understand the soil-tool
is subjected to transient loading by considering the interaction.
angle of twist and equivalent stress on the rotor shaft 6. Sirisak Chertkiattipol & Tanya Niyamapa (2010) has
and they found that due to the shear stress and angle of studied the torque characteristics and the specific
twist , cyclic variation occurs . The cutting sequence tilling energies of three commonly used rotary blades
does have an influence in the tensional response of the (Japanese C-shaped blade, the European C-shaped
rotor. The cutting sequences have little effect on the blade and the European L-shaped blade) were studied
equivalent stress. The cutting blade arrangement of the to develop a suitable rotary blade for seedbed
standard rotavator considered is not arranged preparation. They did the experiments in a laboratory
according to an optimum sequence and the angle of soil bin at forward speed and the results in these
twist can be reduced by the proper selection of cutting experiments showed that the torque characteristics of
sequence. The torsional rigidity of the shaft can be the Japanese C-shaped blade, the European L-shaped
increased by proper selection of cutting sequence. blade and the European C-shaped blade during tilling
2. Mr. Prasad D. Tupkari, et. al, (2014) has studied about were different; the varying torque was related to the
‘Rotavator Blade’ and they found that Computer Aided blade tip positions of each rotary blade. The shape of
Design (CAD) is an effective tool for the design and the rotary blade influenced its torque characteristic.
development of rotavator blade. They also suggest that The specific tilling energies of all blades increased
that L-shaped blades are better than C or J type blades with the rotational speed. When the depth and the soil
in trashy conditions and at the forward rotation of the specific weight increased, the specific tilling energy
rotary tiller shaft, the tillage power consumption is also increased. The specific tilling energy decreased
decreased upto 10-15 % as compared to shaft reverse when the forward speed increased.
rotation because With the rotor blades cutting
upwards, the tilled soil was scattered out of the seeding
furrow and a seedbed was not formed.
V. DESIGN CALCULATION
3. C. Manivelprabhu, et.al (2015) investigated the Design
of rotavator blade and design modifications are done
by introducing one more cutting edge in other side of
the blade. The main outcome of their study was after 100m 1
introducing one more cutting edge in same blade with
slight modification, the new blade will withstand the 60m
same soil resistance without structural failure and same
time the blade life is increased to double the times by 1.75m 60 60m
introducing inter-changeability concept. They
improved the life of blades by carrying out the design
and modifications on the blade structure and this 100m
design and modifications are carried out by using
CATIA R20 and HYPER MESH 12 software to
simulate the stress distribution in the existing and new
blades.
4. Jeevarathinam A. et.al has performs a finite Element
Analysis for the investigation of Stress experienced by A Rotavator process 0.6 hector land area in 1 hour.
the blade and they found that the deformations and For processing of 0.6 hector land by using a 1.75 m Rotavator
stresses are minimum for the developed L-type blade, it takes 1 hour.
they also observed that the stress in material has been The width of Rotavator = 1.75 m
reduced by applying the design change and changing Therefore the time required for 0.6 hector land =1hr= 60 min.
the materials. The standard material used for blade is And
cast iron and it is producing high stress, different The forces acting = Pulling Force + Soil Resistance
material compositions and dimensions are taken for on a Rotavator
analysis and the load condition is applied for existing No. of turns required for a medium size Rotavator to process
and modified design blades. The best combination of a land with a width of 1.75 m is = 60/1.75= 34.28 = 35 turns
materials and dimensions is then suggested. By Now the distance traveled in one turn = 100 m.
changing the design of rotavator blade they increase Therefore the total distance traveled = 35 x 100m = 3500 m.

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Special Issue - 2016 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
IC-QUEST - 2016 Conference Proceedings

Therefore the velocity of Rotavator = 3500 / 3600 = 0.972m/s VII. REFERENCES:

Now for the operation of 1.75 m width Rotavator it requires [1] ‘Study Of Torsional Response on the Rotor shaft of a Rotavator
45 Hp Tractor. Under Transient Load Conditions’ by VigneshM
Therefore, ,Dr.Muruganandhan.R , Dasairi. N, Nagarjun. M, IJIRSET volume4,
special Issue, 4April2015.
The power produced by tractor = 45 x 746 [2] ‘Computer Aided Design And Analysis Of RotavatorBalade’ by
= 33570 W Prasad D. Tupkari, Dr.P.K. Sharma, Prof. Amit Singh, IJATES
= 33.57 Kw. Volume 2, Issue No.05, May2014.
Now, in a standard 1.75 m width Rotavator there are total 42 [3] ‘Design Modification and Structural Analysis of Rotavator Blade
by Using HyperWorks 12.0’ by C. Manivelprabhu, Dr. N.
nos of blades are used. These blades are mounted on 8 Sangeetha, T .Ramganesh, 2015 India Altair Conference.
flanges. The flange are equidistant to each other in between [4] ‘Design Modification and Analysis of Rotavator Blade’ by
two end bearings of rotor shaft. Jeevarathinam.A, Velmurugan.C , IOSR Journal of Mechanical and
The pulling force required to a tractor = Power / Velocity Civil Engineering (IOSR-JMCE) e-ISSN: 2278-1684, p-ISSN: 2320-
334X PP 43-50
= 33570 /0.972 [5] ‘A Soil-Tool Model Based on Limit Equilibrium Analysis’ by J. V.
= 36213.59 N Perumpral, R. D. Grisso, C. S. Desai, TRANSACTIONS of the
ASAE—1983 P. No. 991-995
Now pulling force acting on each flange = 36213.59 / 8 [6] ’ Variations of torque and specific tilling energy for different rotary
blades’ by SirisakChertkiattipol, Tanya Niyamapa, International
= 4526.59 N. Agricultural Engineering Journal Vol. 19, No. 3, December, 2010
The total force acting = Pulling Force + Soil Resistive Force
The Soil Resistive Pressure = 0.56 kg/ cm2.
Now
Pressure = Force / Area
Soil Resistive Pressure = 0.56 kg/cm2
We know that
Pressure = Force / Area
Therefore, Force = Pressure x Area
The area of blade which is in contact with soil = 144 cm2
Therefore resistive force of Soil = Pressure x Area
= 0.56 x 144
= 80.64 N
The total force acting = Puling force on + Soil resistive
on the shaft each Flange Force
= 4526.59 + 80.64
= 4607.23 N

VI. CONCLUSION:

After conducting detail literature review it is observed

that so many authors were studied the rotavator for optimal
designing of it. they had considered the effect of depth of
cut, rotational speed, forward speed and width of cut on the
torque requirement, arrangement of blades etc. but lest
consideration is given to torsional response& The various
forces acting on the rotor shaft of rotavator under transient
load conditions. The study of torsional vibration and forces is
of at most importance because it can result in gear wear, gear
tooth failure, shrink fit slippage and can even leads to the
failure of the rotor shaft in several cases. Therefore this paper
will be of great use to the designers and also for design
optimization.

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