Evaluation of measuring frame for soil tillage machines draught force measurement

P. Procházka¹, P. Novák², J. Chyba² and F. Kumhála²⋅*

¹BEDNAR FMT s.r.o., Lohenická 607, Prague-9 Vinoř, 190 17 Prague, Czech Republic
²Czech University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Agricultural machines, Kamýcká 129, 16521 Prague-6 Suchdol, Czech Republic;
*Correspondence: kumhala@tf.czu.cz

Abstract:

The knowledge of energy demands of the machines for soil tillage is useful factor for machinery design and also farm management. Currently used methods of draught force measurement are based on the use of the measuring rod. Basic part of this measurement apparatus is strain gauge load cell which is protected against damage by steel cage so that the forces were applied only in tension or compression. The main disadvantage of this solution is the necessity of using two tractors for the measurement: pulling one and pulled one equipped with soil tillage machine. To avoid this disadvantage, measuring frame for soil tillage machines draught force measurement was developed. For the evaluation of measuring frame function consequent measurement arrangement was used: crowled tractor John Deere 8320 RT as a pulling device, measuring frame mounted on its three point hitch, measuring rod connecting measuring frame and pulled wheel tractor New Holland T7050 and Köckerling Exact Gruber Vario soil tillage machine with 5 m working width. When comparing draught force results from strain gauge load cell placed into measuring frame with those from measuring rod it was found that there existed no statistically significant difference between the data from measuring frame and measuring rod. Measuring frame can be used for the aim of soil tillage machines draught force measurement and pulled tractor is not necessary in this case.

Key words:

draught forces, soil properties, soil tillage

Measurement of stubble cultivator draught force under different soil conditions

P. Novák¹, J. Chyba¹, F. Kumhála¹,* and P. Procházka²

¹Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Agricultural Machines, Kamýcká 129, CZ; *Correspondence: kumhala@tf.czu.cz 2BEDNAR FMT s.r.o., Lohenická 607, Prague-9 Vinoř, 19017 Prague, Czech Republic

Abstract:

Knowledge of the energy demands of the machines for soil tillage is a useful factor for machinery design as well as farm management. It was decided to measure the draught force necessary for the operation of the stubble cultivator Ecoland 4000 from BEDNAR FMT Co. The measuring set was composed as follows: pull tractor John Deere 8220 pulled by a rod in which the load cell was placed, another tractor John Deere 8345R. A cultivator type Ecoland 4000 (4 m working width) was mounted on the second pulled tractor. Measurements were carried out on two different soil types (light sandy and loamy) at operational speeds 6, 8 and 10 km h-1 and at two different adjusted depths of loosening. The soil physical properties were characterized by cone index measurements which were measured with a penetrometer PN-10 with cone angle 30° and area 100 mm2. The results showed an about 30% increase in the draught force at work in clayey soil in comparison to sandy soil. Different quality of tillage was also observed on different soil types.

Key words: