Abstract

                                To design,and develop harvesting machines, the most important optimizedparameter is the cutting force.The study was conducted to investigate theeffect of stem diameter, moisture content, and cutting speed on the cuttingforce required for cutting groundnut stalks. The cutting force was measuredusing the reciprocating cutter bar test rig. Experiments were carried out atthree levels of moisture content (40 - 47, 47 – 53, and 53 – 60 %) (wetbasis), three levels of crop stem diameter (15- 17, 17 – 19, and 19- 21mm) and three levels of cutter bar speed (0.80 – 0.90, 0.90 – 1.00 and1.00 – 1.10 ms-1). The cutting force required for cutting groundnut cropstem was calculated for all the treatments. It was observed that increasein stem diameter, the cutting force increased by 19.83 % and increase inmoisture content and cutter bar speed,the cutting force decreased by 37.57%, and 34.11 %, respectively. The required cutting force (100 - 120 N) andenergy (1.5 - 2.0J) was minimum at the cutter bar speed of 1.00 - 1.10ms-1for 53 – 60 % moisture content, 15 - 17 mm stem diameter and they weremaximum at cutter bar speed of 0.80 – 0.90 ms-1 (140- 160 N and 2.5 – 3.0J)for 40 – 47 % moisture content, 19 – 21 mm stem diameter. The resultsshowed that the cutting force requirement was increased with an increasein stem diameter and decreased with an increase in moisture content andcutting speed.

Key words : Groundnut; Cutting energy; Crop parameters; Stem diameter; Moisture content