Development of a multi-purpose service machine for small areas

This study aimed to develop, manufacture, and evaluate a multi-purpose machine to achieve tillage operation for smallholding farms using two developed plows (chisel plow and rotary plow). The tillage process was carried out at four different levels of forward speeds (1.2, 1.8, 3.0, and 4.4 km/h) and three depths (6, 12, and 18 cm). The results indicated that the maximum values of actual filed capacity were 0.80 and 0.91 fed/h, and field efficiency (76 and 87%) for the chisel plow and rotary plow at a forward speed of 4.4 km/h and tillage depth of 6 cm. The minimum values of power requirement were for chisel plow 1.52 and 1.25 kW and rotary plow at forward speed 1.2 km/h and tillage depth 6 cm. The maximum values of specific power were 5.36 and 4.26 kWh/fed for the chisel plow and rotary plow at a forward speed of 4.4 km/h and tillage depth of 6 cm. The optimum values of bulk soil density and soil smoothness were 987 kg/m3 and 28% at a speed of 1.8 km/h and 775 kg/m3 and 50% at a speed of 3.0 km/h for chisel plow and rotary plow at tillage depth of 18 cm. Also, the results indicated that the maximum values of penetration resistance percentage were 58% for the chisel plow and 68% for the rotary plow at a forward speed of 4.4 km/h and tillage depth of 6 cm.