Desain dan Kinerja Roda Penggerak Metering Device Mesin Penanam Kedelai

Abstract

In order to support the design of two rows soybean planting machine powered by a hand tractor, it is needed to design and determine the towed wheel for the metering device. The towed wheel is expected to be able to rotate two metering discs, has a low level of wheel sliding, and less soil sticking. For the purpose, the towed wheel was fitted by flexible shafts for transmitting torque to rotate the metering discs. To get the best wheel, five different types of wheels were made and tested, i,e. 1) rubber wheel with rubber lugs, 2) steel wheel with rubber lugs, 3) steel wheel with steel lugs, 4) steel wheel and 5) rubber wheel. Wheel diameter was 25 cm and wheel width was 10 cm. The wheels were tested using the planting machine operated on dry soil (31% of water content) and wet soil (53% of water content). Wheel performances were measured, using parameters: level of wheel sliding and soil sticking on wheel. The test result showed that the wheels could rotate the metering discs of the soybean planting machine. The rubber wheel with rubber lugs had the lowest level of wheel sliding (22% on dry soil, and 21% on wet soil). Rubber wheel without lugs had advantage where the amount of soil sticking was least, on the wet soil.