Experimental investigation on the application of vibration to reduce draft requirement of subsoiler

Abstract

This paper presents the application of vibration to reduce subsoiler draft. In this research, two different techniques of induced vibration were used. The first was the oscillated subsoiler wing technique, and the second was the oscillated subsoiler wing technique. Two different mechanisms of wing oscillation were tested: one was a design which placed a connecting rod behind the subsoiler shank, and the second was a design which placed a connecting rod in front of the subsoiler shank. All of the three developed vibratory subsoiler were very unique in design and worked satisfactorily during field tests. The results of the test showed that the shank oscillation technique of directly vibrated subsoiler shank on the vibratory subsoiler could reduce draft up to 60%. This draft reduction was about 20% heigher than that of the wing oscillation technique, in which the induced vibration was acting upon the subsoiler wing while the shank remained fixed. However, wing oscillation greatly minimized the tractors body vibration as compared to the shank oscillation technique.