Finite element analyses of mini combined harvester chassis and hitch.

Abstract

The perennial problems associated with harvesting of agricultural products in sub-Sahara Africa are not unconnected with financial limitations of the farmers. The design of low cost mini combine harvester was aimed at ameliorating the challenges of agricultural products harvest in Nigeria. The work presented here was a detailed analysis of low cost mini combine harvester chassis and hitch. The need for cost effectiveness, affordability, durability and efficiency of the designs necessitated detail analysis of the design to achieve the above objectives. Solidworks Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software was employed in carrying out both static and fatigue analysis of a low-cost mini combine harvester chassis and hitch design. The results were compared and contrasted, with appreciable improvements on available existing data. The stresses, displacements and strains on the chassis were significantly low with factors of safety of 2.48 and 2.80 for chassis and hitch respectively.