Design, Fabrication, and Evaluation of Forage Chopper Machine using three Different Diameter Pulleys

Abstract

This study is designed and fabricated in order to help people particularly farmers who engaged in forage in order for them to produce a voluminous forage in less time easily. The primary goal of this study was to design, fabricate, and evaluate the performance of the forage chopper machine. The study specifically aimed to evaluate the performance of the machine using three different diameter pulleys in terms of: 1) Throughput Capacity (kg/hr), 2) Chopping Capacity (kg/hr), 3) Chopping Recovery (%), 4) Machine Efficiency (%), and 5) Percent Loss (%). The sample used to evaluate the performance of the machine was a constant feeding rate of 500 grams of a freshly harvested Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum).  There were three treatments namely T₁(3-inch diameter pulley), T₂(4-inch diameter pulley), and T₃(5-inch diameter pulley). Three replications for every treatment were used. During the data gathering, the time of chopping for every 500 grams of sample that was fed was measured. Also, the output or the chopped materials were sorted into two (accepted output and unaccepted output) and weighed using a weighing scale. The study revealed that the difference in diameter pulley greatly affected the chopping capability as well as the chopping uniformity of the machine. It was also observed during the data gathering that the use of bigger diameter on the machine gave much better result which led on a much higher machine efficiency. The highest throughput capacity was the T₃ (5-inch diameter pulley) that has the fastest speed among the three treatments. As to the chopping, the highest chopping capacity was T₃ (5-inch diameter pulley) that has the faster speed among the three treatments. As to the chopping recovery, the highest chopping recovery was the T₁ (3-inch diameter pulley) which has the slowest speed among the three treatments. The highest machine efficiency was the T₃ (5-inch diameter pulley) which has the fastest speed among the three treatments. The highest percentage of loss was the T₁ (3-inch diameter pulley) which has the slowest speed among the three treatments.