Design and Development of an Electrically Operated Sugarcane Single-Node Cutter

Abstract

The conventional system of sugarcane cultivation requires 9–10 tonnes of seed cane per hectare, comprising about 32,000 stalk pieces with two or three buds. This large quantity of planting material creates difficulties in the transport, handling and storage of seed cane and is subject to rapid deterioration, which can reduce bud viability and subsequent sprouting. Traditional sugarcane planting is costly, labour-intensive and time-consuming, and uniform bud placement in the field is difficult to achieve when whole-stalk setts are used. To address peak labour demand and reduce planting-material costs, an electrically operated sugarcane single-node cutter was fabricated in the Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, CAET, VNMKV, Parbhani. Locally available materials and components, including sheet metal, angle sections, nuts, bolts, blades and rods, were used in its fabrication. The machine was designed to cut single-node sections and thereby reduce cutting time and planting-material costs. It comprised two carbide-tipped stainless-steel blades, an extended shaft, a discharge hopper and a blade spacer, powered by a single-phase 1 hp electric motor. The average cutting speed was 1409 rpm for sugarcane diameters of 27.36, 30.61 and 35.60 mm. The corresponding numbers of nodes cut per minute were 25, 19 and 18, respectively. The prototype weighed 55 kg and was operated by one skilled labourer. During operation, the average sound level was 91.9 dB(A), and average energy consumption was 0.66 kWh per hour. The machine could prepare the nodes required for one hectare in 8.81 h.