SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL & MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING

TITLE: DESIGN OF A MAIZE DEHUSKER MACHINE FOR SMALL SCALE FARMERS

STUDENT NAME
TINASHE BVAKACHA
H140093A
Supervised by:
MR MUPONA

MR DZANYA

A HIT 300 project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of a Bachelor of

Technology (Honors) Degree in Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
2016
COPYRIGHT
All rights reserved. No part of this research may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise for purpose, without the prior written permission of the author or of Harare Institute of
Technology on or behalf of the author.

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DECLARATION
I TINASHE BVAKACHA, bearing registration number H140093A do hereby declare that this
research project is my original work except where sources have been acknowledged, under the
guidance of my lecturers and my supervisor MR MUPONA and MR DZANYA of Harare
Institute of Technology. The work has never been submitted, nor will it ever be, to another
University in the awarding of a degree.

Harare institute of Technology

Department Of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

P.O. Box Be277

Belvedere

Harare

Zimbabwe

STUDENT ………………………………….DATE…………………………................

SUPERVISORS

SIGNATURE ……………………………...DATE…………………………................

SIGNATURE..................................................DATE.......................................................

ii
DEDICATION
This is a special dedication to my parents and family who were the major source of motivation.
Also to MR Mupona who helped to identify the gap in Zimbabwe agricultural sector.

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ABSTRACT
In Zimbabwe there is a technological gap between small scale farmers and large scale farmers in
terms of the farming equipment they use. Precisely, large scale farmers use combine harvesters
whilst small scale farmers use manual De-husking methods on harvesting. These manual
methods might be tiresome since a lot of work is involved, time consuming since the time taken
by one person to process a tone might be six fold that of the machine, also manual methods are
labor intensive since it might take six people to work the job of one machine. This project
focuses on the design of a machine that has the capability to remove the husk leaf from the maize
cob, thus increasing productivity of the farmer. There are a number of objectives to be achieved,
designing of the PTO drive system, design of efficient husk rolls, and design of the frame
ergonomically. The machine is expected to produce the maize cob separately from the husk leaf.

Key words: De-husking, farmers, productivity.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This project report document was made possible through the efforts of my project supervisors
who sacrificed their time to make this research a success by guiding us through the fundamentals
of engineering. I would like to thank MR Mupona and MR Dzanya for such a remarkable
dedication.

I also give great appreciation the Harare Institute of Technology which has given me the
opportunity to appreciate engineering as a problem solving discipline within a few years of
learning. We also thank technological companies like Google for acting as a media for the
transfer of technology from advanced companies to developing countries like Zimbabwe. Finally
I would like to thank my family for the support and motivation in almost every aspect of my life.

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Table of Contents
COPYRIGHT .................................................................................................................................................................i
DECLARATION .......................................................................................................................................................... ii
DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................................................ iii
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................................................iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...........................................................................................................................................v
List of figures ...............................................................................................................................................................ix
List of tables ..................................................................................................................................................................x
1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................1
1.2 Background ..................................................................................................................................................1
1.3 Problem statement ........................................................................................................................................2
1.4 Aim ..............................................................................................................................................................2
1.5 Objectives.....................................................................................................................................................2
1.6 Scope ............................................................................................................................................................3
1.7 Justification ..................................................................................................................................................3
1.8 Research questions .......................................................................................................................................3
1.9 Expected results ...........................................................................................................................................4
1.11 Conclusion.........................................................................................................................................................4
2 LETERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................................................................................5
2.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................5
2.2 Manual de-husking method ..........................................................................................................................5
2.2.1 Disadvantages of manual de-husking ..................................................................................................6
2.3 Existing De-Husker machine operating principle ........................................................................................6
2.4 The de-husker machine history ....................................................................................................................6
2.4.1 Husker rollers ......................................................................................................................................7
2.4.2 Invention history of husk rolls .............................................................................................................8
2.5 Drive mechanisms ........................................................................................................................................8
2.5.1 PTO drive mechanism .........................................................................................................................9
2.5.2 Spur gear theory ................................................................................................................................ 10
2.5.3 Spline coupling .................................................................................................................................. 11
2.5.4 Knuckle joints.................................................................................................................................... 12
2.6 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 13
3 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................. 14
3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 14
3.2 Data collection ........................................................................................................................................... 14
3.2.1 Observations ...................................................................................................................................... 14

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 3.2.2 Questionnaires ................................................................................................................................... 14
3.2.3 Informal interviews ........................................................................................................................... 15
3.2.4 The internet and library ..................................................................................................................... 15
3.3 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 16
4 DATA ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................................................. 17
4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 17
4.2 Results and findings ................................................................................................................................... 17
4.2.1 Surveys .............................................................................................................................................. 17
4.2.2 Internet resources .............................................................................................................................. 18
4.3 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 19
5 CONCEPTUAL DESIGN .................................................................................................................................. 20
5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 20
5.2 Concept 1 ................................................................................................................................................... 20
5.2.1 Pros .................................................................................................................................................... 21
5.2.2 Cons ................................................................................................................................................... 21
5.3 Concept 2 ................................................................................................................................................... 21
5.3.1 Pros .................................................................................................................................................... 22
5.3.2 Cons ................................................................................................................................................... 22
5.4 Concept 3 ................................................................................................................................................... 22
5.4.1 Pros .................................................................................................................................................... 23
5.4.2 Cons ................................................................................................................................................... 23
5.5 Concept selection ....................................................................................................................................... 23
5.5.1 Selection criterion.............................................................................................................................. 24
5.5.2 Concept screening ............................................................................................................................. 25
5.5.3 Concept scoring ................................................................................................................................. 26
5.6 Design calculation ...................................................................................................................................... 26
5.6.1 PTO calculations ............................................................................................................................... 26
5.6.2 Spline calculations ............................................................................................................................. 27
5.6.3 Husk roll shaft design ........................................................................................................................ 28
5.6.4 Spur gear design ................................................................................................................................ 29
5.7 Machine overview ...................................................................................................................................... 31
5.8 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 31
6 ECONOMIC ANALYSIS .................................................................................................................................. 32
6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 32
6.2 Results on material cost ............................................................................................................................. 32
6.3 Results on labour costs ............................................................................................................................... 33
6.4 Selling price ............................................................................................................................................... 33

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 6.5 Farmers payback period ............................................................................................................................. 34
6.6 Net present value ........................................................................................................................................ 34
6.7 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 35
RECOMMENTATIONS ............................................................................................................................................. 36
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................................................ 37
APPENDIX A ............................................................................................................................................................. 38
APPENDIX B .............................................................................................................................................................. 39
APPENDIX C .............................................................................................................................................................. 40
APPENDIX D ............................................................................................................................................................. 41
APPENDIX E .............................................................................................................................................................. 42
APPENDIX E .............................................................................................................................................................. 43
APPENDIX F .............................................................................................................................................................. 44
APPENDIX G ............................................................................................................................................................. 45
APPENDIX H ............................................................................................................................................................. 46

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List of figures
Figure 1-1: Maize cob nomenclature .............................................................................................. 1
Figure 2-1: Manual de-husking method .......................................................................................... 5
Figure 2-2: Husk rolls ..................................................................................................................... 7
Figure 2-3-husk rolls with helical recess (www.hongshimachine.en.alibaba.com) ....................... 8
Figure 2-4: PTO drive mechanism (www.hsa.ie) ........................................................................... 9
Figure 2-5: Spline coupling mechanism (www.cardajoint.com) .................................................. 11
Figure 2-6: The knuckle joint (www.mechteam.com) .................................................................. 12
Figure 4-1 Comfort ability of farmers about the de-husker machine ........................................... 17
Figure 5-1; Concept 1 ................................................................................................................... 21
Figure 5-2: concept 2 .................................................................................................................... 22
Figure 5-3: concept 3 .................................................................................................................... 23
Figure 5-4: Autodesk gear design template .................................................................................. 30
Figure 5-5: Autodesk gear pre-view ............................................................................................. 30
Figure 5-6: Machine overview ...................................................................................................... 31

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List of tables
Table 1-Gantt chart ........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 2: Concept screening results ............................................................................................... 25
Table 3: Concept scoring results ................................................................................................... 26
Table 4: Data from CASE IH branch (Case IH pamphlets).......................................................... 27
Table 5: Table showing the relationship between the engine speed and PTO speed (rpm) ......... 27
Table 6: Material cost ................................................................................................................... 32
Table 7: Labour cost ..................................................................................................................... 33

x
1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

A maize de-husker machine is a machine that reduce labour for the small scale farmers who do
not have the capability to hire combine harvesters and other large machinery. Its core purpose is
to remove the husk leaf from the maize cob without much of human intervention. The machine's
operating principle is such that the cobs with their husk leaves are channeled into a mechanism
which consists of two custom made shaft with helical extrusion which can pull off the husk leaf.

Figure 1-1: Maize cob nomenclature (www.gramine.org)

1.2 Background

In Zimbabwe, farming is the primary industry which is of more concern since we have fertile
soils, with maize as the staple food there is need to enhance productivity from small scale
farmers up to the large scale farmers. This machine contributes to the ten point plan of economic
growth point number 1,”revitalizing agriculture and agro-processing value chain". Also,

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Zimbabwe is incompetent in terms of agricultural technology thus this machine is there to fill the
gap between large scale farmers and small scale farmers in terms of technology. Most of the
traditional methods for de-husking are time consuming, labor intensive thus less productive.

” Every year farmers complain about the low maize producer price, with the Government
showing little inclination towards fixing the pricing issue. The maize producer price has become
a perennial menace, which only the Government can solve, failure of which we continue to
burden ourselves with huge import costs. What has unfortunately emerged over a couple of
seasons is the reluctance by Government to tackle the issue and have farmers paid producer
prices that allow them to recover their cost of production, break even or even make a profit, for
that is the essence of being in business. We really feel for the farmers, considering what they go
through to produce the crop. They have to endure high cost of inputs, such as fertilizer,
chemicals, seed and labour only to be paid US$310 per tonne, which does very little for them to
recoup their costs and be able to go back to the field the next season" (The Herald, 2013).

With reference to the above article, the maize de-husker machine would be of importance to the
farmers to boost their productivity such they can get remarkable returns.

1.3 Problem statement

Manual de-husking methods are time consuming and labour intensive.

1.4 Aim

To design a machine capable of removing the husk leaf off the cob.

1.5 Objectives

 To design the machine drive system which can utilize electrical energy and/or
mechanical energy from a PTO drive system.
 To design the de-husking rollers which can remove the husk leaf efficiently.
 To design the frame of the machine considering ergonomics and safety.

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1.6 Scope

The machine design is such that it can work on dry maize only. This project does not consider
the means by which the dry maize is loaded into the chute. The design only considers the
separating the cob and the husk leaf, packaging of the husks or cobs is not within the scope of
this project.

1.7 Justification

The manual methods are time consuming, one person can take up approximately 6 hours to de-
husk a tonne of maize cobs. Manual methods are also labour intensive since it takes about 6
hours for one person not considering the time of recess, it also increases fatigue during those
hours provided one can produce a lot more than one tonne of maize. Due to the intensity of work
when using manual methods, it also demands more human labour and as result labour cost
increases thus significantly reducing productivity since input is inversely proportional to to
productivity. Provided this machine meets the required specifications, it can process
approximately up 50minutes per tonne, with one operator thus labour cost is greatly reduced and
the time saved can be used for other productive tasks thus productivity is greatly increased for
small scale farmers and the country at large.

1.8 Research questions

 Which various energy sources are used by current De-husking machines?

 What other machines are currently in the market and their operating principle?
 What are the challenges faced due to manual de-husking methods?
 What are the advantage of the Power Take Off drive mechanism of a tractor?
 What are the current husk rolls designs used in current machines?

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1.9 Expected results

The proposed outcomes are:

 A machine that complies with the rules of ergonomics and safety.

 A working prototype of the machine to demonstrate its functionality.

1.11 Conclusion

Provided this project is a success it will significantly contribute to the ZimASSET agenda by
empowering small scale farmers by means of reliable, labor and time saving machinery. It will
also contribute to the ten point plan for economic evaluation by revitalizing agriculture and the
agro-processing value chain in Zimbabwe.

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2 LETERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

This chapter gives an analysis of the maize de-husking machine and answering of the research
questions in the earlier chapter by providing detailed information on the de-husker machinery
and equipment. It will be centred on the analysis of different machine parts that can be used on
the De-husking machine. It is also focused on the study of the current similar machines to give
the researcher an insight of the working principle. In this chapter, the husk leaf removal steps,
basic gear theory, standard gear calculation. This information has been collected from various
books, journals and market surveys.

2.2 Manual de-husking method

Figure 2-1: Manual de-husking method

The manual method is shown above whereby the small scale farmers who do afford the combine
harvester move cob by cob in the whole farm, removing the cobs.

5
2.2.1 Disadvantages of manual de-husking

 It is time consuming
 labour intensive
 Less productive

2.3 Existing De-Husker machine operating principle

There are a number of De-Husker machine designs but they have one basic operating principle.
The only big difference is the source of energy for the drive system mechanism, some use
electrical energy whilst others use mechanical energy from a PTO drive mechanism of a tractor.
The drive is transferred to the husk roll shaft by means of a belt drive. The drive is induced to
one husk roll shaft which is meshed by means of a spur gear to another shaft such that the drive
is transferred to another husk roll shaft but in the opposite direction. The husk rolls can come in
two designs which are, one with a helical recess and the other with protrusions running through
parallel to the shaft axis. The two adjacent husk rolls provide the pulling effect thus removing the
husk leafs from the maize. Some of the existing machines have a system to collect the husk leafs
on the side of the machine.

2.4 The de-husker machine history

The de-husking machine is a makeup of different inventions to make complete machine. It is

made up of various components e.g. the husk rolls, spur gears, rubber belts to transmit motion,
the electric motor, and the bearings. This section critically analyses the materials used in making
the de-husking mechanisms.

6
2.4.1 Husker rollers

Figure 2-2: Husk rolls

The husk rolls are used on different agricultural products where it is necessary to remove the
outer leave of the product. In this case, the focus is on the maize de-husking rolls. The husker
roll includes a plurality of axially extending ridges or flights which protrude radially from a
cylindrical base segment of the roll. The cylindrical base segment may have a circular or
elliptical cross-section. The axially extending flights may extend substantially straight or in a
helical fashion along the length of the roll.

The husker rolls are fixed side by side to each other in an agricultural product as shown in the
figure 2. The spur gear mechanism is such that the adjacent rolls rotate in different directions.
The adjacent rolls rotated such that husks or other materials to be removed from an agricultural
product are stuck between the flights of adjacent rolls and pulled from the product downwards as
the rolls rotate.

The machine can be rotated by the PTO mechanism of a tractor or by means an electrical motor.
The rolls may be driven at speeds of approximately 300 rpm, although greater or lesser speeds
may be utilized depending on particular husking conditions. The rolls are made from a more
resilient material like rubber.

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2.4.2 Invention history of husk rolls

The first invention was that the roles had a continuous rib which was formed protruding radially
from the cylindrical base segment of the roll and extend axially along the length thereof. The
other option was that the adjacent roles would mesh such that when the rotate they pull the leaf
off the agricultural product. The other option was that the adjacent rolls would only establish
contact on the surface. This referenced according to US patent No. 4,807,645. This design led to
problems when it comes on removing the stalks since there was no recess space between the
rolls, this caused immature maintenance cost by replacing the husk rolls.

This problem was soon solved by employing the husker rolls described in U.S. Pat. No.
5,451,184, issued to Dennis O. Mietzel. These have added features like a helical recess that is
formed on portions of one or both adjacent rolls, extending along the length of the roll. This
allows the stalks of the maize cobs to fall freely by gravity.

Figure 2-3-husk rolls with helical recess (1)

2.5 Drive mechanisms

Every machine requires an efficient drive system which is suitable to its conditions of operation.
There a number of drives which are, the gear drive, PTO drive system, belt drive system, chain
drive systems. This section is focusing on the analysis and critique on the gear drive system, belt

8
drive system and the PTO drive system since they are of much relevance to the design of the De-
husker machine.

2.5.1 PTO drive mechanism

The PTO drive mechanism comprises of a shaft that is connected to the engine of the tractor, by
means of a special connecting shaft can be connected to various types of machines to provide
kinetic energy. The PTO drive speed which is common and standard is 540 rpm according to the
Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science, 16 (No 4) 2010, 526-533, Agricultural Academy.

The speed required for the husk rolls is approximately 300 rpm, in which case it can be less or
more. Thus the PTO mechanism is ideal for driving the De-Husker machine. Tractors also
provide more than 30kw power which is ideal for driving the machine. This amount of power
can even drive larger machine than the De-Husker which has no significant loads.

Figure 2-4: PTO drive mechanism (www.hsa.ie)

2.5.1.1 Advantages
 It can work anywhere the tractor can access.
 It also increases the number uses of the tractor, resource utilization.

9
2.5.1.2 Disadvantages
 The use of petrol or diesel engines is not advisable since the world is going green.

2.5.2 Spur gear theory

Gears are power transmission machine parts which have the ability to increase torque, change
rotational direction, increase power depending on the orientation of the gear train.

2.5.2.1 Pros and cons of gears

Advantages

 It transmits the exact velocity ratio.

 It may be used to transmit large power.
 It may be used for small Centre distances of shafts.
 It has high efficiency.
 It has reliable service.
 It has compact layout.

2.5.2.2 Disadvantages
 Since the manufacture of gears require special tools and equipment, therefore it is
costlier than other drives.

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2.5.3 Spline coupling

Figure 2-5: Spline coupling mechanism (www.cardajoint.com)

Splines are keyways that are made on the shaft as shown above in Fig 2-5. Spline shafts can have
four, six, ten or sixteen slots. Splined shafts provide stronger link/coupling between two shafts
that are transmitting torque rather than using a single keyway. The splined shafts can transmit a
large force like in automobiles. They can provide positive drive as and a large axial force.

11
2.5.4 Knuckle joints

Figure 2-6: The knuckle joint (www.mechteam.com)

The knuckle joint is a mechanical joint used to join two rods which are under a tensile load,
when there is a requirement of small amount of flexibility, or angular moment is necessary.
There is always axial or linear line of action of load. This type of shaft is ideal for transferring
rotational motion at an angle. This joint type has the ability to rotate the husk rolls at an angle to
facilitate good flow of materials in the machine by gravitational aid.

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2.6 Conclusion

These chapter has outlined the proceedings in the design of the De-husking machine. This
machine is to be introduced in Zimbabwe by the progress of this project.

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3 METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

This chapter indicates the methods by which the researcher has managed to collect and analyze
the relevant data prior to the design of the de-husking machine. It indicates the data collecting
techniques used by the researcher.

3.2 Data collection

There are well known methods of collecting data i.e. the qualitative methods which based on
literature and theories and the quantitative methods which based on statistical data. The
researcher used both methods but mostly inclined to qualitative method. Research techniques
used are in the form of questionnaires, interviews, surveys, the library and the internet.

3.2.1 Observations

The researcher has been to different farms observing the methods used by the farmers to remove
the husk leaf. Small scale farmers used manual methods whilst large scale farmers used combine
harvesters. The researcher also managed to undertake some informal questions like, how is it
affecting the farmers health wise due to long tiresome working hours of doing the job? How
these factors are affecting the productivity on large scale or small scale? The prices of basic
machine components like electric motors, rubber belts etc

3.2.2 Questionnaires

The researcher prepared questionnaires to gather information on the size and the requirements of
the customer such that the final product has the customer’s voice in it and that the customer’s
expectations are met. The questionnaires were strategically distributed to people who are most
likely to contribute effectively to the project i.e. farmers and other machine designing expertise.
The questions which asked include,

How much does it cost to hire a combine harvester?

14
How much does it cost to sell a tone of maize?

Are you comfortable with the current methods? Rate out 10.

Are the returns on maize farming so satisfying relative to the labor associated with its
production?

3.2.2.1 Pros and cons of questionnaires

Pros

 Addresses the points of concern of the researcher.

 They provide first hand data.
 Can collect necessary information if properly prepared.

Cons

 Their outcome may be subjective.

 The person being questioned might not take anything serious.
 They sometimes provide biased information.

3.2.3 Informal interviews

The researcher visited different hard wares taking quotations on the prices of basic machine
components relevant to the maize de-husker machine. The researcher social skills also on
gathering some of the data buy just asking questions while talking to different people. For
instance, the researcher got the problem idea from informal interviews about problems being
faced in Zimbabwe. The researcher’s goal was to find information pertaining to the drawback of
the agricultural sector in Zimbabwe.

3.2.4 The internet and library

The researcher also utilized the library resources and the internet resources for gathering of
information from textbooks about machine design e.g. A TEXTBOOK IN MACHINE DESIGN
written by Gupta and other different sources. The library and internet resources were also used
by the researcher to determine different journals and handbooks on what has been done before
which be of paramount importance to the designing of the de-husking machine. These sources

15
proved helpful in terms of design principles and aspects. The internet also proofed difficult since
not all sources are reliable, some of the information has not been approved by any recognized
board.

3.3 Conclusion

All the techniques used in this chapter and the data thereof helped the researcher into compiling
this document. It also gave the bases of brainstorming on the designs of the de-husker machine.

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4 DATA ANALYSIS

4.1 Introduction

This chapter gives the results obtained from the previous chapter, it also provides an in depth
analysis of the results obtained from interviews, questionnaires, internet and library resources,
observations so as to analyze the viability of the project in terms of solving the problem that the
small scale farmers face in terms of production.

4.2 Results and findings

This section shows the data the researcher managed to acquire and the analysis made by the
researcher thereby adding value to this project.

4.2.1 Surveys

This section gives an outline of the results obtained from the surveys conducted and analyses
them prior to project advancement.

4.2.1.1 Results

farmer acceptance vs unacceptance of machine

unacceptance acceptance

Figure 4-1 Comfort ability of farmers about the de-husker machine

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4.2.1.2 Analysis
The researcher managed to conduct a survey and consulted sixteen farmers explaining to them
the functionality of the de-husking equipment. Out of the sixteen farmers, thirteen of them
proved to be comfortable with the introduction of the new equipment in Zimbabwe. Three of
them proved not to be comfortable with technology. In conclusion, it indicates that from this
sample, the de-husker machine is most likely to be accepted in the market.

4.2.2 Internet resources

This section provided the researcher with the information obtained from internet resources and
how they affect the progress of the project.

4.2.2.1 Results
“Government has started importing 150 000 tonnes of maize from South Africa to guarantee
national food security before the next main harvest in April. This will augment ongoing grain
imports from Zambia at a time the Strategic Grain Reserve has 30 000 tonnes of maize in its
silos…………. President Mugabe, at Zanu-PF’s Annual National People’s Conference in
December 2013, gave the re-assurance that no one would die of hunger despite drought,
unavailability of affordable agricultural inputs and the broader effects of the illegal economic
sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by some countries opposed to land reforms here.”(THE
HERALD, 2016)

4.2.2.2 Analysis
The above article was extracted from The Herald and it is indicating the amount of maize being
imported from South Africa. Considering that the price of maize in Zimbabwe is at about $310
per tonne, all in all the amount maize imported is worth to about $46 million. This project
provides an affordable labor saving equipment capable of improving productivity to small scale
farmer thus boosting the local maize production and reducing the overall import cost on maize.

18
4.3 Conclusion

The chapter has provided the researcher with basic information, like that the material required
for the machine can be found with affordable prices. This chapter opened the flood gates of
possibilities that this machine can be designed and fabricated at an acceptable price in the
market.

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5 CONCEPTUAL DESIGN

5.1 Introduction

This chapter is responsible for indication of detailed design of the maize de-husker machine. It
gives total outline of the design process from concept generation, concept screening, design
selection, and the refinement of the design. It responsible for converting the customer’s needs to
working specifications required. A number of machine factors are to be analyzed in this chapter
namely, Functionality, manufacturability, Safety on operation, Cost of manufacture,
Maintenance costs, Durability, Size.

5.2 Concept 1

This concept driving system is driven electrically by a three phase induction motor since the load
that is does not require a lot of power from the motor for pulling off the husk leaf, the motor can
be small like a 1 horsepower motor. The motor is connected to a bigger pulley to reduce the
rotational speed of the motor to about 300rpm. The pulley is then connected to the husk rolls
which are made to rotate in different directions by means of meshing spur gears. The opposite
direction movement is the one which facilitates the pulling off the husk leaf.

20
 Figure 5-1; Concept 1

5.2.1 Pros

 Electrical energy is a green energy rather than using petrol or diesel of tractor.
 The inclination helps the material to flow properly through the operation.

5.2.2 Cons

 Electricity is scarce in the rural areas and other farms

5.3 Concept 2

This concept is driven by the PTO mechanism of a tractor, its husk rolls are oriented in a
horizontal position such that the helical mechanism of the husk rolls is responsible for pushing
the maize cobs throughout the machine. The PTO mechanism is connected by means of a spline
coupling. The PTO is connected via a direct drive to the machine, this drive is transferred to one

21
shaft which facilitates the other shaft to rotate in the opposite direction due to the meshed spur
gear connection.

Figure 5-2: concept 2

5.3.1 Pros

 This concept can operate anywhere the tractor can reach even in the farm.
 It is easy to fabricate since there is no complex joining mechanism as on the inclined
husk rolls

5.3.2 Cons

 Diesel or petrol fuel as a source of energy does not adhere to EMA regulations on
emissions.

5.4 Concept 3

This concept’s drive systems are extracted from either concept one or concept two. In this
concept, the frame is incline at an angle such that the maize cobs fall down due to gravity thus it
makes it easy to use any husk roll type i.e. one with helical recess or one without. This type of
machine orientation is also favorable on increasing the machine’s throughput time. Since there is

22
need to transmit drive at an angle, knuckle joint are put since they act like flexible shafts to
transmit the motion at an angle.

Figure 5-3: concept 3

5.4.1 Pros

 It can use any type of husk roll.

 Throughput time is increased

5.4.2 Cons

 Machining cost increases to cater for driving of shafts at an angle by employing knuckle
joints.

5.5 Concept selection

In this section the research, the researcher was using different methods to select the best concept
out of the above three possible solutions.

23
5.5.1 Selection criterion

A number of factors are to be used during concept selection. These factors include;

Functionality

The machine is to perform optimally to satisfy the user’s needs, It has to give the best results in
terms of material flow and de-husking the maize cobs effectively.

Safety

The de-husking machine is supposed to be user friendly and safe to use, it has to adhere to
ergonomic standards so as to satisfy the user.

Energy source available

The machine has to offer an advantage to the user in the sense that one energy source is scarce,
the user can switch to using another energy source.

Feasibility

This one is an issue of implementation i.e. Ease of use, time to assemble, cost of machine,
availability raw materials.

24
5.5.2 Concept screening

Table 1: Concept screening results

Criteria Reference Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3

Feasibility 0 + + +

Safety & machinability 0 + 0 0

Energy source available 0 0 + 0

Functionality 0 + + 0

Pluses 3 3 1

Same 3 3 3

Minuses 0 0 0

Net 3 3 1

Rank 1 2 3

Contain YES YES NO

25
5.5.3 Concept scoring

Table 2: Concept scoring results

Concept 1 Concept 2

Criteria Weight Rating Weighted score Rating Weighted score

1)Feasibility 0.1 3 0.3 3 0.3

2)Safety 0.2 4 0.8 3 0.6

&machinability

3)Energy source
0.4 3 1.2 4 1.6
availability
0.3 4 1.2 4 1.2
4)Functionality

Total score 3.5 3.7

Rank 2 1

Decision Reject Accept

5.6 Design calculation

The researcher chose to extend his design with concept 2 which utilizes the PTO as the driving
mechanism. This section gives specifications from engineering design principles of the various
machine components required to make the De-husker machine. It touches almost every
component one by one giving the embodiment design of the machine.

5.6.1 PTO calculations

The researcher managed to visit the CASE International Harvest Zimbabwe at the Harare Show
grounds to collect the data of the specifications of their Tractors.

26
Table 3: Data from CASE IH branch (Case IH pamphlets)
Models JX 60 JX70 JX80 JX90 JX95

Engine speed
at 540rpm PTO
2200 2200 2200 2200 2200
speed

Using proportion

If 2200rpm gives 540rpm and for de-husking the machine requires about 300rpm according to…

Thus

Table 4: Table showing the relationship between the engine speed and PTO speed (rpm)

PTO speed(rpm) Engine speed (rpm)

540 2200

300 ?

From proportionality calculations:

300
𝑥2200 = 1222 𝑟𝑝𝑚
540

The engine speed required to give a PTO output of 300 rpm is 1 222 rpm, this can be achieved
by adjusting the manual hand throttle of any tractor to increase the engine rev count. For any
other tractor, the user can archive the PTO speed required by the De-Husking machine by
following the procedure in the table above.

NOTE: PTO shafts usually rotate in a clockwise manner on a standard tractor

5.6.2 Spline calculations

D = 1.25d

27
 b = 0.25D

where D is the outside diameter

d is the inside diameter

b is the breath of the spline

And

D = 30mm

Thus

30
d = 1.25

= 24mm

b = 0.25D

= 0.25(30)

=7.5mm

The implement is driven by a 4 spline shaft.

5.6.3 Husk roll shaft design

Assume no Bending force

Power required by the machine according to ……

P = 2kw

But

60𝑃
T = 2𝜋𝑁

60𝑋2000
= 2𝑋𝜋𝑋300

28
 = 63.66 Nm
𝜋
T = 16 ∗ 𝜏 ∗ 𝑑^3

And

Ultimate stress = 560MPa for 40C8 according to Indian standards on shaft material

Allowable shear stress is given by:

Ultimate stress/safety factor

560
𝜏=
1.5

= 373.3MPa

Thus

63.66∗16 1
d = (𝜋∗373300000)^ 3

= 10 mm

d = 10 x safety factor

= 10 x 3

= 30mm

5.6.4 Spur gear design

The researcher used the Autodesk inventor design software to design the meshing gears
providing a 1:1 gear ratio and allowing the husk rolls to rotate in opposite directions, the
parameters are shown below.

29
Figure 5-4: Autodesk gear design template

Figure 5-5: Autodesk gear pre-view

30
5.7 Machine overview

Figure 5-6: Machine overview

5.8 Conclusion

This chapter has provided the researcher with enough detail and specifications for the design and
fabrication of the prototype. It allowed the researcher to choose a suitable solution to the problem
by applying various engineering skills and techniques.

31
6 ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

6.1 Introduction

This chapter shows the feasibility of the project in terms of cost. It is responsible for showing the
bill of quantities and the total cost of the machine.

6.2 Results on material cost

Table 5: Material cost

Part Unit price($) Quantity Total price($)

Bearings 5 4 20

Bolt and nuts(M6) 1/12 12 1

Bolts and nuts(M8) 1/10 10 1

Sheet 9 1 355 758.828 9

metal(1500x930)mm^2)

Spur gears 10 2 20

Hollow steel bars 18 0.33 7

Per 6m length

Solid bars per 6m 7 2/6 3

length

Reinforcement bar per 2 3 4

6m

Angle iron bars per 6m 6.50 6,4 7.50

length

32
Part Unit price($) Quantity Total price($)

Electric motor 45 1 45

V-Belt 6 1 6

Pulleys(180-200mm 10 1 10
diameter)

Pulley(50mm diameter) 5 1 5

TOTAL 118.50

6.3 Results on labour costs

Table 6: Labour cost

Cost per hour Number of hours Total costs

taken

Spline machining 50 1 50

Fabrication 5 5 50

Assembling 10 1 10

TOTAL 110

6.4 Selling price

Total machine cost = labor cost + material cost + overheads (12%)

= 110 + 118.50 + (12% x 228.50)

= $255.92

Assuming 20% markup

33
 20
Selling price of machine (investment required by the farmer) = (100 ∗ 255.92) + 255.92

= $307

6.5 Farmers payback period

The initial cost of equipment

$307

Annual cash inflow:

Cost benefits of equipment (labour and
time savings) $260
Annual cash outflow:
Cost of fuel(at $1,28 per litre) $ 10
Salaries expenses($3.50 per hr) $ 7
Maintenance expenses $ 5

Net cash inflow $238

NB: Noncash expenses are ignored e.g. depreciation

𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡

Payback period = 𝑛𝑒𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑎𝑠ℎ 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤

307
= 238

= 1.29 years

6.6 Net present value

𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶𝑇
𝑁𝑃𝑉 = −𝐶 + + + ⋯ +
1 + 𝑟 (1 + 𝑟)2 (1 + 𝑟)^𝑇

34
Where –C= initial investment

C1= Cash flow

r = discount rate (0.1% initial investment)

T = time

NPV in a period of 3 years

307 307 307

NPV = −307 + (1+0.307) + (1+0.307)2 + (1+0.307)^3

= $245.10

A positive net present value indicates a better return on investment.

6.7 Conclusion

The accounting techniques have indicated that the project is viable for implementation since it is
showing positive results in terms of return.

35
7 RECOMMENTATIONS
There are other areas of concern or for further research on this machine to ensure efficient
implementation of the project:

 The machine can also be electrically driven

 Further research can lead to an innovation of a hybrid machine capable of using either
PTO or electrical drive.

36
REFERENCE
1) Anon., n.d. [Online]
Available at: www.cardajoint.com

2) Anon., n.d. alibaba. [Online]

Available at: www.hongshimachine.en.alibaba.com
[Accessed 8 october 2016].

3) Anon., n.d. bussiness dictionary. [Online]

Available at: www.bussinessdictionary.com

4) Anon., n.d. Financial gazzete. [Online]

Available at: www.financialgazette.co.zw
[Accessed 4 November 2016].

5) Bhandari, V., 1994. Design of machine elements. s.l.:s.n.

6) Bhandari, V., 2001. Introduction to machine design. s.l.:s.n.

7) Harvest, C. i., 2016. Puma series. s.l.:s.n.

8) Hughes Company, I., Sep 19, 1995. Corn husker rolls with auger relief. Unied States of America,
Patent No. 5, 451, 645.

9) Khumi, R. S., n.d. Theory of machines. s.l.:s.n.

10) L, A. R., Jul 15, 2010. Roll for a husking machine. United States of America, Patent No.
20100178964.

11) Lufombo, z., 2013. The Herald. Maize price review.

12) R.S Khumi, J. G., 2005. A Textbook in Machine Design. Fourteenth Edition ed. s.l.:Eurasia
Publishing house (pvt.)ltd.

13) S. K. SUMER, H. K. S. M. S. G. C., 2010. COMPARISONS OF 540 AND 540E PTO OPERATIONS IN
TRACTORS. Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science, 16 (No 4) , 526-533.

14) Sarker, V., 2004. Mechanics of machines. s.l.:s.n.

37
 APPENDIX A
Activity August September September October October Nov Nov
19-2 sept 2-14 Sept 14-28 Sept 10 27 2 3

Proposal

Documentation

Literature Review

Research Methods and

Methodology

Working Drawings and design

calculations
1-To design a machine drive system
2-To design the husk rolls
3-To design the machine frame

Material selection and cost

evaluation

Prototype Fabrication and

Assembly

Submission of functional prototype

and complete document

Final presentation

38
APPENDIX B

39
APPENDIX C

40
APPENDIX D

41
APPENDIX E

42
APPENDIX E

43
APPENDIX F

44
APPENDIX G

45
APPENDIX H

46