EVALUATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF CUTTING EFFICIENCY OF MOTORIZED SOYBEAN HARVESTER
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2026-1007-4328Keywords:
Moisture content, 3D, Efficiency, Experimental, DesirabilityAbstract
A motorized soybean harvester was designed and evaluated on a soybean farm to determine its cutting efficiency. Three independent factors at five levels were used. Moisture content (9, 14,18,22, and 26 %), clearance between the cutting blades (0.4, 2, 4, 6 and 8 mm). The experimental design was carried using Design of Expert version 13.0. The total number runs were 36, and each plot measured 4 m by 4 m. In each plot, the variation the factors were established on the machine before cutting soybeans. After cutting each plot, the harvester was stopped, and the number cut and uncut soybean stem were counted and recorded. Thereafter, the data generated was subjected to statistical analysis. The ANOVA results showed that moisture content and cutter bar speed had significant effect of 0.0001 each on the cutting efficiency at 5 % confidence interval. Further analysis with 3D response surface graph, and 2D contour plot revealed that optimum cutting efficiency was achieved at 18 % moisture content, 4 mm clearance between the cutting blades, and 850 rpm cutter bar speed. I addition, numerical optimization alongside with ramp function graph and desirability bar chart were used to optimize the harvester, and it revealed that cutting efficiency of 77.302 % can can be achieved if the moisture content was set at 14 %, clearance between the cutting blades at 4.17 mm, and cutter bar speed at 1200 rpm. In essence, the cutting efficiency of the motorized soybean harvester is above average.
References
Ahad Assad Yasser., Assad Yousif Khudher and Majed Saleh Hammoud (2025). Impact of Mechanical Process and Forward Speed in Cutting and Collecting Green Fodder. IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 1487 012218. doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1487/1/01221
Al-Mashhadani, Abdul Rahman Hussein Ahmed (2023). Modification of the cutting knife angle of Murray-15hp driven grass cutter and its field testing under three levels of forward speed. Master's thesis in Agricultural Machinery and Equipment, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad.
Dugje IY., Omoigui. L.O., Ekeleme. F., Bandyupadhyay. R. L., Kumar. P and Kamara. A.Y (2009). Guide to soybean productiion in Northern Nigeria. International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan Nigeria.
Gana IM,Gbabo A,Hassan A M (2023). Effects of operating speed, cutter bar cutting speed and forage plant moisture content on performance of a forage harvester. MOJ Food Process Technols ;11(1):1‒7. DOI: 10.15406/mojfpt.2023.11.00271
Jin, Y., Wang, J., Song, Z., Zhang, R (2025). Design and Parameter Optimization of a Reciprocating In-Soil Cutting Device in a Green Leafy Vegetable Orderly Harvester. Appl. Sci.15, 7326. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15137326.
Kiran, I. K. M., Awal .M. A., Ali .M. R. (2017). Development and performance evaluation of a battery operated small-scale reaper. Agricultural Engineering International: CIGR Journal, 19(2): 217–223
Ko, J. M. (2010). A study on soybean supply, demand trends, breeding and industrial utilization. In: Strategy symposium for globalization and policy support for soybean industry; Rural development administration. National Institute of Crop Science: 19-30.
Liu (2023). Research progress on mechanized technology and equipment for soybean and corn strip compound planting. Chin. J. Agric. Mech. 44 (1), 39–47. https://doi.org/10.13733/j.jcam.issn.2095-5553.2023.01.006
Maruf O. Ajenifuja., Maiwada L. Suleiman., Moshood Isiaka., Ogijo I. Samuel (2025). Effects of Speed and Energy Sources on the Performance of a Developed Solar-Powered Rice Harvester for Small-Scale Farming. FUOYE Journal of Engineering and Technology, Volume. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/fuoyejet.v10i3.3 10, Issue
Musoni. S., Raymond. M. N and Leonard. M (2013). Mechanization of Soybean Harvesting for Small and Medium Scale Farmers in Zimbabwe. IOSR Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary, Volume 4(1), pp 51-57
Shital Sonawane., Abhay Kumar Mehta., Rohit Dilip Nalawade., Somnath P. Sonawane1, Mohit Kumar and Mehdi Rahimi (2025). Design, development and performance evaluation of henna harvester. www.nature.com/scientificreports
Yiljep, Y. D. and Mohammed, U. S (2005). Effect of knife velocity on cutting energy and efficiency during impact cutting of sorghum stalk. Agric. Eng. Int. CIGR EJournal 7, 1–10.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Godwin Nkuma Ugama, Usman Suleiman Mohammed, Moshudi Isiaka, Mohammad Abdulsalam
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
