Effect of cryogenic treatment on the performance of straw combine blade.
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Date
2021-07
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CCSHAU, Hisar
Abstract
The harvesting machines (combine, reaper and straw combine) are developed to overcome the shortage of labor and timely operations and also to facilitate the multi cropping sequence in India. The cutting blades are made up of high carbon steel having carbon content ranging from 0.60 to 1.00 percent. The carbon is the main element for higher strength and hardness of cutting steel blades. However, during cutting at high temperature and in abrasive environment, these cutting materials faces excessive surface degradation which ultimately reduces the life of the blade and increased cutting cost of the machine. In recent times the cryogenic treatments have positive effect to improve the wear resistance, hardness and life of the cutting tools. The present study was undertaken to improve the mechanical properties of cutter bar blade (A type) and chopping cylinder blade (M type) of straw combine with cryogenic treatment. For this, the laboratory testing was done in Tribology laboratory of NIT, KUK, Kurukshetra, whereas, field testing was done at farmers field in Ludas and Sahpur village of Hisar district. In laboratory experiment three replication of load (15, 20 and 25 N), time (150, 300 and 450 s) and sliding velocity (1.31, 2.61and 3.92 m s-1) were used for wear analysis. The wear analysis was done by using Pin on disc wear testing machine. The diameter and the length of the coated and uncoated high carbon steels specimens for testing were 10 and 35mm, respectively. In uncoated specimens, the wear was significantly affected by load followed by sliding velocity and time, whereas in coated specimen, the load was the only significant parameter to affect the wear properties of the specimens. The time and sliding velocity had negligible effect on the coated specimens. During field testing, the coated and uncoated blades were installed on the straw combine and operated for 38.33 hours. The wear of the blades was analyzed with respect to the weight and dimensions of the blades before and after work. The wear (%) in cutter bar and chopping cylinder blades for uncoated and coated were found as 2.82, 0.69 and 1.48, 0.41%, respectively. The cryogenic treatment resulted in increase of 9.38 and 13.61% cost of the cutter bar and chopping cylinder blades, respectively. This increased cost was fully justified by the increased cutter bar and chopping cylinder blade life by 75 and 72 %, respectively.