• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2014

Purpose: Walking type cultivator used for weeding generated excessive handle vibration as well as bouncing motion depending on the weeding speed. This research was conducted to define a design factor of the rotary weeding blades for reducing soil reaction forces as well as hand vibration. Methods: The motion and forces acting on the rotary blades were reviewed to find out the most influencing parameter on hand vibration. The installation angle (IA) of the blade was selected and analyzed to determine the condition of no reaction force less. For removing the unnecessary upward soil reaction, the design factor theory of weeding blade was suggested based on geometrics and dynamics. For evaluation of design factor theory, the experiment in situ was performed base on ISO 5349:1. The vibration $a_{hv}$ and theoretical value $X_{MF}$ were compared with two groups that one was positive group ($X_{MF}$ > 0) and the other was negative group ($X_{MF}$ < 0). Results: $X_{MF}$ was derived from rotational velocity, forward velocity, disk diameter, weeding depth, blade's width and IA of blade. Two groups had significant difference (p < 0.05). In aspect of the group mean total exposure duration, positive group was 17.53% bigger than negative group. When disk radius 100, 150 and 200 mm, minimum IAs were $4{\sim}27^{\circ}$, $3{\sim}15^{\circ}$ and $2{\sim}10^{\circ}$, respectively. A spread sheet program which calculated XMF was developed by Excel 2013. Conclusions: According to this result, minimum IA of weeding blade for soil reaction reduction could be obtained. For reduction hand-arm vibration and power consumption, minimum IA is needed.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.273-282
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• 2002

This study was intended to measure and analyze hand-transmitted vibrations from cultivator in idle and operation modes for three different types of field works. Based on this analysis a time for the white finger syndrome to appear on 10% of the operators was estimated assuming that their daily exposure is 3 hours. The 4 methods to reduce the hand vibration were also proposed and compared with each other. The results of the study were summarized as follows : The highest vibration level was recorded during trenching operation, resulting in a total average vibration of 11.5 m/s$^2$. Followings were 7.6 m/s$^2$ during rotary tillage and 7.0 m/s$^2$ for weeding. When exposed to these levels of vibrations three hours a day, the white finger syndrome is likely to appear in 4 years for trenching, 6.2 years for rotary tillage and 6.8 years for weeding operations. Isolation of hand vibration performed by a rubber pad, anti-vibration gloves, a handle anti-vibration device and engine mounts were respectively 15.7%, 16.5%. 26.1% and 27.0%, resulting in most effective methods of the handle anti-vibration device and engine mounts. A better performance of about 33.9% was achieved when both the handle anti-vibration device and engine mounts were used.