Design refinements required for commercialization of farm equipments

摘要

For maximizing the efficiency of inputs like seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and irrigation water, the improved, efficient and reliable farm equipment are required in adequate number which can be achieved by commercializing the potential research prototypes developed by various organizations in the country. In the present scenario the artisans and small scale manufactures, who are major producer of the farm implements, still continue to fabricate/produce the traditional implements/machinery and the users have no alternative except to use these for various agricultural operations. The efforts of research and development organizations are left at the stage of producing a functional prototype. In order to make available the improved agricultural machinery to the users, these should be available in the open market as off the shelf product. On the other hand the artisans and most of the small-scale manufacturers do not understand the manufacturing drawings and can fabricate the prototypes by copying the sample piece. In many cases where the manufacturers have taken some research prototypes for commercialization, the quality and performance has not been up to the mark as the copying is done from the functional design in absence of production design and production technology. The other important reason for production of non-quality implements has been non-development of production process/technology for manufacturing and use of hammer and chisel techniques is followed in most of the cases. The research was focused on the development of production designs/technologies for the 10 selected prototypes for rice, groundnut and horticulture which are major crops in the operating area of the centre and produce them for pilot introduction and commercialization. Sufficient focus was made in developing manpower in manufacturing technology. This paper discusses the details of development of production designs and processes, production drawings, specialized tooling with advanced manufacturing technologies and technologies for the manufacturing activities of selected research prototypes viz., tractor cultivator mounted speed planter, paddy seeder, and helical puddler leading to commercialization and popularization. As a result six prototypes viz., rotary power weeder, groundnut harvester, groundnut thresher, tractor cultivator mounted seed planter, cono weeder and paddy drum seeder have been successfully commercialized through the manufacturers. Out of the 420 prototypes produced 355 prototypes were sold out to farmers/institutions/organizations in different parts of Tamil Nadu and India. Production technologies and toolings for mass production of ten prototypes were prepared.