Development And Performance Evaluation Of A Human Powered Flywheel Motor Operated Forge Cutter.

Abstract - This paper addresses the development and performance of a Human Powered Flywheel Motor HPFM operated forge cutter. This set-up is used to cut crop residues like maize stovers sorghum stovers in dry condition. This cut stovers can be fed to cattle directly. The current practice by small livestock farmers is to cut stover manually by axe or machetes. The mechanized cutters also available which are hand operated as well as electric motor driven. But today there is severe power shortage in country like India particularly in rural and remote area. It is convergent to the fact that the hand muscles are weaker than leg muscles. The concept of human powered flywheel motor is used to develop the pedal operated forge cutter. In this set-up flywheel is used as a motor or a store for energy. The operator pumps the energy into flywheel by pedaling bicycle- drive mechanism with a speed rising gear pair. After a one minute pedaling is stopped and then flywheel shaft is connected to cutter shaft. The stored energy is enough to operate cutter effectively and efficiently. The test performance of developed cutter shows the remarkable improvements over hand operated forage cutter.