Diseño y construcción de una sembradora de tracción mixta para semillas de quinua

Abstract

This project revealed the preliminary preparations carried out by farmers in Colta canton, Chimborazo province before sowing. This phase highlighted the pressing requirement for designing and fabricating a sowing apparatus equipped with automatic dispensing capabilities for quinoa seeds and fertilizer. This technological solution effectively addressed the imperative to enhance production within the community, fulfilling the need for increased yield. An alternative for the design of a quinoa planter was analyzed, taking into consideration factors such as necessity, cost, and soil type. This assessment encompassed automotive elements to determine the optimal solution. From which the most suitable characteristics were chosen using the method of weighted criteria, based on their performance and development, akin to automotive selection processes. The mechanical design of the machine was carried out, taking into account the axles and combined forces, speed, hopper capacity, transmission ratio, thrust, weight, chain selection, and sprocket selection to be used in the motion transmission. Through static and dynamic analyses, it was verified that the selected axles and coupling accessories, such as keyways and bearings, are appropriate. This verification included stress and deformation simulations of structural components using ANSYS and SOLIDWORKS software, resembling standard procedures in automotive engineering. The results were analyzed following the established objectives, considering the achieved benefits in terms of time optimization, effort reduction, cost efficiency, and savings in seed and fertilizer. This analysis closely mirrors performance assessments common in the automotive domain. The machine achieved a significant time saving, as the automatic planter with a dispenser takes only 10 minutes per hectare, compared to the manual method which takes 30 minutes. Furthermore, in terms of seed usage, there was a 53% reduction, resulting in a highly significant economic impact. This scenario aligns with the automotive principle of efficiency gains and resource optimization.