Design and fabrication of an ergonomic handlebar structure of a hand tractor to reduce the vibration transmitted to the operator

Date

6-2015

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering

Major Course

Major in Agricultural Power and Machinery Engineering

College

College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Mikel Angelo B. Yap

Abstract

One o9f the major farm machineries used by Filipino farmers is the hand tractor. It exposes farmers to excessive hand-arm vibration specified at 21.09 m/s at 2400rpm which may lead to disabling diseases if it is not controlled or reduced. This study evaluates the effectiveness of changing the design of the handlebar structure of the locally made hand tractor in reducing vibration transmitted to tractor operators during idling operation of the tractor. Through the standards set by ISO 5349:2001, the actual vibration during idling operation of the hand tractor was measured. Using the results of the study by Bureerat and Kanyakan in 2007 as basis for the improvement of the handlebar design, the principles set by the Philippine Agricultural Engineering Standards, and the engineering design process, an improved handlebar design was fabricated. The alterations made from the original handlebar design include: changing of the material of the main frame from galvanized iron steel pipe to black iron steel pipe of greater diameter which significantly reduce the manufacturing cost and increased the strength of the structure through the principle of polar moment of inertia, addition of square steel bar stiffeners to the handlebar structure which increased the strength and rigidity of the structure, and inclusion of bending in the design which is able to dissipate the vibration. With the installation of the new design, the vibration transmitted to the operator is reduced by as much as 44.44%.

Language

English

Location

UPLB College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT)

Call Number

LG 993.5 2015 E66 /M65

Document Type

Thesis

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