PROJECT TITLE

A PROJECT REPORT
Submitted to
SUNRISE UNIVERSITY
in partial fulfilment for the award of the diploma of

POLYTECHNIC
In
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

SUNRISE UNIVERSITY
ALWAR
RAJASTHAN, INDIA

MAY 2014
Annexure1

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A PROJECT REPORT
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Submitted to
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in partial fulfilment for the award of the diploma of

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POLYTECHNIC
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IN MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING
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DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

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SUNRISE UNIVERSITY
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ALWAR RAJASTHAN,
INDIA
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MAY 2014
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CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project report entitled TITLE OF PROJECT WORK

submitted by NAME OF GROUP to the SunRise University Alwar,Rajasthan in partial

fulfilment for the award of Diploma of Polytechnic in Mechanical Engineering is a confide
record of the project work carried out by him under my supervision during the year 20152016.

Submitted to:

Submitted by:

Name of incharge

Name of student(Roll)

Designation

Name (Project Guide)

Designation

SUNRISE UNIVERSITY
Bagad Rajput, ALWAR-301030(Raj.)
INDIA
3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and deep to my mentor Mr.
Vinayak Hemadri for his exemplary guidance, monitoring and constant encouragement
throughout the course of this thesis. The blessing, help and guidance given by him time to
time shall carry me a long way on the journey of life in which I am about to embark. I also
take this opportunity to express a deep sense of gratitude to the mentor for his cordial
support, valuable information and guidance, which helped me in completing this task through
various stages.
Lastly, I thank almighty, my parents, and friends for their constant encouragement
without which this assignment would not be completed.

ABSTRACT
Rice is one of the chief grains in India, and as such, is a major food crop, especially in
the Eastern and Southern regions of India. Rice production accounts for a sizable amount of
the economy. However, farmers that lack resources continue to harvest the same using
traditional methods, which affect their yield, thereby affecting their earnings.
We propose to build a semi-automated paddy thresher that will help farmers improve
efficiency during threshing. It will also lower grain damage and reduce labor needed for
threshing. We also hope to lower power consumption and provide a mechanism for speed
control. We sincerely believe that the improved design can help enrich the lives of farmers
across the nation.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER NO

TITLE

PAGE NO

ABSTRACT

LIST OF FIGURES

LIST OF TABLES

CHAPTER 1
1.1 INTRODUCTION

11

1.1.0 METHODS OF THRESHING

11

1.1.1 FLAIL

11

1.1.2 THRESHING FLOOR

11

1.1.3 PEDAL OPERATED PADDY THRESHER

11

1.1.4 THRESHING MACHINE/COMBINE HARVESTERS

12

1.2 CLASSIFICATION OF THRESHERS

13

1.2.1 FEED-IN TYPE THRESHERS

13

1.2.2 HOLD-ON TYPE THRESHERS

14

1.3 PROPOSED PADDY THRESHER

14

1.3.1 AUTOMATED MOTOR

14

1.3.2 VIBRATING MESH

15

1.3.2 VIBRATING MESH

15

CHAPTER 2
2.1 BLOCK DIAGRAM

20

2.2 LITERATURE SURVEY

20

2.1.0 MAIN COMPONENTS OF PADDY THRESHER

21

2.2.1 FRAME

21

2.2.2 THRESHING DRUM

21

2.2.3 THRESHING TEETH

21

2.3OPTIMIZATION
2.3.1 INCREASING OUTPUT EFFICIENCY

21

2.3.2 PORTABILITY AND EASE OF USE

22

2.3.3 POWER SOURCE

22

2.4 SAFETY AND COST

22

CHAPTER 3
3.1 DESIGN

23

3.2 MATERIAL SELECTION

23

3.3 PROCESS OF FABRICATION

23

3.3.1 BUILDING THE FRAME

23

3.3.2 FABRICATING THE THRESHING DRUM

23

3.3.3 ATTACHING THE MOTOR

24

3.3.4 VIBRATING MESH

24

3.3.5 FABRICATING THE HOOD

24

3.4 MECHANISM FOR VIBRATING MESH

24

CHAPTER 4
4.1 AUTOMATION

26

4.1 SINGLE PHASE INDUCTION MOTOR

26

4.1.1 CONSTRUCTION

26

4.1.2 WORKING PRINCIPLE

27
7

4.1.3 COMPARISON BETWEEN SINGLE `

PHASE AND THREE PHASE INDUCTION MOTOR
4.2 SPEED CONTROL

29
29

CHAPTER 5
5.1 PROPOSED DESIGN SEED THRESHER

31

5.2 PROPOSED DESIGN FAN ALIGNMENT

DISC CLOCKWISE ROTATION AND
ANTI-CLOCKWISE ROTATION FOR THRESHER

32

5.3 PROPOSED DESIGN POWER SUPPLY

UNIT FOR THE WORKING OF ALL THE
THREE MOTORS AT A SAME TIME.

33

5.4 PROPOSED DESIGN POSITION OF THE

FAN IN WHICH THE CLOCKWISE AND ANTI-CLOCKWISE
ROTATION IS DEPENDED UPON THIS PRPOSED POSITION. 34
5. 5 HARDWARE USED IN PROJECT

35

5.6 TOOLS USED IN PROJECT

35

5.7 ESTIMATION OF THE PROJECT WORK

37

CHAPTER 6
CONCLUSION AND SCOPE FOR THE FUTURE
6.1 IMPLEMENTED METHODS

38

6.2 FUTURE SCOPE

38

6.2.1 SPEED CONTROL

38

6.2.2 FULLY AUTOMATIC PADDY THRESHER

38

CHAPTER 7
CONCLUSION

39

REFRENCES

40

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE.NO

NAME

PAGE.NO

1.1

Seed Thresher

12

1.2.2.1

Feed-In Type

14

2.1.1

Seed Thresher Unit

20

5.1

Proposed Design Seed Thresher

5.2

Proposed Design Fan Alignment Disc Clockwise Rotation

and Anti-Clockwise
Rotation For Thresher

5.3

31

Proposed Design Power Supply

Unit For The Working Of All The
Three Motors At A Same Time.

5.4

32

Proposed Design Position Of The Fan

In Which The Clockwise And Anti-Clockwise
Rotation Is Depended Upon This Proposed

10

33

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
There are many steps involved in the process of getting the rice from the fields and
into our homes. First the rice stalks must be harvested from the fields. The next step of the
process is threshing. It is the process of separation of the grain from the stalk. This can be
done manually or by the action of a revolving mechanism. Grain damage is a potential
problem faced during threshing.
1.1 Methods of threshing
Several methods of threshing exist. Some continue to be used today, while others
have evolved with advancements in technology. A brief description of these methods is listed
below.
1.1.1 Flail
It is a hand held agricultural tool which is used to separate grain from the stalk. It is a
labour intensive and time consuming process. The flail is used to beat grains on a threshing
floor. The grains are later collected from the floor.
1.1.2 Threshing Floor
The stalks are spread across the threshing floor and animals like bulls or donkeys
walk round and round dragging a threshing board to separate the grain from the stalk.
1.1.3 Pedal operated paddy thresher
The idea was developed in Japan and is still popular with poor farmers in many parts
of the world. It consists of loop type threshing drum with a supporting frame. It improves
efficiency and is less labour intensive. However there are instances of injury to hands and
arm while feeding the stalks into the thresher.

11

Fig 1.1: Seed Thresher

1.1.4 Threshing Machine/Combine Harvesters
Industrialization helped remove much of the drudgery from the process of farm labor.
The threshing machine uses the same principle as the above. Earlier they were hand-fed and
horse powered but now they can be completely automated. Modern day combine harvesters
use the same basic principles but are much larger in size.

The first threshing methods involved beating grain by hand with a flail, or trampling it by
animal hooves. An early threshing machine, patented in 1837 by Hiram A. and John A. Pitts,
Winthrop, Maine, was powered by horses walking on a treadmill. Improvements were made
to the original machine until late in the 1800s. The threshing machines used early in the 20th
century were basically the same, except for the power source. About 1890, steam engines
replaced horses and mules, and around 1915, tractors with diesel, kerosene or gasoline
became more prevalent. In the early 1920s, combines a combination harvester and
thresher made their debut, but they did not replace threshing machines completely until
about the middle of the century.

A threshing machine is used to separate the grain from the straw and other light materials. It
is, essentially, a three-step process:
12

In the first stage, bundles of grain and straw were pitched into the feeder (or hopper). The
feeder controlled the rate of feed passing into the machine to prevent overloading. In reality,
the rate at which the bundles were pitched into the hopper probably had more effect on the
rate than the hopper itself.

In the second stage, the separator, a rapidly rotating set of blades (visible at the end of the
feeder), first tore the bundles apart, breaking the twine and snapping the heads from the
straw, then beat the straw and heads onto a grooved plate, knocking kernels from the heads
without crushing them. The straw then passed over a straw rack that removed most of the
straw from the kernels. Whatever passed through fell onto a series of progressively smaller
shaking screens, removing most of the remaining straw and chaff from the kernels.

In the third stage, the cleaner, kernels that passed through the last screen were moved over a
stream of air that blew the remaining straw and chaff away. The cleaned kernels then fell into
a hopper to be elevated to a measuring device before being dumped into sacks or conveyed to
a granary. The straw and chaff were blown out onto the straw stack by a larger, stronger
blower.

1.2 Classification of threshers

Threshers can be broadly classified into two categories on the basis of method of
feeding. Both categories come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages.
1.2.1 Feed-in type threshers
In these types of threshers, the whole crop is directly fed into the machine. It provides
higher throughput than hold-on type and allows the farmers freedom to move around. But
these types of threshers are prone to clogging with the straw. It also has higher power
requirement to drive the drum. Sometimes it also results in injuries to hands of the operator.

13

1.2.2 Hold-on type threshers

Fig 1.2.2.1 Feed-in type

In these types of threshers only the panicle is fed into the machine. The straw remains
intact and there is lower risk of injuries to the user. However it has lower throughput than
feed-in type thresher.

1.3 Proposed Paddy Thresher

Each of the above mentioned methods has its own set of advantages and
disadvantages. The proposed paddy thresher is designed with the small farmer in mind. We
hope to improve efficiency and yield while reducing labour. This can help small farmers
improve their profit margins. It will also reduce the time spent in threshing which can be
utilized elsewhere.

1.3.1 Automated Motor

Non automated threshers require a lot of manual labour which is time consuming and
tiring. We propose to use an induction motor to automate the mechanism of the threshing
drum. The Farmer will have ON-OFF control with the help of a single switch.

14

1.3.2 Vibrating Mesh

Winnowing is the process of separation of grain from the chaff. We propose to use a
vibrating mesh to separate the paddy grains from the chaff after threshing. This can help
reduce time spend in winnowing and requires no extra effort from the farmers side.
1.3.2 Vibrating Mesh
Winnowing is the process of separation of grain from the chaff. We propose to use a
vibrating mesh to separate the paddy grains from the chaff after threshing. This can help
reduce time spend in winnowing and requires no extra effort from the farmers side.
Modern day combine harvesters (or simply combines) operate on the same principles and use
the same components as the original threshing machines built in the 19th century. Combines
also perform the reaping operation at the same time. The name combine is derived from the
fact that the two steps are combined in a single machine. Also, most modern combines are
self-powered (usually by a diesel engine) and self-propelled, although tractor powered, pull
type combines models were offered by John Deere and Case International into the 1990s.
Today, as in the 19th century, the threshing begins with a cylinder and concave. The cylinder
has sharp serrated bars, and rotates at high speed (about 500 RPM), so that the bars beat
against the grain. The concave is curved to match the curve of the cylinder, and serves to hold
the grain as it is beaten. The beating releases the grain from the straw and chaff.
Whilst the majority of the grain falls through the concave, the straw is carried by a set of
"walkers" to the rear of the machine, allowing any grain and chaff still in the straw to fall
below. Below the straw walkers, a fan blows a stream of air across the grain, removing dust
and fines and blowing them away.

15

The grain, either coming through the concave or the walkers, meets a set of sieves mounted
on an assembly called a shoe, which is shaken mechanically. The top sieve has larger
openings, and serves to remove large pieces of chaff from the grain. The lower sieve
separates clean grain, which falls through, from incompletely threshed pieces. The
incompletely threshed grain is returned to the cylinder by means of a system of conveyors,
where the process repeats.

The first threshing methods involved beating grain by hand with a flail, or trampling it by
animal hooves. An early threshing machine, patented in 1837 by Hiram A. and John A. Pitts,
Winthrop, Maine, was powered by horses walking on a treadmill. Improvements were made
to the original machine until late in the 1800s. The threshing machines used early in the 20th
century were basically the same, except for the power source. About 1890, steam engines
replaced horses and mules, and around 1915, tractors with diesel, kerosene or gasoline
became more prevalent. In the early 1920s, combines a combination harvester and
thresher made their debut, but they did not replace threshing machines completely until
about the middle of the century.

A threshing machine is used to separate the grain from the straw and other light materials. It
is, essentially, a three-step process:

In the first stage, bundles of grain and straw were pitched into the feeder (or hopper). The
feeder controlled the rate of feed passing into the machine to prevent overloading. In reality,
the rate at which the bundles were pitched into the hopper probably had more effect on the
rate than the hopper itself.

In the second stage, the separator, a rapidly rotating set of blades (visible at the end of the
feeder), first tore the bundles apart, breaking the twine and snapping the heads from the

16

straw, then beat the straw and heads onto a grooved plate, knocking kernels from the heads
without crushing them. The straw then passed over a straw rack that removed most of the
straw from the kernels. Whatever passed through fell onto a series of progressively smaller
shaking screens, removing most of the remaining straw and chaff from the kernels.

In the third stage, the cleaner, kernels that passed through the last screen were moved over a
stream of air that blew the remaining straw and chaff away. The cleaned kernels then fell into
a hopper to be elevated to a measuring device before being dumped into sacks or conveyed to
a granary. The straw and chaff were blown out onto the straw stack by a larger, stronger
blower.

Some threshing machines were equipped with a bagger, which invariably held two bags, one
being filled, and the other being replaced with an empty. A worker called a sewerremoved
and replaced the bags, and sewed full bags shut with a needle and thread. Other threshing
machines would discharge grain from a conveyor, for bagging by hand. Combines are
equipped with a grain tank, which accumulates grain for deposit in a truck or wagon.
A large amount of chaff and straw would accumulate around a threshing machine, and
several innovations, such as the air chaffer, were developed to deal with this. Combines
generally chop and disperse straw as they move through the field, though the chopping is
disabled when the straw is to be baled, and chaff collectors are sometimes used to prevent the
dispersal of weed seed throughout a field.
The corn sheller was almost identical in design, with slight modifications to deal with the
larger kernel size and presence of cobs. Modern-day combines can be adjusted to work with
any grain crop, and many unusual seed crops.

17

Both the older and modern machines require a good deal of skill to operate. The concave
clearance, cylinder speed, fan velocity, sieve sizes, and feeding rate must be adjusted for crop
conditions

The first threshing methods involved beating grain by hand with a flail, or trampling it by
animal hooves. An early threshing machine, patented in 1837 by Hiram A. and John A. Pitts,
Winthrop, Maine, was powered by horses walking on a treadmill. Improvements were made
to the original machine until late in the 1800s. The threshing machines used early in the 20th
century were basically the same, except for the power source. About 1890, steam engines
replaced horses and mules, and around 1915, tractors with diesel, kerosene or gasoline
became more prevalent. In the early 1920s, combines a combination harvester and
thresher made their debut, but they did not replace threshing machines completely until
about the middle of the century.

A threshing machine is used to separate the grain from the straw and other light materials. It
is, essentially, a three-step process:

In the first stage, bundles of grain and straw were pitched into the feeder (or hopper). The
feeder controlled the rate of feed passing into the machine to prevent overloading. In reality,
the rate at which the bundles were pitched into the hopper probably had more effect on the
rate than the hopper itself.

In the second stage, the separator, a rapidly rotating set of blades (visible at the end of the
feeder), first tore the bundles apart, breaking the twine and snapping the heads from the
straw, then beat the straw and heads onto a grooved plate, knocking kernels from the heads
without crushing them. The straw then passed over a straw rack that removed most of the

18

straw from the kernels. Whatever passed through fell onto a series of progressively smaller
shaking screens, removing most of the remaining straw and chaff from the kernels.

In the third stage, the cleaner, kernels that passed through the last screen were moved over a
stream of air that blew the remaining straw and chaff away. The cleaned kernels then fell into
a hopper to be elevated to a measuring device before being dumped into sacks or conveyed to
a granary. The straw and chaff were blown out onto the straw stack by a larger, stronger
blower.

19

CHAPTER 2
2.1 BLOCK DIAGRAM

Fig 2.1.1: Seed Thresher Unit

2.2 Literature Survey

There are numerous types of paddy threshers available in the market. Each design has some
advantages and some disadvantages. We have identified the following focus areas for the
literature survey:
Main components of paddy thresher
Optimization of components
Power Source
Safety and Cost

20

2.1 Main components of paddy thresher

The thresher consists of three main components frame, threshing drum and threshing teeth
2.2.1 Frame
The body frame of the thresher should be made of a durable materials like cast iron or mild
steel to increase life of the machine. The height of the frame should be comfortable for the
user, so that he/she should not have to bend. The recommended height is around 105 cm. 2.1
2.2.2 Threshing drum
The drum should be durable enough to take the load of the stalks. It should be constructed out
of slats which are supported at each end by cylinder end discs. The length of the drum should
not exceed 40 cm in case of single user.
2.2.3 Threshing teeth
The slats carry the threshing teeth. They should be arranged in linear manner with a distance
of 4 cm. The height of the teeth should not exceed 6.5 cm. The shape of the teeth affects grain
damage. To minimize damage to paddy grains, wire loop type teeth are preferred.

2.3OPTIMIZATION
Optimization is the methodology of selecting the best element with regard to some criteria.
We wish to optimize the thresher for small farmers.

2.3.1 Increasing output efficiency

Output efficiency of the thresher depends mainly upon the feed rate and the speed of the
drum. The feed rate of the thresher must not be too high so as to prevent overloading the
drum. The speed of the drum should not exceed 850 rpm so as to prevent grain damage.

21

2.3.2 Portability and Ease of Use

Farmers prefer threshing machines which are portable as they can be used in any part of their
field. The thresher should be easy to operate as most farmers are not well versed with the
usage of highly technical machines.
2.3.3 Power Source
Pedal powered threshers require a lot of human labour. To automate the threshing
mechanism, one can use an electric motor or a diesel motor. Diesel motors, however, have
very high carbon emission and pose a threat to the environment.
Owing to the rising cost of diesel, electric motors are cheaper to run than diesel motors. Many
farmers have subsidized electricity rates and single phase supplies. An induction motor
requires a single phase supply and does not require much maintenance. An induction motor
of 0.5 hp would be sufficient to power the drum.

2.4 SAFETY AND COST

In agricultural related injuries, accidents due to threshers are the second most common.
Exposed rotating parts result in crushing or amputation of upper limbs. Hence, chute design is
an important parameter to prevent injuries. The chute opening height should be at least 32
cm. Elbows should be kept away to prevent injuries. Targeting small farmers, the goal of the
project is to offer a viably safe thresher at an affordable price. Also, the thresher should not
require much maintenance.

22

CHAPTER 3
3.1 Design
The optimal dimensions have been summarized in the literature survey. The design,
however, involves more than a few technical specifications. In this chapter, we will cover the
actual dimensions that were used to build our thresher as well as the materials that were
selected for each component.
3.2 Material Selection
According to Indian standards of paddy threshers, cast iron and mild steel are the
recommended materials to build paddy threshers. For our project, we chose cast iron for
many purposes, most important being its competitive price. Cast iron can therefore do the
same job at a lower price. It is also easily available and has high tensile strength. The only
problem with cast iron is that is more prone to corrosion as compared to mild steel, but this
can be rectified with a paint job. For the base of the machine, we have used a 6 cm thick
panel of wood so as to provide cushioning and stability to the machine.
3.3 Process of Fabrication
The process of fabrication follows the sub-points mentioned below in their exact order:
3.3.1 Building the Frame
This is the first step in the process of fabrication. The frame was built using L-shaped bars
made of cast iron. The dimensions used for the frame are as specified in Section 3.1.
3.3.2 Fabricating the Threshing Drum
The drum was constructed using a series of slats, supported by a cylinder-end plate. Each slat
is 0.5 cm thick and 5 cm wide. The distance between two neighbouring slats is maintained at
Zmm. The cylinder-end plates have a thickness of 0.2 cm and are used to support the slats.
The threshing teeth are welded to the surface of the slat. We have selected Wire Loop type of
teeth which have been welded at a distance of 4 cm to each other.
23

3.3.3 Attaching the Motor

We have used a Flat Belt type pulley system to attach the motor to the shaft of the drum. This
is the driving force of the machine. The pulley system also helps reduce the speed of the
motor.
3.3.4 Vibrating Mesh
The vibrating mesh is used to separate the grain from the chaff. We have used a linkage
assembly which converts the rotational motion of the drum into linear motion of the mesh.
3.3.5 Fabricating the Hood
This is the final step in the process of fabrication. A metal sheet is bent and welded to the top
of the thresher in order to prevent injury as well as preventing the grains from getting
scattered.
3.4 Mechanism for Vibrating Mesh
We make use of the rotator motion of the drum for the reciprocating motion of the mesh. A
Slider-crank can be used to convert circular motion into reciprocating motion.

This thresher is used to damage free threshing of seeds out of small quantities of plants
(umbels, cliques or pods). The machine is very suitable for breeding stations or processing
stock seed productions. The machine is equipped with an automatic air cleaning program and
dust suction connections. The plants are manually feed via an inlet table inside the threshing
chamber (only the seed pods). The plants will be broken into smaller pieces inside the
threshing chamber, by means of a rotor with three beaters which rotates in a threshing basket.
The seeds are threshed out. By means of a discharge valve at the front side of the machine the
straw

can

be

discharged.

When the seeds pass the threshing basket they will be processed on a shaking screen. This
shaking screen is equipped with an outlet and an overflow. The materials that exit the
24

machine over the screen is waste and will be collected in an anti-static bin. The seeds will fall
through the screen and will enter a vibratory feeder that will feed the seeds uniformly into the
air separator. Here will lighter and heavier parts will be separated. "Good" heavy seeds will
leave the air separator at the front side and can be collected in a small bag.Threshing, screen
cleaning and air separation in one machine ,Automatic air cleaning, significant reduction in
cleaning hours,Direct packing in small bags. Different perforations threshing baskets and
screens available. Visual inspection due to several polycarbonate windows. Process status
indication

25

CHAPTER 4

4.1 Automation
Automation is the process of using control systems to operate equipment, reducing or
removing human intervention. In this chapter, we will discuss the specifications of the
induction motor used, followed by the method used for controlling the speed of the drum.
4.1 Single Phase Induction Motor
The single phase induction motor is the heart of the paddy thresher machine. We have
explained the construction and working of induction motor.
4.1.1 Construction
It has mainly two parts namely rotor and stator. Stator: As its name indicates stator is a
stationary part of induction motor. A single phase ac supply is given to the stator of single
phase induction motor. Rotor: The rotor is a rotating part of induction motor. The rotor is
connected to the mechanical load through the shaft. The rotor in single phase induction motor
is of squirrel cage rotor type. The construction of single phase induction motor is almost
similar to the squirrel cage three phase motor except that in case of asynchronous motor the
stator have two windings instead of one as compare to the single stator winding in three
phases induction motor.
After years of experience in the field of agricultural machinery, Amisy has developed lots of
excellent agricultural products that enjoy great popularity. Rice/Wheat thresher is one of our
products with mature technology. Welcome to make your purchase. The rice/wheat thresher
is mainly used for shelling the wheat, rice, sorghum, barley, millet, etc. It is efficient and can
thresh rice and wheat throughly. Rice thresher has the features of compact structure, beautiful
shape and reliable operation. Featured by its high production rate, good threshing

26

performance and few loss of grain etc., it is a good helper with farmers.
Thresher Features
1. Reliable Quality: The machine is highlighted with compact structure, scientific design and
superior quality. Besides, it is anti-acid, anti-rust, and moisture proofed. The assignments are
of good quality, each index has reached national specification.
2. Wide Application: It is mainly used for threshing various crops like rice, wheat, corn,
soybean, barley, sorghum and millet etc..
3. High Efficiency: This thresher has combined working with separate winnowing so that the
grain, wheat bran, wheat straw would be separated and cleared at one time. It can thresh
various crops in high efficiency, separate husks and remove dust from the production
mixture.
4. Cost-saving: The machine has the advantages of high removal rate and low breakage,
which would cut down the harvest time and save labor cost at the same time.
5. High Security: The motor control is equipped with over current, overload and short circuit
protection.6. Others: It owns advantages such as compact structure, easy operation, easy
maintenance and high efficiency etc..
4.1.2 Working Principle
When single phase ac supply is given to the stator winding of single phase induction motor,
the alternating current starts flowing through the stator or main winding. This alternating
current produces an alternating flux called main flux. This main flux also links with the rotor
conductors and hence cut the rotor conductors. According to the Faradays law of
electromagnetic induction, EMF gets induced in the rotor. As the rotor circuit is closed one
so, the current starts flowing in the rotor. This current is called the rotor current. This rotor
current produces its own flux called rotor flux. Since this flux is produced due to induction

27

principle so, the motor working on this principle got its name as induction motor. Now there
are two fluxes one is main flux and another is called rotor flux. These two fluxes produce the
desired torque which is required by the motor to rotate.

Early threshing machines were hand-fed and horse-powered. They were small by today's
standards and were about the size of an uprightpiano. Later machines were steam-powered,
driven by a portable engine or traction engine. Isaiah Jennings, a skilled inventor, created a
small thresher that doesn't harm the straw in the process. In 1834, John Avery and Hiram
Abial Pitts devised significant improvements to a machine that automatically threshes and
separates grain from chaff, freeing farmers from a slow and laborious process.
The 1881 Household Cyclopedia said of Meikle's machine:
"Since the invention of this machine, Mr. Meikle and others have progressively
introduced a variety of improvements, all tending to simplify the labour, and to
augment the quantity of the work performed. When first erected, though the grain was
equally well separated from the straw, yet as the whole of the straw, chaff, and grain,
was indiscriminately thrown into a confused heap, the work could only with propriety
be considered as half executed. By the addition of rakes, or shakers, and two pairs of
fanners, all driven by the same machinery, the different processes of thrashing,
shaking, and winnowing are now all at once performed, and the grain immediately
prepared for the public market. When it is added, that the quantity of grain gained
from the superior powers of the machine is fully equal to a twentieth part of the crop,
and that, in some cases, the expense of thrashing and cleaning the grain is
considerably less than what was formerly paid for cleaning it alone, the immense
saving arising from the invention will at once be seen.

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"The expense of horse labour, from the increased value of the animal and the charge
of his keeping, being an object of great importance, it is recommended that, upon all
sizable farms, that is to say, where two hundred acres [800,000 m], or upwards, of
grain are sown, the machine should be worked by wind, unless where local
circumstances afford the convenience of water. Where coals are plenty and cheap,
steam may be advantageously used for working the machine."

4.1.3 Comparison between Single phase and Three phase Induction Motor
1. Single phase induction motors are simple in construction, reliable and economical for
small power rating as compared to three phase induction motors.
2. The electrical power factor of single phase induction motors is low as compared to three
phase induction motors.
3. For same size, the single phase induction motors develop about 50% of the output as that
of three phase induction motors.
4. The starting torque is also low for asynchronous motors.
5. The efficiency of single phase induction motors is less as compare it to the three phase
induction motors.
4.2 Speed Control
We hope to control the speed of the single phase induction motor using triac and a 555 timer.
The control circuitry used depends on one parameter voltage. 13 Torque Developed in a
Motor Square of Voltage We control the voltage applied to the stator terminals of the
induction motor using gate pulses from the triac. Delaying of the pulses to the gate reduced
the voltage applied to the stator terminals of the induction motor, and as voltage and torque
are proportional to each other, a decrease in torque simultaneously decreases the speed of the
motor.
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The control circuit consists of the following:

Triggering Circuit
Triac Circuit
Power Supply Circuit
Power Supply Circuit provides a DC supply of 5 V and 12 V to devices requiring the biasing
voltage. The triggering circuit is used to generate pulses which are then given to the triac as
gate pulses. This acts as the trigger. The triac circuit acts as an intermediate between the
induction motor and the supply.

30

CHAPTER 5
FABRICATION OF THE MECHANICAL SEED THRESHER FOR
FARM.
5.1 PROPOSED DESIGN SEED THRESHER

31

5.2 PROPOSED DESIGN FAN ALIGNMENT DISC

CLOCKWISE ROTATION AND ANTI-CLOCKWISE
ROTATION FOR THRESHER

(Note: Only One Blade Is Painted In All Set Of Blades Because To Identify The
Rotation Of The Blade Either Clockwise Or Anti-Clockwise.)
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5.3 PROPOSED DESIGN POWER SUPPLY UNIT FOR THE

WORKING OF ALL THE THREE MOTORS AT A SAME TIME.

(Note: This Adapter Is To Give Power Form The Supply Board Automatically And This
Is Easy In Plugging And Un-Plugging The Unit. This Can Be Moved To Any Platform
Of Workspace.)

33

5.4 PROPOSED DESIGN POSITION OF THE FAN IN WHICH THE

CLOCKWISE AND ANTI-CLOCKWISE ROTATION IS DEPENDED
UPON THIS PROPOSED POSITION.

34

5. 5 HARDWARE USED IN PROJECT:

Fabricated Fan
Mounting Plate
Threaded Screw
Base Plate
Bearing
Coupling
Movable Joints
Steel Plates For Supporting
Welding Electrodes
Pitch Scale
Wires for Connection
Motor
Hardwares To Fit
Power Supply
Switch

5.6 TOOLS USED IN PROJECT:

Welding Machine
Screw driver
Spanner

35

 Soldering Rod
Soldering flux
Punching machine
Drilling Machine
Bench Vice
Axe Frame
Insulation Tape

36

5.7 ESTIMATION OF THE PROJECT WORK:

HARDWARE WORK

ESTIMATION OF COST

FABRICATION OF BLADES

1775

MOUNTED PLATE

275

CASTING OF BLADE

1000

POWER SUPPLY

250

MOTOR MOUNTING PLATE

175

WELDING WORKS

325

RIVETING OF BALDES

450

MOULDING OF FAN BLADES

400

DRILLING

450

MOTOR

450

CONNECTING WIRES

100

OTHER EXPENSES

350

TOTAL

6000

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CHAPTER 6
CONCLUSION AND SCOPE FOR THE FUTURE
There is scope for improvement in the level of automation of the paddy thresher.
Towards this, in conclusion, we will cover a summary of the methods weve used in our
system and propose a scope for what can be done in the future.
6.1 Implemented Methods
The paddy thresher was built with the aim of helping small farmers increase their
output, reducing labour required and providing a safe and standardized machine at an
affordable cost. The machine is optimized to ensure easy use for the farmer and is built with
safe guards to prevent accidents and injuries in a field with a high risk of amputation. Also,
the machine can
be used by a single farmer, as opposed to requiring multiple people operating a single
machine.
Another important aspect we considered was that our machine would test the tides of
time and reduce the cost of maintenance. The machine also combines the process of threshing
and winnowing, thereby reducing the work to be done by the farmer, as it has automatic grain
separation.
6.2 Future Scope
While we have mentioned that our machine is a semi-automatic one, there is scope for
increasing the level of automation in the thresher. A great way to do this is by implementing
speed control of the threshing drum. We will discuss a few points below:
6.2.1 Speed Control
The speed of the threshing drum should be lowered while changing the bundle of stalks. As
mentioned in Section 4.2, the speed of the threshing drum can be controlled using a triac and
a 555 timer. This can help lower the power consumption as well as the risk of injuries, which
38

will supplement the goal we had in mind while building this machine. We believe that the
optimum speed we can reach using this method is 600 rpm.
6.2.2 Fully Automatic Paddy Thresher
The current design of the paddy thresher requires the farmer to hold the bundle of stalks over
the threshing drum. We propose to build a mechanism to hold these stalks in place and flip
them over after a certain period of time using a simple flipping mechanism. A
microcontroller can be used to trigger this flipping mechanism after a set period of time,
which can be programmed in the microcontroller.

39

CHAPTER 7
CONCLUSION
What we have built is a product that can be used in the field today. However, while
we have identified the key areas that require change in a paddy thresher, we were unable to
implement everything that we had hoped to. Nonetheless, what we have built is a step in the
right direction and a little bit of improvement can render it as a viable solution to an
unaddressed problem faced by farmers for years.

40

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