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Optimum crankshaft height and crank length for hand operated rotary maize
sheller

Article · January 2010

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 1
ERGONOMICAL STUDIES ON A HAND OPERATED ROTARY MAIZE
SHELLER TO ENHANCE HUMAN-MACHINE COMPATIBILITY

M.M.Deshmukh1* and H.S. Kharade

Deptt. of Farm Power & Machinery,
Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi, Vidyapeeth, Akola. 444 104 (M.S.) India.
E-mail-bhamodakar@yahoo.co.in, harshada125@yahoo.co.in

P.S.Tiwari and L.P.Gite

Agricultural Mechanization Division,
Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal- 462 038 (M.P)
E-mail-pst@ciae.mp.nic.in

Abstract

Hand cranking is a usual way of power transmission by human for operating several
manually operated agricultural equipment/machines such as chaff-cutters, threshers,
winnowers, rotary maize sheller etc. However, information on optimum crankshaft height
and crank length from ergonomical considerations for Indian agricultural workers
especially for women workers is not available. In view to improve the design of the hand
operated rotary maize sheller to a possible extent, ergonomic study was carried out at
different crankshaft heights and crank lengths to optimize the crankshaft height and crank
length. Studies were carried out to evaluate physiological and psychophysical responses of
six female agricultural workers during hand cranking at five crankshaft heights and five
crank lengths at a shaft torque of 18 N-m and at a speed of 50 rpm. The independent
variables were selected as crankshaft height with respect to elbow height varied as 0.8 EH,
0.9 EH, 1.0 EH, 1.1 EH and 1.2 EH of individual workers and crank length was varied in
relation to shoulder grip length (SGL) as 0.40 SGL, 0.45 SGL, 0.50 SGL, 0.55 SGL and
0.60 SGL of individual worker. It was observed that lowest physiological and
psychophysical responses observed with crankshaft height of 0.9 elbow height and crank
length of 0.45 shoulder grip length. The statistical analysis of the data indicated that
physiological and psychophysical responses were significantly affected with crankshaft
height and crank length. For hand operated rotary maize sheller operated by female
agricultural workers, the optimum crankshaft height is 0.9 elbow height (EH) and optimum
crank length is 0.45 shoulder grip length (SGL).

Introduction

Hand operated rotary maize sheller is manually operated equipment consisting of a

flywheel, a frame, a hopper and three shelling gears. With one hand a person operates the
1
Conference speaker
equipment by hand cranking whereas with the other hand he feeds the cobs into the
machine one by one. The shelled cobs come out through the port on opposite side.
Since hand operated rotary maize sheller is a manually operated machine its work output
depends on the machine as well as on the operator. The operator performs the maize
shelling operation by rotating a crank handle and therefore, proper crankshaft height and
crank length is necessary for efficient operation of the machine. Improper crankshaft height
and crank length results in discomfort to the operator and difficulties in the smooth
operation of the equipment, which results in lower work efficiency.

In view of the above it was planned to study physiological and psychophysical responses of
female agricultural workers during operation of hand operated rotary maize sheller at
different crankshaft heights and crank lengths and to carry out design modification in work
system so as to have higher man-machine system efficiency.

Material and Methods

Six female agricultural workers from Bhopal district of Madhya Pradesh in India were
randomly selected as subjects for the study. All the subjects were free from physical
abnormalities and musculo-skeletal problems. The age of the selected subjects ranged from
20-35 years. Data on 13 body dimensions useful to optimize the design of hand operated
rotary maize sheller was collected. Out of several vertical body dimensions elbow height
seems to have direct bearing on the crankshaft height. Therefore, the crankshaft heights
were expressed as the fraction of elbow height. From selected horizontal body dimensions
shoulder grip length had better correlation with crank length in comparison to other body
dimensions. Therefore, the crank length was expressed as the fraction of shoulder grip
length. The variables selected for the study were as follows:

Independent variables
1. Subject: 6 (female agricultural workers)
2. Crankshaft heights:
(Five levels - 0.8 EH, 0.9 EH, 1.0 EH, 1.1 EH and 1.2 EH)
3. Crank lengths:
(Five levels - 0.4 SGL, 0.45 SGL, 0.5 SGL, 0.55 SGL and 0.6 SGL)
As there were two variables and each at five levels, the experiment was planned in split-
plot design with crankshaft height as main treatments and crank lengths as sub-treatments.
Subjects were taken as replications.

Dependent variables

Physiological responses
i. Heart rate (beats/min)

Psychophysical responses
i. Overall discomfort rating (ODR)
ii. Body parts discomfort score (BPDS)
Preliminary trials conducted with five female agricultural workers on hand operated rotary
maize sheller indicated that irregular feeding rate and speed of operation affect the
physiological cost of the operator during maize shelling operation on hand operated rotary
maize sheller. However, to study the effect of crankshaft height and crank length on
physiological responses it was felt necessary to maintain uniform torque and speed. To
have uniform torque and speed of operation set-up was developed at Central Institute of
Agricultural Engineering (CIAE), Bhopal (Plate no. 1).

Plate 1. Experimental setup for optimization of crankshaft height and crank length

A set of trials were conducted to know the weight required to be put on slack side of the
belt to get the desired torque of 18 N-m ,which is the torque required to operate a hand
operated rotary maize sheller at speed of 50 rpm. A weight of 66 gm to be put on the slack
side of the belt to get the desired torque of 18 N-m at 50 rpm of hand cranking. A provision
was made in four legs of the experimental set-up to change crankshaft height. The crank
length was varied with the help of an adjustable crank. Trials were conducted with different
crankshaft height and crank length for duration of 15 min. Polar heart rate monitor (Polar
Vontage NV) used for continuous recording of heart rate of the subject during each trial. A
10- point visual analogue discomfort scale proposed by Legg and Mahanty (1985) was used
to indicate the level of overall discomfort. Whereas, to measure body part discomfort score
Corlett and Bishop Technique (1976) was used.

Performance evaluation and physiological responses at original and optimum crankshaft

height and crank length were also studied (Plate 2 & 3).

Result and Discussion

Physiological responses data

The mean working heart rate (HR) and work pulse (∆HR) values are presented in the
following Table 1. The minimum value of mean working heart rate (HR) and work pulse
 (∆HR) was observed during hand cranking operation at crankshaft height of 0.9 EH and
crank length of 0.45 SGL.

Plate 2. Maize shelling at origional Plate 3. Maize shelling at optimum

crankshaft height and crankshaft height and
crank length crank length

Table 1. Mean working heart rate (HR) and work pulse (∆HR) during different crankshaft
heights and crank lengths.

Crankshaft Working heart rate (HR)(beats/min) Work pulse (∆HR) (beats/min)

heights
0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.2 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.2
Crank EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH
length
0.4 SGL 137.7 131.3 132.5 140.9 134.8 55.3 48.9 50.0 57.7 51.6

0.45 SGL 135.4 127.1 130.3 135.8 133.4 53.2 44.6 47.8 53.7 50.8
0.5 SGL 136.3 128.9 133.9 137.3 134.5 54.3 47.2 49.1 55.7 51.6
0.55 SGL 140.7 134.8 137.1 140.4 136.7 59.5 51.7 54.1 59.1 54.8
0.6 SGL 144.9 137.9 138.2 145.7 139.1 63.4 54.4 56.3 62.8 57.2

Psychophysical responses data

The observations regarding psychophysical responses are given in the following table.
Table shows that minimum psychophysical responses were observed at crankshaft height of
 Table 2. Psychophysical responses during different crankshaft heights and crank lengths.

Crank shaft Overall discomfort rating (ODR) Body part discomfort score (BPDS)
heights
Crank 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.2 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.2
length(cm) EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH
0.4 SGL 5.66 5.16 6.00 6.00 6.16 40.75 38.08 39.26 41.75 41.83
0.45 SGL 4.83 4.50 4.83 5.00 5.33 39.10 32.33 35.66 38.08 39.50
0.5 SGL 5.16 4.83 5.16 5.83 5.83 40.25 35.66 38.08 40.13 40.66
0.55 SGL 6.16 5.50 5.83 6.50 7.00 40.75 37.68 39.5 40.85 44.08
0.6 SGL 6.66 6.50 6.50 6.83 7.00 42.03 39.13 40.75 43.73 45.33

0.9 EH and crank length of 0.45 SGL. Optimum level of crankshaft height and crank length
was considered to be that at which subject felt more comfortable, as indicated by
physiological and psychophysical responses of the subjects. Physiological and
psychophysical responses were lower when crankshaft height was 0.9 elbow height (0.9
EH) and crank length was 0.45 of shoulder grip length (0.45 SGL). Therefore, in modified
hand operated rotary maize sheller level of crankshaft height was kept as 0.9 of elbow
height (0.9 EH) and crank length was kept as 0.45 shoulder grip length (0.45 SGL).

The analysis of variance (ANOVA) using split plot design indicated that work pulse (∆HR)
was significantly affected (P < 0.001) by crankshaft height and crank length. Analysis of
variance of data on physiological and psychophysical at different crankshaft heights and
crank lengths is shown in Table 3.
Table 3. Analysis of variance of data on physiological and psychophysical responses.
Sum of df Mean of F ratio Significance
squares squares
Crankshaft 1586.8809 4 396.7202 15.64 0.0000***
heights
Heart rate
(beats/min) Crank 1489.4189 4 372.354 23.20 0.0000***
lengths
Overall Crankshaft 16.4933 4 4.12333 5.76 0.0003*
discomfort heights
rating
Crank 59.0266 4 14.7566 28.49 0.0000***
lengths
Body part Crankshaft 585.09093 4 146.2727 3.69 0.0076**
discomfort heights
score
Crank 445.4302 4 111.3575 2.49 0.0482*
lengths
*** Significant at 1 percent, ** Significant at 1 percent, * Significant at 5 percent
The analysis of variance (ANOVA) of data indicates that overall discomfort rating was
significantly affected (p< 0.001) by crankshaft heights as well as crank lengths. Effect of
the interaction between crankshaft height and crank length on overall discomfort rating was
non-significant. Also, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) for body part discomfort score
(BPDS) indicates that body part discomfort score was significantly affected (p< 0.001) by
crankshaft heights. Also the body part discomfort score was significantly affected (p<
0.005) by crank lengths.

Performance evaluation of hand operated rotary maize sheller

Experiments were also carried out to evaluate shelling operation in terms of output
capacity, shelling efficiency and unshelled grain during maize shelling operation on hand
operated rotary maize sheller at original and optimum crankshaft height and crank length.
The performance evaluation of hand operated rotary maize sheller at original and optimum
crankshaft height and crank length is given in Table 4.
Table 4. Performance evaluation at original and optimum crankshaft height
and crank length

Type of Maize shelling Percentage Shelling Output

operation of unshelled grain (%) efficiency Capacity
(%) (kg/hr)
At original crankshaft 3.39 96.60 86.06
height and crank length
At optimum crankshaft 1.13 98.80 90.20
height and crank length

The mean working heart rate (HR) and work pulse (ΔHR) during maize shelling operation
with original hand operated rotary maize sheller was observed as 138.2 beats per min and
57.5 beats per min. Whereas, the mean working heart rate and work pulse (ΔHR) during
maize shelling operation with hand operated rotary maize sheller at optimum crankshaft
height and crank length was observed as 128.6 beats per min and 45.6 beats/min (fig 1).

160
140
Heart rate (bpm)

120
Working HR
100
Delta HR
80
60
40
Origional hand operated M odified hand operated
rotary maize sheller rotary maize sheller

Fig 1. Comparison graph of heart rate responses

 Conclusions

• Physiological and psychophysical responses were affected by crankshaft height and

crank length.
• The lowest physiological and psychophysical responses were observed with crank
length of 0.45 shoulder grip length at crankshaft height of 0.9 elbow height.
• The value of work pulse at optimum crankshaft height and crank length was (45.6
beats/min) as compared to original crankshaft height and crank length as (57.5
beats/min)
• The performance evaluation of hand operated rotary maize sheller in terms of output
capacity, shelling efficiency, and percent of unshelled grain at original and optimum
crankshaft height and crank length was observed as 86.06 kg/hr, 96.60 %, 3.39 %
and 90.20 kg/hr, 98.80 % 1.13 %, respectively.

References

Corlett, E. N. and R. P..Bishop (1976). A technique for assessing postural discomfort.

Ergonomics, 19(2): 175-182.

Das, H. and S.Bhattacharya (1984). Optimum design and location of a hand operated rotary
device.J.Agric.Engg.ISAE, Vol. No 21(3): 29-36

Gite, L. P. and B.G. Yadav (1990). Optimum handle height for push-pull type manually
operated dry land weeder. Ergonomics, 33(12):1487-1494

Gite, L. P. (1991). Optimum handle height for animal-drawn mould board plough. Applied
Ergonomics, 22(1): 21-28.

Gite, L. P. and G. Singh (1997). Ergonomics in agriculture and allied activities in India.
Technical Bulletin No.CIAE/97/70, June 1997, Central Institute of Agricultural
Engineering, Bhopal.

Legg, S. J . and A. Mahanty (1985). Comparison of five modes of carrying a load close to
the trunk. Ergonomics 28: 1653-1660.

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