Projeto de transplantadora de hortaliças para plantio direto tracionada por microtrator

Abstract

In Brazil, R$54.5 billion are commercialized annually in vegetables. These foods have a rich composition in sources of proteins, carbohydrates, fibers, vitamins A, B, and C complex, magnesium, zinc, potassium, calcium, and iron—components very important to be ingested in daily meals, especially by children, as they aid in biopsychosocial development. The family farming category is the main producer of vegetables. The cultivation process is characterized by a high rotation of crops, excessive soil disturbance, and arduous manual labor. The no-tillage vegetable production system (SPDH - Sistema de Plantio Direto de Hortaliças) adopts conservationist practices, mainly in soil protection with cover crops. The system presents significant reductions in the use of agricultural pesticides, erosion, and irrigation water usage. Despite the numerous advantages, the SPDH faces challenges due to the lack of machinery that meets the needs of small areas and the high crop rotation required for vegetable production. This work aimed to develop the project of a transplanter that would meet the requirements of family farmers who produce vegetables, reducing the arduousness of labor, streamlining the process, and contributing to the modernization and mechanization of the sector. The Product Development Process (PDP) methodology was used; in the pre-development phase, questionnaires were carried out with producers and SPDH specialists for a better understanding of the vegetable production system. In the development phase, the informational, conceptual, and detailed designs were carried out. The informational design listed the main product requirements and used the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) matrix to prioritize these requirements. In the conceptual design, functional modeling was built using physical effects, and physical effect carriers were defined. Four solution alternatives were listed, critical aspects of each were evaluated, and then layouts were elaborated. For the detailed design, commercial items that would meet the requirements were evaluated, and their dimensions were collected to be inserted into the CAD program, in order to develop the remaining components. Structural simulations were performed on the project’s critical components, technical drawings were elaborated, and quotations for components and materials were obtained, resulting in a functional project of a semi-automatic transplanter ready for production.