Design optimization of rotary tiller blades: a critical review

Tillage is an operation performed to obtain a desirable soil structure for a seedbed or root bed. A granular structure is desirable to allow rapid infiltration and good retention of rainfall and to minimize resistance to root penetration. Rotavator (also called rotary tiller) is a tractor operated cultivating implement that breaks or works the soil with the help of rotating blades. The use of rotavator is increasing due to its versatility in doing a good quality tillage job with minimum number of passes. The rotavator do simultaneous ploughing and harrowing in dry and optimum soil moisture in single operation. The blades are the main critical parts of a rotary tiller which are engaged with soil. So, wearing takes places at the cutting edges of these blades due to high stresses are coming. In this context a lot of research on rotavator blade has been carried out in different parts of the world. This paper briefly reviews the work done so far on the rotary tillers’ blade design optimization and development.