BUSITEMA

UNIVERSITY
Pursu i llg J:.~Wc'I/Cl1(t'

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION AND

IRRIGA TIONENGINEERING

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A MAIZE COB

MILLING MACHINE

By

SAKKA RONALD

BU/UG/2011/233

ronaldssaka@[Link]

+256783165354

MAIN SUPERVISOR: [Link] YE WILBERFORCE

CO-SUPERVISOR: [Link] SSALI GODFREY

A research proposal presented in JHU1ial filljiJJment 0/ the requirements/or the 4WlII'd

0/ the degree 0/ bachelors 0/ agricultural mechanization and irTigation engineering

May 2015
 DECLARATION

I, SAKKA RONALD do hereby declare that this proposal report is my own original
work and that; it has not been published and/or submitted for any academic award to any
higher institution of learning. All the work contained in this report is as a result of my
research except where cited.

SAKKA RONALD
nuSiT;j-~--_
Date: .. ~~J.~~I~~.~ I ''_;\
LLl1o.)S No .
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........ ............ . Lit#(
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ACCESs \/0 ~ "'1
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 DEDICATION

.I dedicate this. project Report to BRIAN STJ51N [or the wonderful work done towards
.reaching this. Ievelof education. May lhe almighty Gnd blesshim abundantly.

I also dedicate it to my 111t1In kayaga Rosene. and Mr. Bazira Gerald for the sacrifices,
time and courage you 'provided me which have enabled me to complete this course.
Thank you for the spirit of hard work, courage and determination you ·have instilledin
me throughout my. s~hoofda:ys until today.

·iij
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
1 am indebted to my dear brothers, sisters, relatives, classmates and friends to whom i
extend my Sincere appreciation [Link]-guidance and support,

I extend my gratitude. to all my Lecturers at the Eaculty 0-£Engineering, Agricultural

Mechanization and Irrigation. Engineering Department who have equipped me with
academicknowledge that has guided me 10 succeed in my studies. for the four academic
yeats -.

My thanks go to DJY supervisors Mr. Wilberforce Salanjaye and [Link] SsajjaSsali

whose directions and guidance enabled me to successfully complete the project,
Additionally, special regards goes to Dj·.· Wandera Catherine for the' time offered during.
consultations, thank-you so-much.

Lthank the almighty God for hisgrace, mercy, wisdom aud protection -,

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 ABSTRACT

Maize cob is one of the agricultural wastes H-omthe maize crop; among others include
maize stalk arid leaves Which are being used as a. source of organic manure and at times
as animalfeeds. Maize cobs [Link] used as roughages that becomeavailable as livestock
feeds after the crops have been harvested. Maize cobs have 'got some minerals nnd
nutrient such as proteins, edible fibre, calcium •.potassium, chlorine, cellulose arid many
others. In Uganda, the Increase in the price ·of maize due to 'high demands and
exportation to outside countries like Sudan, has resulted into highincrease In the. prices
of animals feeds majorly maize bran hence making animal [Link] expensive, The.
aim of this study was to make lise of the available nutrients and minerals found. In a
maize cob to supplement animal feeds. This. Was be attained through the design and
coustruction of a maize cob milling machine powered by a motor: III achieving the
above goal, basic engineering principles, physical and niecltanical properties of maize
cobs were considered in the design of the various components of the. maize cob milling
machine. The machine was designed basing 011 the crushing speed ofmaize cobs which
ranges between 800 to 1400ipm, crushing force of 860N and crushing strength of
S.4MPa. Softwares such as solid edge, [Link] Matlab 'Were used in the design of
the intended machine, The machine was fabricated from readily available materials and
common production technologies, including cutting, bending, welding, drilling, milling
and others. The maize cob milling machine was designed and constructed by first sizing
of the components through analysis of forces acti ng on the components, material
selection, fabricated and assembled, The, selected materials were those which would
withstand the applied forces in order to avoid failure of the eomponents during operation
of the machine, After the fabrication process the machine was tested for its p~JfQI111~nCe;

A summary of the key findings included, the designed machine could be operated by at
least a .Jlip motor. The cost of prototype was UGX 600.000 .After testing, the machine
had a production capacity of ?kg/hr. of maize cobs with an average efficiency of 84%.
The percentage loss was 16% .Ptovisions was provided to change the sieve. in .case
.certain sizes of maize cobs were required. The prototype had a limitation of producing a

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lot of noise and dust when operating. Conclusions and recommendation about. the
project are also included ill this report.

vi
 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

ILRI -International Livestock Research Institute

HP-}1orse power

Rl'Msrevolution per minute

Pa -Pascal

Rrid -radians.

Ns Newton

VGX-'()gandalJ. shillings

eqn- Equation

.itii
TABLE OF CONTENT

DECLARATION· ; ; ; ~ "-:;; , r , •••••• , ' •••••.•• ["

APPROVAL ; i •• · .'••••••• :., ••••.;.;· ••.••, ••••• : , , · , •• ii

DEDICATION , ; ..,: , , , iii

ACKNOWLEDG·[Link] , , , , , ; iv

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS < .: ; : vii

1.1 BACK_GROUNiJ.OF [Link] :., , , : ..:.: ;1

1;2 PRO~LEIIiISTATEMENT u ; ; : ,.2
1;3 JUSTIFlCATfON : , , :: .' :3
[Link] .. :
1.4·SCO·P·E·OFTHE :.•... , : , :: 3

r.s OB)EctlvES~, , ;.; ; ; :.:.•.;,.;.; : , :.', ,3

1.5· 1 [Link] .objectilie.· : ; ;•.: :., :.;.: , a

i.s.z Sp'~cificobjectives. : ; " :: r , ' 4

1.6 ACTIVITIES THAT WERE PERFORMED DURING THE [Link] DESiGN , , 4

[Link]:·UTERATURE REVIEW : :.., ..; :.: :, , : , ; , 5

2..1 Descriptions
. of the maize'. plant, .maizeseedand
. the maize wastes ; · 5

2.2 ..Agricultural waste and the environment. r , ,' '6.

2.3 The rnalzecob morphological structure ,., 6

2.4Strui:ture ofa cob and its parts .., , , , ; · ·" 6

2.5 Existing research aboutthe use of maize cobs ~.sfeeds ;..: : ,' , T
2..5.1 Other uses .of maize cobs " .., t •.• ;: : .. ; ; : ; • ;.\.1 g
.2~[Link] nutrltlve value of cobs-powder : · r · · :: ,.\· 8

.2.6 Challenges associated with malze Cobs ; ; " :..:..; 9

2.7 Cob processingand usag~ practices ,; ~-r, : : ; 9

-2•.8 Existing maize c<;>b. milhng-technologv. ..:': u., ·..· : ;..::.,:: ; r .. , •• 1()'

'2.9 Poultry farming in Uganda : · , :,: , ; : r , , .10:

2.:10 Piggery farming in U~anda· : , : r , •.' " 11

:2.1r Minerals crnutrltlve elements found ·ili maize cob ~.,.,.:.;., 11

2.12 Ba~kground of the machine. components in relatlon to maize cob milling machine 13

:2.13 M.~c~[Link]. of the maize cob : --- : :.:.: :.: :..: , 14

2.14 Crushing speeds for maize cobs , : : ,: :: ':...' ~ '15

viij
 2..15 particle size reduction methods , : , ~ ; ~.." 15
CHAPTER iiI: [Link]· ~ ,..: , t , ••• r " 1T
3.1 Desk .stlldy , _; , "., , , 17
a.z Design parameters " ; ;..,. , , ,,,.; ,.: 17-

3.3 Ge'neral design considerations , ,.., ; 18

.3;4 Conceptual machine design ; 18

3'.4.'1 Machine description. ; ,." , , , : ;..· · · 19

3'.4.2 Operation of the machine , · ; ;..; . ·.· ·;.19.

3.4.3 Estiination the capacity ofthe machine ; i , .. ; ; 20

3.5 betermiilation of the Power required by the Machine ;; ; ; 21

3.6 Determination ofthe power ofthe scaled down machine 24

3.6.1 Calculating the power for crushing Skg of maize : ; : 24

~
3.(;.2 Calcula~ing the power requirement for rotating the. hammers . ~ : ~ 24

3.•7 Determination of the dimensions ofthe hammers , , ~., 26

3.8 Shaft. design , , : ,..! .. , , 27

~.8.1 Bearing selection ; , , : , r 33

3~8.2 Key design , , , , " ,•......

, 34

3.g·Tor.(lue on' the ·shaft : , · , 35·

3.10 Rubber Belt drive. selection , · , , 36'.

:3.11. Design of the·pulle.y system , , 3:6

3.12. Determination of approxhnate length ofthe Belt.. 38
3.12.1Determining the. number of belts using belt tensions , ; ,., 40

3.12.2 Determining the number of belts using correction factors " 41

3.13: The torque transmitted by the motor ; . 43

3.14 Design' of the hopper ..: ;.; · , : ; · 44

.3.15 .•Machine Fi'ame ~•.._;.: ; : i : :..::..;..s; ; ;;.; , 46

.'
3.16 General Selection of materials ..; : : : : 49
3.17 construettori ot [Link] .:..; ;." : 50
3'·;.18Testing of'the machine.:.;.:.: ; ; "';:;.;.~ ..":'..., ' : :::.:.: ! .••.;,. :.: 53.

CHAPTER FOl)R: RESUltS AND orscussios .; , ! ;.. ~ ; , •••::., ••••; 55

4.1 Designed parameters of the different parts the machine .•..:.:.;.;.7.~~.~.;,~ :.·; : SS

4•.2 [Link]~tion ;~ ; ;,. ;..;;, ; .: : ;..:, 155

ix
 [Link] and assembly of the machine " , " , ,' 56

[Link](lhioe testing · e ; , , , , .• , , 56

4."5 'EffiCiency of the rriachine, ,., , " ,..,' 5.7

4',6 Capacity· of [Link] ,.·: s , •• ;., • " ,., -. 5:7

4.7 The percentage-loss : , ,' ..: ,r» • " •• ,.y , :S.8

CHAPTE~ [Link]: CONCLUSION} CHALLENGES AND RECOMDATION : · · 61

·[Link] ..;-,: ; ~ : : , ;, : :: ;, :. 61

CHALLENGE$ ; ;, ;.. ~; ; ; ,.. " : , :, 61

[Link]·MENDATi"QN , ;·•..: ,;; ,·.;.; " , , : , 62
[Link]·O·NE , , : :.." , ": ;.: ; : , · : ·.65

Tables with parameters [Link] of the machine components · :. 65

:AilPENDIX TWO , , ! , : " : , :..: ; :.: :, :..::..,:•.·.:: ".69

Drawings oftheparts ofthernachtne .., " , , :', ,' : :.: 69

APPENDiXTHR·E·I; , , , .' 73·

Plctures showing the fabricated machine andtesting process , 73

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 LIST OF FI CURES

Figure.z.I showsthestructure [Link] , r:' , 1

Figure 3.1: maizecobmilling machine , " ..~ : -:..,r : ->: 18'
Figure 3.2: Exploded -View of themachine , ~ r ., •••••• ::.: 19.
Figure 3.S.i: shows ~l~ belt and pulley arrangement : \ , 28
Figure 5,8.1·: shows. [Link] 011 the shaft ' ; :, ; : " 30.
Figure 3.8.4: Bending momentdiagram , ; ~..; : : , ~1
·Figure.3.8.4: shear'forcediagram ,. : ,' , ,.., " ~ -32
Hgure3.5: show thehopper design , , , :, , : ~: ; 45
Figure 3.17: showing machine flame ~ : ;.~:..:;..; ; ",· 51
FjgureJ.l?;2: showingthemilling chamber housing ; ; 52
F~W~.3.17:~ showing;' the milling chamber :.~ \ , 53

LeST OF' TABLE~'

Table2.1; shows nutrients [Link] in a maize cob : ,.."'~.;,.: ,: 12·

TiJ,:>le 3 J 5, showing the dimensions and weight of the machine. component parts: .. ,.. , 048
Table 3.16: shows the proposed materials to HSe in the fabrication and assembly SO·
Table 4~'2showing'fheusedmatedals in-fabrication and assembling , ,..., : 56
Table 4.5 ~For calculating the efficiency of the machine. , _ 57
Table 4.6: for-determining the capacity !\lEthe machine :, -:-», , : : , 58.
Tabl~4.7: For [Link] duringmilling :.· ·.· :', ; : : 59
Table 4.7 shows theproject budget :.: : ,..: ; :.; , 60
Table A: shows motorpulley and belt selectionparameters \ 65
'Trible B: shows t1.1~'criterion for bearing selection ; , , 65.
.Table c: Shows selection of-service factors ,' : : : 65,:
Table D: shows..the standard belt length J" •... ; , , ••, " : ; 66
;r'[Link] E: shows speed ratio factors ,: , ;:.· i.: , 67
Table F: Arc of ContactCorrection Factors : :.;..; : : ::..: 67
[Link] G; For selection of belt length correction factors ; ,.." , ,.6·8.
 CHAPTER I: INTRODUCT[ON

This chapter underscores the importance. cereal tq man and animals as a food source and
as a raw material for processing industries. The problem to be addressed in this study as
well as the purpose. and rationale of the study are provided in this chapter; the objectives
.and scope ofthe study are also clearly' outlined.

1.:1BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Maize (Zelt mays L,) a Source of maize cob was domesticated over 6000 years ago in
what is now Mexico, from a wild grass C~lJ ted teosinte. Maize is a monoic annual plant
which belongs to. maidens tribe and the' grass family of [Link] is originally a New
World crop which Was introduced in Uganda in 1861 and by 1900 was already ail
established crop. The World Batik estimates that there are about 1.3 million hectares of
land suitable for maize production in Uganda. Main maize growing areas being the.
fertile soils around the northernperipheryofLake Victoria ..

Maize was easily adopted because of its excellent storage properties if properly dried, it
gives one of the highest yields per man-hour of labour spent on it, it provides nutrients
in a. compact form; it is easily transportable and the l111Sks 'give protection against birds
and rain, it is easy to [Link] hull, it does not break easily> it [Link] harvested over a
long period, first as mature cobs, and can be left standingin the field Jot several weeks
beyond. physiological
. ~ maturity.. It Can also be successfully inter-cropped
. .
with many other
food crops and thus saves on land and cannot affect food security as it matures earlier
than the other crops. (Djatkov, et a] 2011 )

Maize is used. in homes, schools, Institutions. hospitals and universities as a reliable

source of food, it is also used in industries to manufaoture [Link] addition, it's a major
energy source in poultry and livestock feeds. This poses a challenge as the quantity (if
grains available for the expanding human population 'in addition to animals is limited.
Other factors complicating this include poor storage facilities and erivironmental factors
like flooding which. reduces the end qllcinlity of cereals available for use as food and
feed, lcaciing to competition between humans and animals for grains. The overall result
is a continuous risein the market price' 01' gra ins, The high cos t 0 need is reported to be