Design And Construction Of A Sugarcane BUD Cutting Machine

Abstract

This project presents the design and development of an automated sugarcane cutting system that utilizes a combination of pneumatic actuation and microcontroller-based control to reduce manual labor and increase efficiency in sugarcane harvesting. The system is powered by a 220V AC input, which is stepped down to 24V DC using an SMPS, and further reduced to 5V DC using a buck converter to safely power the NodeMCU microcontroller and relay circuit. A 10k potentiometer is integrated into the system to manually adjust the switching speed of the relay, which controls a 24V DC solenoid valve. When activated, the solenoid valve regulates the air flow from an air compressor into a pneumatic cylinder. The pressurized air alternately feeds the upper and lower chambers of the cylinder, causing a continuous linear motion of the piston rod. This mechanical motion is harnessed to perform precise and repetitive cutting operations on sugarcane stalks. The system demonstrates how pneumatic mechanisms combined with low-cost microcontroller technology can offer a reliable and scalable solution for automating labor- intensive agricultural processes. By replacing manual cutting with a smart, sensorless control mechanism, this project contributes to the advancement of precision agriculture and supports the goal of developing sustainable, automated farming tools for improved productivity.