The FEA way to an Octagonal Ring Transducer Design Optimization

TIle design of soil-tilling machines of any type would be impossible without considering the physomechanical properties and other characteristics of soils. In particular it results very important to measure the force system acting on the plow during the soil failure that, in the case of symmetrical failure, consists of two mutually perpendicular force components (a horizontal force Fx and a vertical force Fy) and of the moment M7. in the plane or the two forces. These measuremenl~ have been carried out for a long time using a series of single dynamometers even if it was difflcult to evaluate the accuracy of such a system. A new measurements method based on the use of an extended octagonal ring transducer was proposed in 1975 by J. Goldwin ( I J. This new method offers some advantages such as the simultaneous monitoring, alleviation of the frictional problems arising from the dynamometer suspension bushes, no difficulties caused by the single component construction. A finite element analysis has been carried out in order to optimize the dimensions of the dynamometer with the general objective function of minimum measurement error.