SUMMARY

The adoption of agricultural mechanization in Bangladesh has risen over the past decade with increased usage of combine harvesters, rice transplanters, and other farming implements. Due to this, a market has developed for small machine shops to manufacture spare parts within the local communities. This thesis analyzes OEM parts and devises multiple manufacturing methods that can be implemented by small machine shops to fabricate the following two parts: combine harvester blades and rice transplanter pickup forks.

First, the OEM parts are tested for material composition and hardness so that similar metals can be found in Bangladesh. Then, a range of manufacturing processes are analyzed and compared to find the most effective manufacturing methods that balance the labor cost, capital equipment cost, and production volume, commonly found in Bangladesh. The most basic manufacturing processes analyzed to create the product using highly manual and labor-intensive activities that involve very little upfront investment and high levels of personal workmanship. The most advanced manufacturing process incorporates mechanical and hydraulic presses to form all complex part features.

Finally, this thesis analyzes designs for multiple punch and die sets using DEFORM 3D, a three-dimensional manufacturing process simulation software that focuses on material flow. This software is used to find the force required to accomplish the respective operation of each punch and die set for a variety of stock materials. This data is used to suggest the proper equipment for manufacturers to purchase in Bangladesh to manufacture both rice transplanter claws and combine harvester blades.