An analysis the import sugar cane base cutter blade by reverse engineering

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficiency of imported sugar cane base cutter blades that were popular in Thailand during the 2019/2020 production years and to use reverse engineering techniques to determine the raw materials and manufacturing processes of cutter blades. The sugar cane base cutter blades in this investigation were imported from  Australia 1 brand, named "P" and two brands imported from Taiwan, named " S” and “K”, each brand has 12 blades. Analytical instruments include a metallurgical microscope, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Universal Hardness Tester, Charpy Impact test, and field test in sugarcane plantations in Chaiyaphum Province by John Deere sugarcane harvester model CH570. The result shows that the average hardness of the sugarcane base cutter blades was between 44 - 47 HRC, the toughness was between 7 - 12 J, and the harvester capacity was 650 - 750 tons per set. The composition analysis showed that the sugar cane base cutter material was made of spring steel, standard grade SAE9260 or JIS: SUP6, SUP7, and important elements such as silicon (Si) 1.2 - 2.0 %wt. and Manganese (Mn) 0.9 - 1.3 %wt.  The Heat treatment process was used to improve the mechanical properties and the cooling rate in the quenching process was low to medium.