Improvement and Tests of the UPLB Hand Tractor for Upland Tillage and Transport Operations¹

Fernando O. Paras, Jr.², Arsenio N. Resurreccion³, Delfin C. Suministrado⁴, Pepito M. Bato² and Omar F. Zubia⁵

ABSTRACT

The current UPLB hand tractor is designed primarily for lowland utilization. Development of a modified hand tractor prototype for upland tillage and transport operations, based on the original design, necessitates changes for improved maneuverability, stability, wheel traction, safety and overall field performance. The prototype was tested following the Philippine Agricultural Engineering Standards for walking type agricultural tractors. Also, comparative performance testing with the UPLB hand tractor was done to evaluate the prototype’s performance in upland tillage operations. The designated prototype passed all laboratory tests and comparative test results using t-test and sign test revealed that the design prototype was suited for upland tillage and transport operations.

¹Funded by the Office of Scholarships and Students Services, UP-Diliman, Quezon City and Agricultural Mechanization Development Program. Portion of the M.S. thesis of the senior author; ²Assistant Professors; ³Associate Professor; ⁴Professor; ⁵Instructor, Agricultural Machinery Division, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology, University of the Philippines Los Baños, 4031 College, Laguna, Philippines.