Introduction
The plow is an essential tool in agriculture, and its performance directly affects the quality of farming. As agricultural technology advances, the design of the plow has been improving as well. Understanding the plow better will help you choose the right tool for your needs. In this article, I will share some useful information about plows. Keep reading if you’re interested!
What is a Moldboard Plow
The Bottom plow definition is a widely used soil preparation machine in agriculture. Its main working parts are the plowshare and the moldboard. It is commonly used to break up and turn over the soil, creating suitable conditions for planting and crop growth.
How a Moldboard Plow Works？
Moldboard Plow Parts and Function
Working Parts of the Moldboard Plow
Plowshare: Also called the plow blade, it cuts into the soil and digs deep as the plow moves forward.
Moldboard: Located behind and above the plowshare, the moldboard works together with the plowshare to create a curved surface that cuts into, breaks up, and flips the soil.
Plowside Plate: Also known as the plow bed, it is installed on the left side of the plow frame. It supports and balances the side pressure generated during plowing, ensuring the plow operates stably.
Plow Beam and Plow Column: The plow beam connects the various parts, such as the plowshare, moldboard, plow side plate, and plow column. The plow column links the plow body to the frame and transmits the pulling force.
Plow Knife: Positioned in front of the main plow body, it cuts the soil vertically during operation, creating neat plow walls and preventing the ditch walls from collapsing. This helps ensure better conditions for the next plowing.
Small Front Plow: Located on the left front side of the main plow body, it cuts and flips the topsoil, crop residue, and weeds into the newly plowed furrow. This helps improve the quality of the plowing job.
Accessories
Plow Frame: It connects and supports the plow body and other parts, making the plow a complete unit, and transmits power to each part to drive the plow’s operation.
Suspension Frame: Located at the front of the plow frame, it consists of two support plates, diagonal braces, and a traction plate, and is fixed to the plow frame.
Suspension Shaft: Installed on the traction plate, the lower end connects to the tractor’s suspension system, linking the left and right lower draft arms.
Adjustment Screw: During operation, it allows the suspension shaft to adjust the position of the plow.
Support Rod: It connects to the tractor’s upper draft arm.
Depth Control Wheel: It adjusts the plowing depth, ensuring the Bottom plow works smoothly and at the correct depth.
The Working Principle of Moldboard Plow
When the tractor is working with the Bottom plow, the plow body cuts into the soil under its own weight and the power transmitted from the tractor. The plowshare and moldboard create a curved surface that first enters and cuts the soil. Then, the soil clods are broken and flipped along the moldboard, covering the surface weeds into the newly plowed furrow, mixing the topsoil with the deeper soil layers.
Types of Moldboard Plows
Connection Type
The Bottom plow needs to be used with a tractor to complete its work. Based on how the plow is connected to the tractor, Bottom plows can be divided into three types: the trailing plow, the mounted plow, and the semi-mounted plow.
Traction type
The trailing Bottom plow is connected to the tractor by a single point. Its structure is simple, and the tractor pulls the plow during operation. When not in use, the weight of the plow is fully supported by the plow wheels.
Suspending Type
The mounted Bottom plow is connected to the tractor’s three-point hydraulic hitch. This allows you to raise and lower the plow and adjust the working depth. When transporting, the weight of the plow is supported by the tractor.
Half-suspending Type
The half-suspending Bottom plow combines features of both the trailing and mounted types. The front part of the plow is connected to the tractor’s hydraulic system through a suspension frame, but it is not fixed. Instead, it is connected by linkages. When the hydraulic system lifts the plow, only the front end is raised. This provides good stability while still being flexible. During transport, the weight of the plow frame is shared by the plow wheels and the tractor.
Shape
Based on shape, Bottom plows can be divided into two types: the mirror plow and the bar plow.
Mirror Plow
The moldboard of the mirror plow is a smooth, continuous curved surface. It appeared earlier, and its manufacturing process is well-established. It’s easy to make, doesn’t easily pick up film or straw, and doesn’t cause clogging. When flipping the soil, it buries weeds and straw deeper into the soil.
Bar Plow
The moldboard of the bar plow has a bar-like structure, which reduces the contact area between the moldboard and the soil, helping to minimize soil sticking. The bar design also helps break up the soil more effectively, improving soil crushing. The bar structure is also easier to replace.
Advantages of Moldboard Plow
The Bottom plow creates high-quality furrows. Its sharp point allows it to effectively cut through the soil and reach deeper layers. When flipping the soil, it mixes the deeper soil, weeds, plant residue, and fertilizer thoroughly. It also improves soil aeration, helping crops absorb nutrients better during growth.
In addition, using a Bottom plow for tilling is convenient. You simply need to cut the plow blade into the soil to easily flip it, making the process simple and labor-saving. The Bottom plow can also be adjusted to meet the needs of different crops by changing the plowing depth and furrow spacing based on the specific characteristics of the crops.
Disadvantages of Moldboard Plow
The Bottom plow mainly relies on the front part of the plow point to do the work. This means that if it encounters hard objects, the front of the plow point can be easily damaged, causing the entire plow to stop working properly.
In addition, the Bottom plow uses more power than other types of plows. This is because its structure is more complex, and it requires more energy to overcome the soil’s resistance and friction.
Factors Should be Considered When Choose a Moldboard Plow
Plowing Depth
The root length of each crop varies, so it’s important to plow the soil based on the crop’s needs. Plowing depth is key when choosing a Bottom plow. You should check if the plow can reach the required depth for the crop’s growth. Also, make sure the plowing depth is consistent. Except for differences in soil type and moisture, the Bottom plow depth should be stable and more than 90% accurate.
Soil Crushing Rate
The Bottom plow needs to break the soil into a state suitable for planting and sowing, so the soil crushing rate is very important. For agricultural needs, the crushing rate of the Bottom plow should be over 80%. Therefore, when choosing a plow, be sure to pay attention to its soil crushing rate.
Tractor
Moldboard plows with different connection types have different requirements for tractors. If you have already purchased a tractor, you need to make sure that the plow you choose can be properly connected to the tractor you own.
In addition to the connection type, you also need to consider the moldboard plow’s maximum plowing depth, working width, number of bodies, tractor’s pulling power, plowing resistance, and traction coefficient. These are represented by the letters a, b, n, P, K, and η, respectively.
The formula for calculation is:：n=(P×η)/(K×a×b)
The plowing resistance coefficient (η) is generally between 0.8 and 0.95.
This way, you can calculate whether to buy a single-share, double-share, or multi-share plow based on your existing tractor. Alternatively, you can choose the right tractor depending on the Bottom plow you plan to buy.
Tips for Use
To get the most out of your Bottom plow, you must know how to use it correctly. Next, I will explain some useful tips for using the plow.
Land Preparation
Before using the Bottom plow for tilling, you need to prepare the land. This includes clearing debris, especially hard rocks, to avoid damaging the plow point. Doing this can also help increase the tilling speed. For drier soil, you can moisten it, and for soil with too much moisture, let it dry out a bit.
Adjusting Plowing Depth
As I mentioned earlier, plowing depth should be adjusted based on the crop’s needs. So, each time you plow, make sure the Bottom plow’s depth meets the requirements for the crop you’re planting. You can adjust the depth by changing the height and position of the plow.
Height Adjustment refers to adjusting the height of the depth control wheel. The suspension system can only adjust the plow’s lift, so if you need to increase the plowing depth, raise the depth control wheel. To decrease the depth, lower the wheel.
Position Adjustment involves moving the adjustment handle. By controlling the relative position between the tractor and the plow, you can adjust the plowing depth. This helps the Bottom plow maintain a consistent depth even on uneven ground.
Conclusion
I hope that after reading this article, you will have a better understanding of the Bottom plow. Since our founding, ANON has been dedicated to exporting agricultural machinery. We offer a variety of Bottom plows and are happy to help with any questions or purchasing needs you may have. Feel free to contact us!
FAQ
Is Mould board plough primary or secondary?
The moldboard plow is used for primary soil tilling. Its plow point effectively breaks the surface soil, flips it over, and mixes it. The typical plowing depth is between 20 to 25 cm.
What is the difference between a disc plough and a Mouldboard plough?
The moldboard plow and the disc plow have different working parts. The moldboard plow uses the plow point to slide and turn the soil, while the disc plow uses rotating discs to till the land.
