摘要
本文旨在建立國內機械採芋之有關其物理性質的基本資料，做為設計芋收穫機之參考；探討芋在不同收穫條件下之最佳機構，並規劃其在收穫機之最佳相關位置；設計製造雛型試驗機。 為配合政府積極推行稻田轉作計劃，芋栽培面積逐年增加，根據統計芋1990年栽培面積約五千八百公頃，產量約八萬五千公噸，主要產地在屏東、高雄及花蓮等縣。 芋物性調查結果，芋平均重約0.4kg，縱徑約12.5cm，橫徑約7cm。垂直拔起力最大為48kgf，平均約34.5kgf，傾斜30度拔起力則分別為35kgf和26.13kgf。 雛型機的切頭機構，圓盤式切刀比鋸齒狀切刀具有較佳之切斷效果，且其所消耗功率亦較少。迴轉刷的轉速在1,200RPM（線速度5.47m/s）時，對芋表皮不會刷傷，且能達到去鬚根的效果。迴轉刷之轉速及皮帶輸送速度對去鬚根率有顯著差異(α=0.05)，但迴轉刷轉速與皮帶輸送速度之間沒有交感反應。
並列摘要
The objectives of this study were to establish the physical properties of taro, and then to relate that infomation to mechanical harvesting of taro; to investigate the best mechanisms for harvesting, and then to integrate them into the design of a prototype harvester. Lately, in Taiwan, according to statistics, the amount of land planted in taro has been increasing. In Taiwan in 1990, the cultivated taro areas were about 5,800hectares,mainly in Pingtung, Kaoshiung and Hualian counties, producing 85,000 tons of corms (14.2 ton/hectare). Investigations were conducted to study the physical properties of taro plants in paddy soil, and yielded the following averages. The average corm was 0.4kg (s=0.09kg) in weight, 12.5cm (s=2.2cm) long, and 7.0cm (s=0.6cm) wide. It required 48kgf (maximum), 34.5kgf (average) in the vertical direction, and 35kgf (maximum), 26.1kgf (average) at 30° angle from level to pull the corms out of the soil. Two kind of disk toppers, a rotary topper and a serrated knife topper were tested. At a lower speed the rotary topper, consisting of a circular knife edge, proved better than that of serrated knife sections, based on the evenness of the cutting surface. Also the rotary topper required less power than the serrated knife. To avoid injuring corms when removing roots, the brushing roller speed was limited to below 1,200rpm (5.47m/s). Significant effects of roller speed and conveying belt speed on brushing efficency were found at 5% level of significance. There was no interactive effect between roller speed and conveying belt speed.