Diseño y simulación del bastidor y sistema de tracción tipo oruga de una máquina removedora de compost para la Comunidad Salesiana San Francisco Javier

Abstract

This study aimed to design and simulate the frame with a track-type traction system of a compost turner machine for the San Francisco Javier Salesian Community in Salinas de Guaranda, Ecuador. Given the limited capacity (200 m³/h) of the existing equipment, a locally adapted mechanical solution was required. The frame was designed using ASTM A36 steel, while the track system incorporated Rübig HF59 industrial chains, forged sprockets, AISI 4340 steel shafts, and pillow block and flange bearings. Structural validation was performed through static and dynamic simulations in SIMSOLID and Altair Inspire, under real operating conditions (210 Nm torque, 45 RPM). Results showed adequate safety factors: 1.90 for the frame, 12.97 for the shafts, and 41.53 for the sprockets. Additionally, an economic feasibility analysis estimated a total investment of USD $2,852.37 exclusively for the frame and track components, based on verified supplier quotations. The study concluded that the proposed design is technically robust, economically viable, and functionally suited to the community context. By focusing on critical subsystems, the methodology ensured structural integrity without excessive resource use, offering a sustainable solution to increase compost production and a replicable model for rural machinery development.