Severity of Vibration at Operating Station of a Tractor with and Without Seeder Fertilizer Coupling Under Different Operating Conditions

The mechanization of the agricultural sector exposes operators to vibrations generated by tractors, terrain inclination, and attached implements. An operator exposed to vibrations for long periods can develop health problems such as visual disturbances, fatigue, spinal injuries, and low back pain. In this way, the present research includes assessing severity of mechanical vibrations of an agricultural tractor with four-wheel drive in relation to a mechanized assembly composed by the same tractor operating coupled to the seeder fer- tilizer in the sowing operation. Vibrations were monitored at four data collection points: the front and rear axles of the tractor, the cabin floor, and the operator’s seat. The root mean square (RMS) acceleration values were compared with the limits defined in ISO 2631-1, and the operator’s seat was classified as “uncomfortable” and “very uncomforta- ble”. The vibration transmissibility between the rear axle and the cabin floor (T2) was greater than 1, indicating an increase of vibrations.