Development of Banana Chipping Machine
Abstract
The electric motor operated and manually operated banana chipping machine with feeding conveyor were evaluated as to its performance on the basis of the weight of chipped banana, thickness of desirable banana chips, chipping capacity, weight of desirable banana chips, chipping efficiency, weight of undesirable banana chips and chipping loss. The bananas were cut longitudinally and cross-sectionally to determine the performance of the machine.
The performance of electric motor operated banana chipping machine with feeding conveyor was higher than the manual operated machine regardless the cross-sectional or longitudinal chipping. The electric motor operated banana chipping with feeding conveyor has the capacity to chip 67.32 kg/hr of banana cross-sectionally and 54.11 kg/hr longitudinally while manual operated machine can only chip 46.67 kg/hr and 37.64 kg/hr respectively. 92.43% chipping efficiency and a relative efficiency of 145.78%. This gives the electric operated machine higher chipping efficiency of 87.55% cross-sectionally and 92.16 % longitudinally than manual operated machine with 87.53% and 92.14% respectively. The electric motor operated machine has lesser chipping loss with 0.75% cross-sectionally and 2.19% longitudinally than of manual operated machine with 2.67% and 7.86% respectively.
The machine has high chipping capacity and efficiency, and has lesser chipping loss which can be attributed by using electric motor operated banana chipping machine with feeding conveyor. In order to further reduce the chipping loss, it is recommended to provide a conveyor to ensure that the chipped banana will go directly to the container. Also, a hopper and a guide will be of great help in a smooth operation of the machine.
The performance of electric motor operated banana chipping machine with feeding conveyor was higher than the manual operated machine regardless the cross-sectional or longitudinal chipping. The electric motor operated banana chipping with feeding conveyor has the capacity to chip 67.32 kg/hr of banana cross-sectionally and 54.11 kg/hr longitudinally while manual operated machine can only chip 46.67 kg/hr and 37.64 kg/hr respectively. 92.43% chipping efficiency and a relative efficiency of 145.78%. This gives the electric operated machine higher chipping efficiency of 87.55% cross-sectionally and 92.16 % longitudinally than manual operated machine with 87.53% and 92.14% respectively. The electric motor operated machine has lesser chipping loss with 0.75% cross-sectionally and 2.19% longitudinally than of manual operated machine with 2.67% and 7.86% respectively.
The machine has high chipping capacity and efficiency, and has lesser chipping loss which can be attributed by using electric motor operated banana chipping machine with feeding conveyor. In order to further reduce the chipping loss, it is recommended to provide a conveyor to ensure that the chipped banana will go directly to the container. Also, a hopper and a guide will be of great help in a smooth operation of the machine.
Keywords
Banana chipper, chipping capacity, chipping efficiency, electric motor operated