Mechanized system for holing soil of large polybags in oil palm nursery / Nor Azi Asminda Johari

Nursery stage operation is one of the persisting laborious operations in oil palm plantation. Among the operations in the nursery that urgently needs to be mechanized is holing soil in large polybag since the tasks are tedious, discomfort and cause fatigue to the workers. A new machine system for holing soil in large polybags in the oil palm nursery has been successfully designed, developed and evaluated. The machine system consists of the main chassis, drilling units and operator compartment and has an overall dimensions of 2159 mm length, 1626 mm width, and 1473 mm height. The proposed machine system was evaluated from aspects of production cap Nursery stage operation is one of the persisting laborious operations in oil palm plantation. Among the operations in the nursery that urgently needs to be mechanized is holing soil in large polybag since the tasks are tedious, discomfort and cause fatigue to the workers. A new machine system for holing soil in large polybags in the oil palm nursery has been successfully designed, developed and evaluated. The machine system consists of the main chassis, drilling units and operator compartment and has an overall dimensions of 2159 mm length, 1626 mm width, and 1473 mm height. The proposed machine system was evaluated from aspects of production capacity, mean increase in heart rate, human energy expenditure and total operating costs. The new machine system has production capacity of 256 bags/h/man or 208.43% greater than 83 bags/h/man produced by the current practices. The new machine system also required 3.16 kcal/min/man of human energy or 54% lower as compared to 6.92 kcal/min/man of the current practices. Mean increase in heart rate of machine operator was also successfully reduced to 24.2 beats/min or 53% less than 51 beats/min by current practices. Total operating costs of the new machine system was RM0.05/bag or 29 % reduction of the total operating costs of RM0.07/bag with the current practices. In conclusion, the new technology has shown a great ability in lightening the workers’ workload, improving the production capacity for the holing soil in large polybags in oil palm nursery and saving the total operating costs. acity, mean increase in heart rate, human energy expenditure and total operating costs. The new machine system has production capacity of 256 bags/h/man or 208.43% greater than 83 bags/h/man produced by the current practices. The new machine system also required 3.16 kcal/min/man of human energy or 54% lower as compared to 6.92 kcal/min/man of the current practices. Mean increase in heart rate of machine operator was also successfully reduced to 24.2 beats/min or 53% less than 51 beats/min by current practices. Total operating costs of the new machine system was RM0.05/bag or 29 % reduction of the total operating costs of RM0.07/bag with the current practices. In conclusion, the new technology has shown a great ability in lightening the workers’ workload, improving the production capacity for the holing soil in large polybags in oil palm nursery and saving the total operating costs.