Performance Test of Sortation Machine / Sorghum Seed Grading Support Program for Food Security in District of Lamongan, Indonesia

Andi Amran Sulaeman¹, Ana Nurhasanah^2*, Andi Nur Alam Syah² & Sri Satya Antarlina³

¹Ministry of Agriculture
²Center for Agricultural Engineering Research and Development, Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia
³Institute for Agricultural Technology, East Java, Jl. G. Obos Km., Jawa Timur

Dr. Ana Nurhasanah, Center for Agricultural Engineering Research and Development, Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia.

Keywords: Sorghum Seed; Grading Machine / Sorting; Grading Capacity; Seed Uniformity

Abstract

The sorghum variety of varieties averages 2-4 mm in size and contains the outer skin / husk about 30 percent. In the process of milling the skin / husk of sorghum seeds then exfoliated against this husk. So that the process of peel husk can be done evenly so it is necessary grading process / sorting of sorghum seeds so that the seeds obtained sorghum uniform and polishing can be evenly distributed. Addition is to remove the pericarp layer of sorghum and the layer of testa containing tannins from the endosperm, the layer can reduce the digestibility of protein in the stomach and cause constipation. Indonesian Center for Agricultural Engineering Research and Development (ICAERD) has developed a pneumatic type of sorghum grading machine with a working capacity of 200kg/hour. The purpose of this activity is to test the prototype performance of grading machine/ grain of sorghum seeds with main target: (i) Sorting of sorghum seed with uniform seed size; (ii) produce clean sorghum seeds. The performance test of grading machine of sorghum seed is done by method and activity stage which is divided into: preparation stage, manufacturing and modification stage, functional testing stage and performance test, and reporting stage. Sieving machine using 1HP electric motor drive power and sieve machine dimensions is 1700mm x 740mm x 240mm. The capacity of grading machine/grading reaches 200kg/hour and the efficiency of sorting/grading of sorghum seed uniform is 86,25%. The efficiency of grading size 4mm is 90%.

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