Abstract
This study was executed to redesign and evaluate a motorized enset corm grinding machine. The collected data for tests were analyzed utilizing the Statistix 8 software. The result of the design calculation indicated that the volume of the feeding hopper, the volume of a grinding unit, the length of the belt, the speed ratio, lap angle, shaft diameter, belt tension, torque, the power needed to grind, as well as the force required to grind were obtained as 0.1114 m3, 0.0796 m3, 1.18 m, 1.3, 2.95 rad, 40 mm, 1958.6 N, 21.41 Nm, 7 hp, and 298.7 N, correspondingly. The results of the ANOVA tests revealed that the efficiency and percentage loss of the machine were affected by operating speed and feed rate, except for the combined effects, which were due to both factors. The findings revealed that the highest grinding capacity of 894.8 kg h-1 was obtained at 2200 rpm operating speed as well as 10 kg min-1 feed rate while the lowest grinding capacity of 785 kg h-1 was obtained at 2000 rpm operating speed and 15 kg min-1 feed rate. The test’s results revealed that the maximum grinding efficiency was obtained as 97.9% at 2200 rpm operating speed and 15 kg min-1 feed rate, and the minimum grinding efficiency was obtained as 94.3% at 2000 rpm and 10 kg min-1 feed rate. The test’s result implied that the minimum loss percentage was noted as 4.1% on the operating speed at 2200 rpm and feed rate at 15 kg min-1 when operating at 2000 rpm and feed rate at 10 kg min-1, the maximum loss was noted as 7.7%. This redesigned machine was cost-effective because it was fabricated from local source materials. The test results suggested that this redesigned machine was recommendable for growers of enset for grinding the enset corm.