DEVELOPMENT OF SEMI-AUTOMATIC TAMARIND BRIQUETTE MACHINE FOR COMMUNITY BUSINESS

Abstract

This research aims to develop a semi-automatic wet tamarind briquette machine to remove the limitations of the time-consuming traditional labor-intensive briquetting process (average 55 seconds per piece), producing unevenly briquette-shaped tamarinds. This briquette machine employed a pneumatic system to control the pressure of four plates toward the workpieces, ensuring the formation of the desired shape. According to the test, it revealed that the optimal pressure of 600 kPa resulted in briquette production in a mere 7.79 seconds per piece. This represented a remarkable increase in efficiency of 5.87-fold compared to manual labor and required only a rapid payback period of 1 month and 1 day. Regarding user satisfaction assessments, they consistently yielded positive results in all aspects at a good level. Therefore, it can be concluded that the briquette machine develops as a viable replacement for traditional methods in community-based businesses. The research findings not only addressed the inefficiencies of conventional briquetting method but also showcased the advancement of pneumatic system integrated with the enhancement of both speed and consistency during the tamarind briquetting process.