Mohd Hudzari Razali

Development of Image Based Modeling for Determination of Oil Content and Days Estimation for Harvesting of Fresh Fruit Bunches

In this study, the relationship of oil extraction rate (OER) and fruit ripeness will be determined. The sample of oil palm fruits was collected from the unripe until the overripe stage and the oil content of the mesocarp for fresh fruit bunches (FFB) was extracted by using bunch analysis procedure to get the oil extraction rate. Using the same samples of FFB, the pixel value of images which measure in hue, was determined by developed image analysis software. The images were captured under an outdoor environment in an oil palm plantation. The sunlight intensity of environment was recorded using Extech light meter at various times of the day from morning to afternoon in the oil palm plantation. The result of the experiment that showed a good relationship was found between the oil content of FFB with its image pixel values. The mathematical model was developed in determining the optimum days for FFB harvesting.

Machine Vision to Determine Agricultural Crop Maturity

Agriculture in Malaysia is still one of the biggest enterprise and the most important sector in Malaysia’s economy. In the last 35 years, Malaysia has emerged as the number one producer of palm oil. In year 2010, Malaysia accounts for about 55% of world palm oil production and about 62% of world exports. The Malaysian oil palm industry continues to contribute significantly to the country’s economic development and foreign exchange earnings. However, the Malaysian oil palm industry needs more emphasis on its research and development to meet the world challenge and to maintain Malaysia as the top world producer of palm oil. The major problem faced by the oil palm plantation is shortage of labor, especially in harvesting of oil palm FFB (MPOIP, 2007).

Determination of the optimum frequency for Elaeis guineensis Jacq. detachment.

In Elaeis guineensis Jacq (oil palm) industry, fruit detachment and oil extraction of oil palm bunches are always being carried out in palm oil mill in a series of standard procedure. A lot of energy is needed and consumed throughout the procedure, especially during sterilization where a huge amount of energy is needed to produce pressurized steam in order to cook the fruit bunches, only to soften and weaken the stalk so as to facilitate the detachment of the fruits by threshing. This study was proposed to search for an alternative to this current practice. By developing a vibrational oil palm fruit detaching machine, fruitlets were detached from the bunch by means of vibration. The optimum vibration frequency for the detachment of fruitlets from the stalk was determined. On top of that, the use of ethephon hormone to loosen the fruitlets before they are detached from the bunch using the vibrational oil palm fruit detaching machine is also justified in this study. The designed and developed experimental vibrational oil palm fruit detaching machine was found to be able to detach fruitlets from the bunch when it is applied with vibration. Besides, the optimum frequency for the vibrational oil palm fruit detaching machine to detach the fruitlets from the bunch was determined to be 3.3 Hz. The use of ethephon hormone (Esigel) in this project has been justified that it has no side effect on the fruit components and moisture content of the oil palm bunches.

Simulation and analysis of innovative hand tool harvester

There is a real need to develop a hand tool harvester since harvesting tubers of Dioscorea hispida (ubi gadong) is time tedious and consuming. The tubers were surrounded by roots, which were well gripped to the soil which made harvesting process difficult. Therefore, a new tool equipped with cutting device to cut the roots of D. hispida is required. The information from the experiments is used to model and simulate the tool in Computer Aided Design (CAD) environment. The solid modeling software solidworks was used for the design, modeling and simulation of the equipment and the finite element analysis to determine the stress, force and displacement were also conducted.