COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PERFORMANCE OF DEVELOPED PORTABLE CONVEYORS IN LOADING PALM OIL FRESH FRUIT BUNCHES (FFB)
Abstract
The process of loading Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) of oil palm into transport vehicles in South Papua remains largely manual, which is time-consuming. This study aims to compare the performance of the developed portable conveyor with that of conveyors reported in previous studies across several operational parameters. The experimental research method employs a comparative approach to evaluate the performance of the developed portable conveyor during the loading of oil palm Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB). The parameters compared include loading time, carrying capacity, lifting height, and equipment mobility. The test results show that the developed conveyor can load at an average time of 4.08 seconds per FFB, or around 18 tons/hour, faster than the previous conveyor, which requires 8–12 seconds per FFB. In addition to increasing loading capacity, the portable conveyor design is also easier to move and operate in various field conditions. The results of the study indicate that the developed conveyor design provides significant performance improvements and has the potential to serve as an alternative mechanization to increase the efficiency of FFB loading in oil palm plantations.
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