Design and Manufacture of a Portable Grass Chopping Machine Equipped with a Conveyor System to Enhance Livestock Feed Efficiency
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Conventional forage processing is often inefficient due to high time and labor demands, alongside size inconsistencies that trigger feed rejection. This study aimed to design, fabricate, and analyze a portable, conveyor-fed grass chopping machine for processing Napier grass using an engineering design approach. The machine is powered by a 5.5 HP gasoline engine (Tesla brand) equipped with four High-Speed Steel (HSS) blades and a 120 cm looped PVC conveyor belt. Performance was evaluated at three initial no-load speeds: 1,537; 2,454; and 3,543 RPM. Results demonstrated optimal performance at 3,543 RPM, where the speed drop under Napier grass load was minimized to 90 RPM (reaching 3,453 RPM). This yielded a peak mechanical efficiency of 97.45% due to the shaft flywheel effect. Peak production capacity reached 576.3 kg/hour (9.605 kg/min) with fuel consumption of ±1.5 L/hour, marking a significant increase over the manual chopping baseline (150 kg/hour). High rotational speed and sharp HSS blades produced uniform Napier grass cuts ranging from 5 to 20 mm (averaging 10–20 mm), optimizing palatability and silage compaction. The machine effectively enhances feed productivity and farm efficiency.
Authors: Riki Saputra, Adi Prastyo, Beny Hartawan
Institution: Universitas Malahayati
Language: English
Subfield: Mechanical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7225041536