Areca Nut Chopping Prototype Machine Six Times More Effective Than Manual Labor

Areca nuts are versatile fruit; they have many medicinal properties, including an astringent, anthelmintics (for animals), and, when chewed, treating gum diseases and strengthening teeth. In the industrial process, their seeds are extracted to derive oil, mucilage, resin, and alkaloid called Arecoline, which contains a high concentration of tannin, which is suitable for medicine production.

In order to extract the seeds, however, areca nuts need to be chopped, and the chopping process requires much manual labor, skills, as well as is time consuming. “Moreover, there are risks of accidents and inefficiency. To solve these problems, a conveniently-sized chopping machine was invented for use in the household and industrial production processes,” said Ajarn Manop Yamfaeng, lecturer from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi. Ajarn Manop worked with his team, including two lecturers, Ajarn Jakkrawan Boonwan and Ajarn Warinthon Yimyong, and fourth-year mechanical engineering students, Tinnakon Suyoi, Teerapong Noenput, and Ekkapong Phusakol. Together, the team created a prototype machine that went on to win a second runner-up award from the 2013 Invention in Science and Technology Competition.

“The prototype machine is consisted of the blade component, conveyor system, and 1HP motor system. When using this machine, put the areca nuts into the feeder. The conveyor system will transport the nuts to the blade component, which will then halve them into two equal pieces. Initial testing showed that the machine can halve up to 4,920 areca nuts per hour, compared with 780 nuts per hour manually, which means that the machine is six times more efficient,” Ajarn Manop said.

The highlights of this machine include the ability to produce two vertical halves and to chop every size of areca nuts without the need to filter them before hand. The conveyor system uses a vibrating mechanism, which prevents jamming. Moreover, the machine is not complicated to use or maintain, requiring 1 person to control, making it suitable for farmers. The size is not big and can be moved easily. Lastly, it saves time normally required to chop the nuts and enhances safety for the workers.

The prototype machine is not currently for sale. Interested parties, please contact Ajarn Manop at 086-663-4562 for more details.