DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING

The main objective of this machine is to remove the coconut shell and to eliminate the skilled labour involved in de-husking. The coconut outer shell is a fibrous husk one to two inches thick. This paper deals with the design and fabrication of Electric motor operated coconut de-husking machine. This project is aimed at producing an efficient and more economical machine for coconut industry. The coconut is known for its great versatility as seen in many domestic, commercial, and industrial uses of its different parts. Coconuts are different from any other fruits because they contain large quantity of tender and when immature they are known as tender-nuts or jelly-nuts and may be harvested for drinking. When they mature they still contain some water and can be used as seed nuts or processed to give oil from the kernel, charcoal from hard shell and coir from fibrous husk.
One traditional method used for coconut de-husking is using a machete. This is done by using human energy. This method is risky and tedious and yet requires skills. Hence an alternative is suggested in our project which reduces time involved in coconut de-husking and human effort. Depending upon the survey different sizes of coconut are determined. The machine is designed to accommodate different sizes of the coconut that are cultivated anywhere in the world.

Process parameters have been known to determine the quality of weldments in welding operations. Therefore the process parameters have to be manipulated to determine the desirable quality of the weldment. In doing this, the Taguchi method was applied to optimize these process parameters. The response obtained from the welding operation was the Impact strength of the weldments. From using the Taguchi method, it was derived that the optimum process parameters is A3,B1,C3. The analysis of variance was computed to determine the level of contribution of each of the process parameter to the quality level of the weldment.
It was investigated that voltage contributed most having a total of 14.42% of the quality level of the weldment, followed by the welding current, with a value of 7.94% and gas flow rate being the least with a contribution of 2.04%. A confirmation test was carried out to validate the inference that A3,B1,C3 is the optimum process parameters. The signal to noise ratio of the existing process parameters of A2 B3, C1 was determined to be 40.3997dB, whereas, the optimum welding process has a signal to noise ratio of 42.8796 dB. This shows that there is an improvement of 2.4799 dB of the optimum process parameters over the existing one. The Impact Energy of the weldment produced by the welding operation made by using the optimum process parameters has 12 J more than the Impact Energy obtained from the weldment made by using the existing process parameters.
In this study, the Taguchi method was useful in improving the quality of weldment made by applying the optimum process parameters obtained.

In Nigeria, a borehole is one of the best means of obtaining clean water in field condition. However, field operations in remote areas or in difficult conditions often require flexibility and imagination in avoiding and solving technical problems. The automated borehole regulator serves as a means to control the pumping of water between predefined upper and lower limits.This system mainly works on a principle that “water conducts electricity”. 5 wires are dipped into the tank with a certain gap between each wire will indicate the different water levels. Based on the outputs of these wires, microcontroller displays water level using LEDs as well as controls the flow of water by controlling the motor of the pump. In the 1st phase, the program is burnt into the microcontroller and the 5 copper wires are used to indicate water level and a motor controls the flow of water. An increase in the water level is determined by the wires and the signal is sent to the microprocessor and afterwards displayed on the LCD screen.The overall system testing of integrated design of voltage measurement device. The testing and integration is done to ensure that the design is functioning properly as expected thereby enabling the intended user(s) for which the project was targeted for, appreciate its implementation and equally approaches used in the design and integration of various modules of the project.

This study aimed to design and implement a low-cost microcontroller-based system for monitoring the energy consumption of individual workshop machines, addressing the limitations of conventional centralized metering systems that fail to provide machine- specific data. The literature review examined previous work on energy monitoring technologies, including commercial, open-source, and academic systems, highlighting the growing role of the Internet of Things (IoT) in enabling real-time data acquisition and remote monitoring. It emphasized the need for affordable, scalable, and educationally adaptable solutions for developing regions, where technical expertise and financial resources are limited. The research adopted an experimental design methodology involving hardware and software integration. The system was built using Arduino Nano and ESP32 microcontrollers, ZMPT101B voltage and SCT-013 current sensors, an LCD display, and a ThingSpeak IoT cloud interface. Mathematical modeling was applied to compute voltage, current, power, energy, and cost, while SolidWorks was used for casing design. Calibration and testing were conducted under varying load conditions to assess accuracy, response time, and data stability. Data were logged both locally on an SD card and remotely on the cloud for redundancy and analysis. Results indicated that the system achieved high accuracy within ±1% for voltage and ±5% for current, with an overall efficiency of 95% and IoT data transfer uptime of 98%. The developed prototype successfully provided real-time monitoring, stable performance, and reliable data transmission. The study concluded that the Arduino-based energy monitoring system is a cost-effective, scalable, and efficient solution suitable for educational, domestic,

This project focuses on the design and construction of a solar-powered food dryer aimed at improving the efficiency and sustainability of food preservation, particularly in off-grid and rural environments. The developed system utilizes solar energy as the primary heat source to dehydrate agricultural products, thereby reducing post-harvest losses and enhancing shelf life without reliance on fossil fuels or electricity from the grid. The dryer comprises a solar collector unit, drying chamber, air circulation system, Lagging material and insulated drying trays. The design emphasizes passive solar heating, which harnesses thermal energy from the sun to generate hot air that is circulated over the food products to facilitate moisture removal. To ensure uniform drying and improved airflow, Two DC-powered fan connected to a photovoltaic (PV) panel is integrated into the system. This setup enables consistent airflow and temperature regulation within the chamber during operation.The solar collector was oriented due south and inclined at 16.2°, based on the optimal slope calculated from the local latitude of Benin City. Design calculations showed a collector area of 0.17 m², drying chamber volume of 0.044 m³, and heat gain of 170 W/m², with heat loss through the chamber walls estimated at 8.9 W/m²K. Preliminary testing was conducted using sliced plantain to evaluate the drying performance in terms of moisture reduction rate, drying time, and product quality under typical October weather conditions. The internal dryer temperature ranged between 45°C and 65°C, consistently higher than ambient conditions. Moisture content reduced from approximately 100% to 39% (wet basis), corresponding to 0.075 kg amount of water removed. Effective drying occurred within 17–20 hours, significantly shorter than traditional open sun drying which typically exceeds 24 hours under similar conditions. The average drying rate was 0.0044 kg/hr, and the solar dryer achieved a high overall efficiency of 94.76%, indicating excellent heat utilization. Which is ideal for preserving color, texture, and nutrient quality of Agricultural Product. The findings demonstrate that the constructed solar dryer offers a practical and energy- efficient alternative for small-scale food processors and farmers, particularly in regions with high solar potential. This work contributes to the advancement of sustainable food processing technologies and provides a foundation for future improvements, including hybrid systems and thermal energy storage integration for continuous operation during low-sunlight periods.

Melon seed is an important oil seed crop which serves several food purposes. Shelling of this crop is vital, prior to its vast applications. To address the challenges associated with shelling melon, a design for shelling melon seeds on a small scale was presented and evaluated. Parameters evaluated include shelling efficiency, percentage seed shelled and damaged, throughput and machine capacity.The machine was constructed using locally available materials and consists of a hopper, frame, shelling and cleaning unit. Shelling operation was carried using melon seeds of three different moisture contents(6.99, 11.90and18.32%) and at different shelling speeds of 1500 and 1450rpm, while performance evaluation were evaluated. Results obtained showed that shelling speed of 1500rpm for seed A has the best average shelling efficiency of 53.75% and least percentage seed damage of 22.6%, compared to shelling speed of 2500rpm seed B which had average shelling efficiency of 37%. This design and set of conditions selected were the most preferred because of the low-cost, rapid operation, lesser seed damage and minimal human energy expenditure. The melon seed sheller is user friendly, does not require skilled labour. The equipment design was found suitable for rural development.

This study presents the design, fabrication, and performance evaluation of an electric yam blending machine developed to improve the efficiency and hygiene of yam processing. Traditional pounding methods are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and yield inconsistent product quality, while existing mechanized systems are often costly and prone to leakage and maintenance challenges. The machine was engineered using standard design principles, incorporating a 1 hp electric motor (1440 rpm), belt-pulley transmission, stainless steel (SS304) blending chamber, and a rotating blade mechanism. Design analysis established a torque requirement of 7 Nm and a minimum power demand of 734 W to effectively process the high-density, viscoelastic yam
mass. Leakage prevention was achieved through the integration of food-grade sealing elements, including silicone and EPDM gaskets, at critical interfaces. Performance testing using 300–500 g yam samples showed an average processing time of 2.71 minutes for 500 g, with a throughput capacity of 16.18 kg/hr and an efficiency of 97%. Sensory evaluation confirmed high-quality output in terms of smoothness, cohesiveness, and elasticity. The developed system demonstrates enhanced processing efficiency, improved hygiene, and operational reliability, offering a cost-effective solution for small- to medium-scale yam processing applications

The machine is developed to cut different metal materials with high precision using plasma arc technology controlled by a computer system. The CNC plasma cutter improves cutting accuracy, reduces manual effort, and increases productivity in metal fabrication industries. The project includes the design process, material selection, fabrication of the frame, installation of electronic components, and testing of the machine

This project focuses on the design, fabrication, and evaluation of an electrically powered grain crusher for small-scale farmers and rural communities. The primary aim is to develop an efficient, durable, and affordable machine capable of crushing dried maize grains into smaller particle sizes suitable for food processing and livestock feed production. The objectives include improving crushing efficiency, reducing manual labour, and promoting the use of locally developed technologies to enhance agricultural productivity and support rural development. The machine is powered by an electric motor that transmits motion to the crushing chamber through a belt and pulley system. Engineering design calculations were conducted to determine key parameters such as motor power, shaft diameter, pulley ratio, and crushing force required for effective operation. Locally sourced materials were used in the fabrication process to reduce cost and ensure ease of maintenance. The design and construction followed standard engineering principles to achieve structural stability, operational safety, and reliable performance. The performance results showed that the grain crusher achieved a throughput capacity of approximately 15 kg/h with a crushing efficiency of about 92%. Sieve analysis revealed that the crushed output consisted predominantly of particle sizes in the range of 0.71 mm to 1.40 mm, making it suitable for food processing and livestock feed preparation. The machine effectively crushed dry maize grains and is adaptable for processing similar dry grains such as sorghum and millet. The crusher operated smoothly with minimal vibration and reduced processing time compared to manual methods, demonstrating that it is a practical, affordable, and reliable solution for small-scale grain processing in rural communities

The aim of this study is to optimize the impact energy of Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) mild steel welds by identifying the most effective combination of welding parameters current, voltage, and gas flow rate to achieve the best mechanical performance. The specific objectives include developing a mathematical model to describe the relationship between these parameters and impact energy, applying a metaheuristic algorithm to determine the optimal settings, and validating the optimized results against existing experimental data. This research seeks to address the limitations of traditional trial-and-error and local statistical optimization techniques, which often fail to locate the true global optimum. The study employed a hybrid computational optimization approach that combines Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). RSM was first used to develop a second-order regression model of impact energy based on existing experimental data from TIG welding of mild steel. This model served as the objective function for the PSO algorithm, which was implemented in MATLAB. The PSO algorithm iteratively adjusted welding parameters to maximize the predicted impact energy, thereby exploring the solution space beyond the limits of conventional statistical methods. The results showed that the optimal welding parameters were 192.73 A (current), 19.12 V (voltage), and 20.23 L/min (gas flow rate), corresponding to a maximum predicted impact energy of 118.52 J. This value slightly exceeded the best experimental result of 116.48 J reported in literature, confirming the effectiveness and accuracy of the hybrid RSM–PSO framework. The optimized results not only align closely with existing research trends but also demonstrate that integrating metaheuristic algorithms into welding parameter selection can enhance weld toughness, minimize experimental effort, and improve process reliability