DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING

This project centers on devising a cost-efficient and highly productive solution for the palm oil industry, with a specific focus on alleviating the labor-intensive palm kernel cracking process. The proposed machine incorporates cutting-edge design principles and advanced materials to elevate its performance and reliability. By subjecting the project to rigorous engineering analysis and prototyping, the primary objective is to attain the utmost efficiency in kernel cracking while
concurrently minimizing waste and energy consumption. Furthermore, the design prioritizes safety, environmental consciousness, and scalability. The successful execution of this project holds the potential to transform the palm oil industry by simplifying the kernel extraction procedure, ultimately ushering in heightened productivity and sustainability within the sector.

Every organisation aims at profit maximization and growth. Growth and profits are directly related to the level of satisfaction that is imparted by the product or the services to the customers. Customer wants value for money. He wants the best quality in the given cost. So how does an organisations achieve this quality? Quality is a subjective constraint. Every
customer has a different taste of quality. So, it is the job of the organisation to provide everything in terms of quality that every customer demands. So, from where does this quality start? It starts from the moment the manufacturer purchases the raw material from the supplier.
This quality is percolated in the product through right set of processes, activities with the use of right resources in terms of human and technology and ultimately right quality is achieved by reduction in defect in the product. Lesser is the tolerance limit for defect, better is the quality.
This concept drives the organization towards the concept of least deviation in the products that are manufactured. This drives the organisation towards Six-Sigma. Two of the most popular continuous improvement programs are Six Sigma and lean management. Six Sigma was founded by Motorola Corporation and subsequently adopted by many US companies, including General Electrical GE and Allied Signal. Lean management originated at Toyota in Japan and has been implemented by many major US firms, including Danaher Corporation and HarleyDavidson. Six Sigma and lean management have diverse roots, (Arn Heiter and Maley Eff, 2005). management (TQM) and just-in-time (JIT), (Naslund, 2008). Both Six Sigma and lean management have evolved into comprehensive management systems which clarify in lean six sigma methodology. In each case, their effective implementation involves cultural changes in
organizations, new approaches to production and to servicing customers, and a high degree of training and education of employees, from upper management to the shop floor. As such, both systems have come to encompass common features, such as an emphasis on customer
satisfaction, high quality, and comprehensive employee training and empowerment, (Arn Heiter and Maley Eff, 2005). Some elements to eliminate many misconceptions regarding Six Sigma and lean management by describing each system and the key concepts and techniques
that underlie their implementation, (Arn Heiter and Maley Eff, 2005).

This project focuses on the upgrade of an electric bicycle to enhance its performance and range. The objective is to improve the distance travelled and charging power of the
bicycle through technical enhancements and component upgrades. Methods include the integration of advanced battery technology, indication upgrade, and enhancements to
the control systems. Results demonstrate significant improvements in speed, range, and overall user experience. The findings of this project contribute to the advancement of electric bicycle technology, offering insights into potential upgrades for future models.

The project titled “Design and Fabrication of a Grain Crusher” was aimed at developing a small-scale, electrically powered machine for crushing and grinding grains such as maize, millet, and sorghum into finer particles for easy processing. The objectives were to design a hammer mill-type crusher suitable for local use, ensure ease of maintenance, minimize power consumption, from locally sourced materials. The methodology involved conceptual design, material selection, component fabrication, and
assembly of the crushing unit, hopper, frame, and power transmission system. Key design parameters such as shaft diameter, pulley ratio, hammer dimensions, and motor power were determined using standard mechanical design equations. erformance evaluation was conducted through test runs using maize to assess crushing efficiency and particle size distribution.

Welding is the process to join two or more similar or dissimilar metal with the applicationofheat and sometime pressure. Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) is commonly knownasTungsten Inert Gas Welding (TIG Welding). Corrosion of metal is an ubiquitous phenomenonthat occurs in various forms. Atmospheric or uniform, galvanic, crevice, pitting, and microbial corrosion are most familiar forms of corrosion. The service life of engineering structuresisaffected by the quality and strength of the welded joints. The effects of corrosion affects thequality of the welded joints and the general structure. The offshore structures are exposedtothevarious environments, and it is well known that the corrosion rate and the corrosion mechanismunder each environment, marine atmosphere, splash zone, tidal zone, underwater zoneandbottom zone, are different. The aim of this study is to model the environmental effectsofcorrosion on tungsten inert gas weld joints of a mild steel pipe using response surfacemethodology. Mild steel pipe was cut into dimension 40mm in length, 12mm diameter and 3mmthickwithapower hacksaw, grinded and cleaned before the welding process. The experimental matrixwasmade of twenty (20) runs, generated by the design expert software adopting the central composite design. The response was measured, which is the rate of corrosion and then modelledusing the response surface methodology. The result obtained in this study shows that the current has a very strong influence on the rateofcorrosion. Based on the findings, it is summarized that the corrosion rate is minimumwhenawelding voltage of V = 18V, current = 120A and gas flow rate = 13lit/min. The response surfacemethodology employs certain statistical tools which are Anova, goodness of fit, coefficient ofdetermination and noise to signal ratio which determines the adequacy and significance of themodel developed. The result from this study shows that the model has a very good varianceinflation factor and p-value < 0.05. The model posseses favourable coefficient of correlation(R)value for the rate of corrosion

Optimization of process parameter to improve on weld joint quality has been at the centre of global research. Some optimization methods have produced welds of low strength and quality whereas , some have made remarkable improvements on the quality of welded joints. In this study, the SWARA-ARAS method was adopted to access its effect on the quality of the obtained welded joints. Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) method was used to determine the geometric mean of weights for each of the output parameters that is the mechanical test and measurement results. Additive Ratio Assessment (ARAS) was applied to optimize these parameters by utilizing the weights generated by using SWARA. From applying the SWARA-ARAS method, weldment was found to possess the best input and output parameters.

Optimization of process parameter to improve on weld joint quality has been at the centre of global research. Some optimization methods have produced welds of low strength and quality whereas , some have made remarkable improvements on the quality of welded joints. In this study, the SWARA-ARAS method was adopted to access its effect on the quality of the obtained welded joints. Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) method was used to determine the geometric mean of weights for each of the output parameters that is the mechanical test and measurement results. Additive Ratio Assessment (ARAS) was applied to optimize these parameters by utilizing the weights generated by using SWARA. From applying the SWARA-ARAS method, weldment was found to possess the best input and output parameters

Waste disposal has become one of the major concerns for our Country, Nigeria. Fruit peels are the major solid by-product. The dried fruit peels have a content of cellulose and hemicelluloses, which make it suitable as fermentation substrate when hydrolyzed. This thesis aims at utilizing fruit (pineapple) peels for the production of bio-ethanol by using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, thus, producing a valuable product from the fruit peel wastes. The pineapple waste is collected and weighed. This is then grinded, mixed with about 2 litres of water and then filtered. The filtrate is heated on the stove for 5-6hours in which sugar syrup is obtained.

After this, fermentation process takes place which involve introducing 10ml of the yeast into the mixture and mixing with 100ml of water. The water is first boiled at 100°c for 30 minutes after which it was allowed to cool to around 37°c.

Finally, distillation process is being carried out. The cold mash is put into the combustion chamber and heat is applied from a stove and a copper pipe connected through the condenser Chamber, thermometer, and cork fitted to the collection chamber. Re-distillation is carried out to increase the ethanol content.

The increasing demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly materials has spurred significant interest in the development of alternative composite materials. Bamboo, known for its rapid growth and high strength-to-weight ratio, presents a promising candidate for such applications. This project explores the production of bamboo/coir fibre composite boards, leveraging the delignification process to enhance fiber compatibility with gum arabic as a natural binding agent.
The methodology involved multiple steps, starting with an extensive literature review to establish a theoretical framework. Fresh bamboo was subjected to a delignification process using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to remove lignin, followed by grinding the treated bamboo into fine particles. Central Composite Design (CCD) was employed to plan the experiments systematically, optimizing the variables involved. The ground bamboo particles were then mixed with gum arabic and coconut fiber as reinforcement, and the mixture was molded into boards. These boards were subjected to rigorous testing to determine their modulus of elasticity, tensile strength, water absorption, and thickness swelling.
The results indicated that the delignification process significantly improved the bonding between bamboo fibers and gum arabic, resulting in composite boards with enhanced mechanical properties. The modulus of elasticity and tensile strength of the boards met industry standards, demonstrating their potential as a viable alternative to traditional wood- based materials. Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM), the optimal composite formulation was identified, highlighting the potential of bamboo composite boards for sustainable and eco-friendly applications.

This research centers on the design and fabrication of a mini-centrifugal separator for a small scale usage. The machine is made up of various components; capacitor, flexible wire, sieve, bolts, nuts and washers, A.C motor, sheet metal. The mill corn is fed through the opening at the top and the centrifugation action of the machine coupled with the rotor speed pushes the pap of more concentration to the walls of the centrifuge while the chaff remains in the inner cover.