Judul: Design and Simulation of Machine for Lifting Oil Palm Fresh Fruit Bunches to Truck
Abstrak: Proses pengangkatan tandan buah sawit segar ke truk membutuhkan banyak tenaga kerja apabila dilakukan secara manual, dan pada kenyataannya di perkebunan rakyat pekerjaan ini masih dilakukan sepenuhnya secara manual sehingga dapat mengakibatkan kelelahan dan dapat mengakibatkan cedera akibat beban kerja yang ada terlalu besar. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah merancang dan menyimulasikan mesin pengangkat tandan buah segar kelapa sawit ke truk. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan pendekatan desain fungsional dan struktural yang terdiri dari beberapa tahapan, antara lain: identifikasi masalah, perumusan konsep desain, analisis teknik, gambar teknik, analisis kekuatan bahan, simulasi kinematika, simulasi konsumsi daya, dan simulasi timbangan digital. Berdasarkan hasil simulasi, tandan buah segar dapat bergerak naik dari bawah ke atas dengan mekanisme elevator, kemudian masuk ke bak truk kelapa sawit. Konsumsi daya maksimum pengangkatan tandan buah segar adalah ketika terjadi hentakan pada pengangkatan tandan buah segar ukuran besar yaitu 1466.24 watt. Berdasarkan hasil simulasi tersebut, pemilihan daya motor listrik DC sebesar 1500 watt sebagai tenaga penggerak dari elevator dapat memenuhi kebutuhan daya pengangkatan tandan buah segar kelapa sawit ke truk., Process of lifting fresh fruit bunches to trucks requires a lot of manpower if done manually, and in fact in smallholder plantations this work is still done completely manually so that it can lead to fatigue and can result in injuries due to the existing too big workload. The purpose of this research is to design and simulate a machine to lift oil palm fresh fruit bunches to a truck. This research was conducted using a functional and structural design approach consisting of several stages, including: problem identification, design concept formulation, engineering analysis, engineering drawings, material strength analysis, kinematics simulation, power consumption simulation, and digital scale simulation. Based on simulation results, fresh fruit bunches can move up from the bottom to the top with an elevator mechanism, then enter the oil palm truck bed. Maximum power consumption for lifting fresh fruit bunches is when there is a pounding on the removal of large fresh fruit bunches, which is 1466.24 watts. Based on the simulation results, the selection of a DC electric motor of 1500 watts as the driving force of the elevator can meet the power needs of lifting oil palm fresh fruit bunches to the truck.
Keyword: fresh fruit bunches, lifting, oil palm, workload

Judul: Manufacturing and Performance Testing of Machines for Lifting Palm Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) to Trucks
Abstrak: Manufaktur merupakan proses yang mengubah bahan dasar menjadi sebuah produk. Tahapan yang dilalui sebelum menjadi produk meliputi desain produk, pemilihan material dan proses pembuatan. Proses manufaktur ini digunakan dalam membuat alat dan mesin pertanian untuk mewujudkan mekanisasi pertanian, salah satunya adalah pada proses pengangkatan tandan buah segar ke truk. Pengangkatan tandan buah segar ke truk saat ini dilakukan secara manual menggunakan tojok. Hal tersebut mengakibatkan kelelahan otot pada pekerja dan tidak jarang mengalami cedera. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melakukan manufaktur dan uji kinerja pada mesin tandan buah segar ke truk untuk memudahkan para pekerja dalam proses pengangangkatan TBS ke truk khususnya petani rakyat. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode identifikasi gambar Teknik, pembuatan bill of material, pengadaan bahan, proses produksi, uji fungsional dan uji kinerja. Berdasarkan pengujian kinerja, waktu satu kali siklus putaran rata-rata 10,26 detik, waktu TBS ke truk 4, 79 detik dan waktu TBS ke truk 2,09 detik. Mesin ini mampu mengangkat TBS dengan berat 25 kg dalam satu kali siklus putaran elevator, dengan kemampuan tersebut mesin ini mampu mengangkat TBS dengan total berat 8,7 ton/ jam., Manufacturing is a process that turns raw materials into a product. The stages that go through before becoming a product include product design, material selection and the manufacturing process. This manufacturing process is used in making agricultural tools and machinery to realize agricultural mechanization, one of which is in the process of lifting fresh fruit bunches to trucks. The lifting of fresh fruit bunches to trucks is currently done manually using a pickaxe. This results in muscle fatigue in workers and it is not uncommon to experience injuries. This study aims to carry out manufacturing and performance tests on fresh fruit bunches to trucks to make it easier for workers in the process of lifting FFB to trucks, especially smallholder farmers. This study uses the method of image identification technique, manufacture bill of material, procurement of materials, production processes, functional tests and performance tests. Based on performance testing, the average time for one round cycle is 10.26 seconds, the FFB time to trucks is 4.79 seconds and the FFB time to trucks is 2.09 seconds. This machine is capable of lifting FFB weighing 25 kg in one rotation cycle elevator, with this capability, this machine is able to lift FFB with a total weight of 8.7 tons/hour.
Keyword: Palm Oil, Manufacturing, Fresh Fruit Bunches, Performance tests

Judul: Distribution and Diversity of Ectoparasite Mites on Geckos in Indonesia
Abstrak: Data on the diversity and dispersal of parasitic mites on house geckos in Indonesia are very scarce. In this work, the distribution and diversity of mites living on three species of house geckos, namely Cosymbotus platyurus, Hemidactylus frenatus, and H. garnotii collected throughout Indonesia, has been elaborated. Geckos and mites were captured and immediately preserved in 70% ethanol. Whole mount of the mites was prepared by clearing in lactophenol followed by mounting on polyvinyl lactophenol solutions. The SEM preparation was conducted to examine the detail morphological characters of the mites. The results showed that among 448 individuals of geckos, 221 geckos were infected by Geckobia mites. Prevalences of C. platyurus, H. frenatus, and H. garnotii infested by mites were 14.8%, 50.69%, and 79.6%, respectively. Three different spesies of Geckobia (G1, G2, and G3) could be differentiated; and based on similarities of their morphological characters to ones described in published literatures, Geckobia G2 is Geckobia glebosum and Geckobia G3 is Geckobia bataviensis while G1 could not be identified to the species level. The highest mean intensity of Geckobia G1 infestation was found on H. garnotii (I=7.0), G. glebosum infestation on H. frenatus (I=3.5), and G. bataviensis infestation on H. garnotii (I=11.8). In general, C. platyurus was infested by the least number of mites. Geckobia G1 were found living on the skin folds on the claws, G. glebosum were found mainly on the body and thigh, and G. bataviensis were found on almost all parts of the host’s body. Geckobia mites are distributed randomly throughout Indonesian Archipelago, following the pattern of distribution of their hosts. So it is concluded that Geckobia G1, G. glebosum, and G. bataviensis are sympatric.
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