Design and Development of an Engine Driven Onion Grading Machine

Abstract

Onion (Allium cepa, L.) is one of Ethiopia’s highly cultivated vegetable crops. Farmers across the country sell their onions without grading them, which results in post-harvest losses during packing and transporting. As a result, modern technologies like engine-operated grading systems are essential. So, the design and development of an onion grading machine was undertaken at Asella Agricultural Engineering Research Center (AAERC). The physical and mechanical properties of the selected onion bulb variety were considered during the design. The developed grader consists of the mainframe, feeding hopper, grading unit, outlets, power source, and power transmission system. The cost of the grader was estimated to be 20,880.99 ETB and believed that it is simple in design, easy in operation, and found to be suitable for small and medium-scale farmers.