Development and Evaluation of Pummelo (Citrus grandis L.) Fruit Sorter

Pummelo fruits play an important role in the market. However, sorting is necessary to meet costumer?s quality standard and enhance its market value. This study was conducted to design, fabricate, and evaluate the performance of a machine that could attain high sorting capacity and efficiency. Three conveyor belt speeds in three replications a total of nine experimental units were used in the actual field test. Completely randomized design (CRD).in one-way ANOVA was used to differentiate significant differences among treatment means. Belt speeds considered as treatments in the test were 7-8, 11-12, and 27-28 meter per minute. Further test of significant differences among means treatment means was done using Duncan?s Multiple Range Test at 5 percent level of significance. The performance of pummelo sorter versus manual sorting was compared. Results showed that the highest sorting capacity of Pummelo fruit sorter was 507 pieces per hour using the conveyor belt speed of 27-28 m/min. The highest mean sorting efficiency was recorded at 96.97% at conveyor belt speed of 11-12 m/min. Lowest mechanical damage mean of 0.48% was at conveyor belt speed 7-8 m/min. The manual sorting has an average mean capacity of 477 pieces hour and mean efficiency of 72.78 %. Pummelo sorter at conveyor belt speed of 27-28 meter / min. with sorting capacity of 507 fruits per hour has total estimated sorting output of 973,440 fruits per year. It has an operating cost of at Php0.088 per piece with a custom rate of Php0.118 per fruit. The machine sorter has to sort 384,536 pieces of pummelo fruits to attain its breakeven cost of operation at Php45,375.25. The fabrication cost of the machine was Php41, 385.00. It has an estimated net income per year of Php29, 467.45 and a payback period of 1.4 years.