FASTREX: Palm Oil Fresh Fruit Bunching Machine
Innovator:
Dr. Ir. Desrial, M.Eng
Usability:
Crawler type mini transporters (Fastrex) are transportation equipment or tractors specifically designed for the transportation of oil palm Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) and other materials. This transporter is designed using a track system, where there are components of track shoes made of steel to provide large traction but the pressure on the ground is relatively small, so it does not cause soil compaction.
Advantages:
- Tough machine
- Economical diesel fuel and has been equipped with an electric starter
- Unloading this machine uses a hydraulic system so that it is practical and improves performance
- The engine steering uses a stick system (easily controlled and stable) and uses a transmission with a clutch with excess gearshift without jerking
- Able to drive at speeds of 1.5-5 km / hour
- Work capacity is equivalent to five people carrying manual transport
- Can explore hills with a slope of 49 degrees
- Still able to run well in wetland conditions (it could be due to rain)
- Affordable prices
Description:
Oil palm is one of the Indonesian commodities whose production is increasing every year. However, the condition of the land on oil palm plantations provides constraints on the process of transporting oil palm crops. This innovation is a transportation tool or tractor specifically designed for oil palm Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) and other materials.
There are three types of transporters that have been developed, namely type CT 01, CT, 02 and CT 03. CT 01 has a tank that can carry up to 350 kg of palm oil, CT 02 can transport up to 650 kg of palm oil and type CT 03 is capable of carrying up to 1 ton of palm bunches . All three are suitable for all terrain, especially peatlands and land with choppy and rolling terrain.
The application of this transporter has been carried out in South Paser District (East Kalimantan Province), Palu and Morowali District (Central Sulawesi). When compared with similar transporters from Japan, IPB's innovation is superior. Japanese-made transporters have rubber tracks with narrow cruising distances and a slope of 15 degrees. With the condition of Indonesia's plantation land being hilly (slope can reach 45 degrees), transporters from Japan cannot be used. Another advantage, this transporter is still able to run well in wetland conditions (it could be due to rain).
During the trial, Fastrex was able to explore a hill with a slope of 49 degrees. In addition, the price of Fastrex can be reached by smallholders (the price of CT 01 is IDR 50-60 million). With an average of 10 hectares of oil palm land, one Fastrex is enough to transport fresh palm fruit bunches.
The vehicle with a width of about 1 meter and a length of 3 meters has track wheels like a tank. In front of it is a tub to accommodate FFB. Kubota diesel engine of 10 HP is installed in the middle. The driver is behind the engine.
With diesel engines and wheels like tanks, Fastrex can climb on land with a slope of up to 55 degrees. Within eight hours of work, this special vehicle can travel back and forth on the plantation carrying around 15 tons of palm FFB. Plantation entry carrying oil palm FFB with Fastrex is more efficient than paying a lot of labor to carry FFB or use ordinary motorized vehicles. This technology can save 54 percent in transportation costs.
Until 2018, by cooperating with PT Inka Multi Solution, Fastrex has sold up to 110 transporter units. Fastrex users are PT Astra Agro Lestari, Tbk, Center for Agricultural Mechanization. Currently IPB University is initiating cooperation with PT Barata Indonesia, PT Inka Multisolution, and PT Yanmar Indonesia.
