Determination of the anthropometry of processors for designing ergonomically improved dewatered cassava mash (DCM) sieving machine

Abraham Azubuike Ahiakwo Abraham Azubuike Ahiakwo,Jesinta Osere Jesinta Osere,Ndidi Joy Chijioke-Oke Ndidi Joy Chijioke-Oke

doi:10.30574/gjeta.2021.6.1.0110

Abraham Azubuike Ahiakwo Abraham Azubuike Ahiakwo, Jesinta Osere Jesinta Osere + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.30574/gjeta.2021.6.1.0110

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Abstract

Traditional dewatered cassava mash sieving device developed by local craftsmen in Nigeria exposes users to work-related musculoskeletal discomfort (WMSD), among other drawbacks such as low throughput capacity, high energy, and time input. This research seeks to develop an improved manual dewatered cassava mash (DCM) machine which alleviates this exposure as well as enhance productivity. Anthropometric parameters of 150 cassava processors from three senatorial districts of Rivers state were collected and analyzed. From the data of body parts of processors measured, an improved manual DCM machine was developed. The result of the measurement analyzed using t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between the male and female parameters measured within a zone and between the three zones investigated. The measured parameters yielded the following mean values for the 5th, 50th and 95th percentile of the generated data: elbow height sitting (D) of 15.00, 19.23 and 22.67; lower leg length (E) of 38.80, 44.03 and 48.87, elbow to fingertip (F) of 38.27, 48.23 and 52.43; thigh clearance (H) of 9.83, 13.17 and 18.00; hip breadth (J) of 28.33, 32.83 and 42, respectively in centimeters for the three zones. Also, the ergonomic dimensions for a more comfortable posture for the machine were recommended: 72cm for machine height, 53 cm for machine width, 68cm for machine length, and a sitting range of 36-50 cm.

Highlights

Sieving, a necessary unit operation in the conversion of cassava tuber into garri, is currently executed by garri producers manually with the traditional sieve
The operators, especially women and children, sits beside a traditional sieve made of raffia, load a lump of cassava mash on to the sieve, shatters it, and bends back and forth to shear the mash against the sieve
The operator suffers waist pain resulting from the sitting posture, which involves bending and stretching, irritating sensation resulting from friction of rubbing the palm against the sieve with broken lumps of cassava mash [1, 2]

Summary

Introduction

A necessary unit operation in the conversion of cassava tuber into garri, is currently executed by garri producers manually with the traditional sieve. The operators, especially women and children, sits beside a traditional sieve made of raffia, load a lump of cassava mash on to the sieve, shatters it, and bends back and forth to shear the mash against the sieve. The operator suffers waist pain resulting from the sitting posture, which involves bending and stretching, irritating sensation resulting from friction of rubbing the palm against the sieve with broken lumps of cassava mash [1, 2]. Over 92% of garri producers still use the traditional raffia sieve for pulverizing and sifting operation [4,2] with a negligible percentage of motorized sieving machine under trial [5,6]

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Conclusion