ABSTRAK

Mesin  pengabut  yang  dapat  bergerak  dan  berpindah  dengan  mudah  (mobile  sprayer  machine)  perlu dioperasikan di antara barisan tanaman tebu mengikuti pertumbuhan vegetatif dan generatif tebu hingga menjelang dipanen guna mengaplikasikan droplets nutrisi ke stomata tebu sehingga produktivitas tebu (TCH) dan kadar gula tebu (rendemen giling tebu) meningkat. Penelitian bertujuan untuk merekayasa mobile sprayer machine. Hasil rekayasa adalah prototipe A (mobile sprayer machine berbasis sepeda motor). Hasil pengujian menunjukkan bahwa debit penyemprotan meningkat dari 3,79  6,71 l/menit pada tekanan 2 7 kgf/cm2, sehingga lama pengoperasian mesin berkapasitas 50 l adalah 7,46 13,20 menit. Hasil ujicoba di areal kebun tebu PG Subang menunjukkan bahwa prototipe A sulit dikendalikan, namun masih dapat melaju di antara baris tanaman tebu dengan kecepatan maju rata-rata 0,32 0,76 m/detik pada beban angkut cairan 100 dan 50 kg. Prototipe A diubah menjadi prototipe B (mobile sprayer machine berbasis sepeda motor roda tiga). Hasil uji coba di areal kebun tebu PG Subang menunjukkan bahwa prototipe B dapat melaju dengan lancar sebesar 2,15 m/detik pada lahan datar, namun hanya mampu melaju dengan kecepatan maju rata-rata 0,24 m/detik ketika mesin dioperasikan di antara barisan tanaman tebu ratoon berumur 3 bulan.

Kata kunci: mobile sprayer machine, produktivitas tebu, rendemen giling

ABSTRACT

In order to raise sugarcane productivity and milling yield, it must be applied a mobile sprayer machine in a sugarcane dry land to apply nutrition droplets on plants rows that it can follows vegetative and generative plants growths until nearly harvesting time. The objective of the research was to design a mobile sprayer machine. Result of the design was a prototype A (mobile sprayer machine based on a motorcycle). Test result of the prototype A showed that spraying flow rate increased from 3.79  6.71 l/minute by increasing liquid pressure from 2  7 kgf/cm2, so that operating time of the machine with 50 l capacity were 7.46  13.20 minutes. Test result in the PG Subang sugarcane area showed that the prototype A was difficult to control, but it still could accelerate on between plants rows with average forward speed of 0.32  0.76 m/second. It were operated on liquid load of 100 and 50 kg. The prototype A was changed by a prototype B (mobile sprayer machine based on tri-cycle motorbike). Test result in the PG Subang sugarcane area showed that the prototype B could accelerate smoothly with forward speed of 2.15 m/second on a flat area, but it just had capability to accelerate with average forward speed of 0.24 m/second when it was applied on three-months ratoon plants rows area.

Keywords: milling yield, mobile sprayer machine, sugarcane productivity