COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY
PEB801 Capstone Design Project Synopsis and Expression of
Interest.
Name: Jeremiah Vuel Karis

ID#: A00161660

Course coordinator: Prof. Olanrewaju Oyewola – SME

TITLE: DEVELOPMENT OF CASSAVA PEELING

Brief Abstract

Cassava flour production is a growing sector in the Pacific region. There is a need to create a
mechanical method to remove cassava peels because the multiple cassava processing steps have
already been automated but the peeling procedure is still carried out manually by people in the
Pacific. I will describe the thorough analysis, design approaches, and results of a cassava peeling
machine in this project paper. The frame, kind of motor, roller brush, and screw conveyor, among
other components of the cassava peeling machine, will each be researched and designed separately.
A mechanical device known as a cassava peeling machine is used to mechanically remove cassava
peels. The Pacific area will use this initiative as a model for peeling cassava. Hence, after finishing
this project, we hope to reduce labour requirements in the cassava processing sector, prevent
worker injuries during the peeling process, reduce on peeling time, and lessen the amount of rotten
cassava from prolonged storage.

Introduction

Western Brazil in southern America is the origin of the edible root crop known as cassava. It is one of
the foods eaten in the Amazon region and is often grown in tropical and subtropical areas
worldwide. In the early 1800s, Europeans brought cassava for the first time to the Pacific. Since then,
a variety of cassava-based goods have been produced, including frozen cassava for export, cassava
chips, and cassava flour. For the cassava to be further processed to the named cassava products, the
cassava needs to be peeled. According to the cassava processing industry, peeling process is being
carried out manually by humans. Thus, to increase peeling rate and reduce injuries in the peeling
process, an automated cassava peeling machine is needed. Therefore, this paper will introduce the
development and the design of a cassava peeling machine and how we can go about solving our
problem statement and achieve our aim and objectives.
Problem Statement:

Cassava is one of the main root crops that is most widely plant across the pacific and there is need
for improvement to processed cassava into cassava flour. One major gap is the peeling process.
Before the cassava is to be dried then further on to the crusher for flour processing, the cassava
needs to be peeled. Since then, human effort is the only step followed for peeling process. Since
cassava flour is widely used across the pacific, there is a grater need for the peeling process in order
to minimize human effort. Cassava peeling is a time-consuming and labour-intensive work. Most
small companies hire a large number of workers to increase the production rate. To peel batches of
cassava it requires large workload and concentration to be performed by humans. Manpower will
take a long time to peel just one cassava. Large batch of cassava will become rotten due to slow
process.

Motivation

Cassava is among the other root crops that is frequently consume throughout the pacific region.
Since many small-scale farmers use cassava as a means of income, and peeling cassava is only done
manually by hand, a cassava peeling machine is needed. So, I would like to design a cassava peeling
machine that can peel cassava effectively as my final project to help the cassava processing industry.

Justification

The topic is with deep interest since the cassava peeling machine is rare in the pacific region, this
really gives the interest to investigate and came up with a design of a cassava peeling machine.

Aim

The purpose of this project is to develop a high-quality cassava peeling machine that will reduce
labour requirements in the cassava sector and cause the least amount of mechanical damage to the
cassava.

Specific Objectives

Below are four main objectives that are to be achieved upon completing this project. Thus, upon
completing this project the research should address the following;

1. To minimise human energy in the cassava processing industry.

Research Questions
The research questions that will help to coordinate the specific objectives are as follows;

1. How can the propose design of the cassava peeling machine help to reduce human effort in
the cassava processing industry.
2. What are the safety materials to be used in the design and the preventive measures that
must be considered while involving in the design process?
3. What type of material will be utilized for the roller brush and what will the motor's input and
output rpm be?
4. What will the exact frame size be, and how much throughput may be anticipated?

Scope

The Pacific region's small business owners that require an affordable machine to boost peeling
process efficiency would be the target market for the production.

Limitation

When conducting this research, it is anticipated that there will be some boundaries of limitation that
are not revealed in this work. Whether or not the cassava will retain its inherent qualities or
nutrients following the peeling process.

Brief Literature Review

Cassava is one of the main root crops that is being consumed all throughout the south pacific and
the pacific as a whole. Cassava is also processed into cassava flour in the pacific and in processing
the cassava peeling process is done manually by humans. Cassava peeling is the first step in the
preparation of cassava for human use. Since the invention of cassava, peeling techniques have
changed from the usage of stones and wooden flint to a basic kitchen knife. According to (Nwokedi,
1983). Since cassava tuber came in different sizes, shapes, wight, and lengths also taking into
consideration how strong the cassava skin is being attached to the cassava flesh; At the processing
stage, creating a 100% effective cassava peeling machine has been a significant global challenge
(Igbeka, 1985; Oluwole & Adio, 2013). Cassava peeling process has been divided into four distinct
techniques;

Firstly, manual peeling; the tuber is cut lengthwise with a sharp tool, such as a knife, and the peels
are removed by hand. Although this is incredibly time-consuming and laborious, it produces the best
results (Diop & Calverley, 1998). Secondly, chemical peeling; in order to make peeling easier, the
peel is softened and loosen from the flesh using chemical solutions, such as lye (NaOH). Because this
procedure involves immersing tubers in a highly concentrated solution for an extended period of
time, it has been said to be inefficient and wasteful. Sometimes heat rings appear on the meat, and
they may also be ineffective due to cassava's more difficult-to-peel skin (Diop & Calverley, 1998;
Igbeka, 1985). Thirdly, Steaming, this procedure involves quickly applying high steam pressure to the
cassava tuber. Due to the inconsistent shape of the cassava tuber, heat may not be able to be
distributed equally among the tuber, and if timing is not precisely controlled, the entire cassava
tuber will become cooked (Abdulkadir, 2012). Lastly, mechanize peeling; according to c (Abdulkadir,
2012), this approach primarily targets a larger group or batch of tubers at once. It comprises
mechanical peeling techniques that utilize conveyors, abrasive materials, etc. According to
(Egbeocha et al., 2016; Jimoh et al., 2014), the irregular shapes, sizes, and lengths of the tubers as
well as the various characteristics of the peels, such as thickness, texture, etc., present this method
with significant challenges despite the fact that it appears to be the most efficient and practical
method for peeling cassava on a commercial scale. Also, during operation, tuber losses and
mechanical damages are highly common, which contributes to increased food loss and food security.
For the purpose of this paper, it will focus more on the mechanize peeling method in order to
increase the rate of peeling, and lower the rate of injury and reduce human effort.

Conclusion:

To conclude, a cassava peeling machine will be a major solution for cassava peeling process in the
Pacific region. In this project, I will develop the cassava peeling machine by taking into consideration
a range of aspects. This includes throughput capacity, peeling efficiency, mechanical damage in the
cassava tuber and the quality performance of the machine.
Reference:

 BABA HASSAN, A., 2012. Design and Fabrication of a Cassava Peeling Machine. IOSR Journal of
Engineering,  2(6), pp. 1-8.
 CHIDI EGBEOCHA, C., Egbeocha et al., A review on performance of cassava… Futo Journal Series
(FUTOJNLS) A Review on Performance of Cassava Peeling Machines in Nigeria Biodiesel Project View
project A REVIEW ON CASSAVA PEELING MACHINES IN NIGERIA View project.
 Diop A., & Calverley D. J. B. (1998). Storage and Processing of Roots and Tubers in the Tropics. Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Agro-industries and Post-Harvest Management
Service, Agricultural Support Systems Division.
 JIMOH, M.O. and OLUKUNLE, O.J., 2012. An Automated Cassava Peeling System for the Enhancement of
Food Security in Nigeria. Nigerian Food Journal,  30(2), pp. 73-79.
 PRECOPPE, M., KOMLAGA, G.A., CHAPUIS, A. and MÜLLER, J., 2020. Comparative Study between
Current Practices on Cassava Drying by Small-Size Enterprises in Africa. Applied sciences,  10(21), pp.
7863.
 SETH, O., 2020. A Review on the performance of some cassava peeling machines developed.