Pengaruh Variasi Sudut Pisau terhadap Kapasitas dan Kualitas Hasil Potongan Mesin Iris Cabai Semi Automatis

Abstrak

The slicing process of chili peppers is a critical stage in small-scale culinary industries, often performed manually with high labor demand and inconsistent quality. Semi-automatic chili slicing machines provide a practical solution, yet the cutting performance is strongly influenced by blade angle design. This study investigates the effect of blade angle variation (25°, 35°, and 45°) on production capacity and slicing quality. Experiments were conducted using a semi-automatic slicing machine with a 0.5 HP motor, processing 20 kg of chili peppers per trial, repeated three times for each blade angle. Parameters measured included production capacity (kg/hour), slice uniformity (%), and damage level (%). Results show that a 25° blade angle produced the highest slice uniformity (92%) with the lowest damage (6%), but lower capacity (45 kg/hour). A 45° blade angle achieved the highest capacity (58 kg/hour) but reduced slice quality (83% uniformity, 11% damage). The 35° blade angle provided a balanced compromise with 52 kg/hour capacity, 88% uniformity, and 8% damage. These findings highlight that blade angle significantly affects machine performance, where 35° is recommended for SMEs requiring both efficiency and acceptable quality. Future research should explore blade material durability and cost-effectiveness to optimize machine design for broader SME applications.