ARTICLE IN PRESS

FEASIBILITY OF CIRCULAR BLADE FOR CUTTING OIL PALM FRONDS

MOHD KHAIRUL FADZLY MD RADZI1*; MOHD IKRAM RAMLI2; SANJAAV SOMASUNDARAM2; NISHATA ROYAN RAJENDRAN ROYAN2; MEOR AHMAD FARIS MEOR TAJUDIN3; NUR SAIFUL AZMI NOR AZHAR1; MOHD IKMAL HAFIZI AZAMAN1; AMINULRASHID MOHAMED1; MOHD RAMDHAN MOHD KHALID1 and MOHD AZWAN MOHD BAKRI1

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21894/jopr.2026.0018
Received: 21 March 2025   Accepted: 30 January 2026   Published Online: 2 April 2026
ABSTRACT

This study examined the feasibility of using a circular cutter blade for oil-palm frond cutting to address limitations of current harvesting tools, such as high energy consumption, poor cut quality, and high cutting resistance. The circular blade manufactured from XW41 material was developed through design modelling and validation using SolidWorks software, followed by the fabrication of sample. The results showed that the circular blade achieved an effective cutting force of approximately 530 N at 9,000 rpm, producing clean and consistent cuts with minimal deformation (≤ 0.06 mm) under applied load. The stress was evenly distributed across the blade surface, confirming its mechanical stability during operation. Field observations further revealed that the circular blade could efficiently sever fronds with reduced vibration and cutting resistance, although minor inconsistencies in surface smoothness indicated areas for improvement. Overall, the findings demonstrate the technical viability of a circular cutter blade for oil-palm harvesting, suggesting potential for enhanced cutting efficiency and reduced operator fatigue.

KEYWORDS:


1 Malaysian Palm Oil Board,
6, Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi,
43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia.

2 School of Engineering,
University of Wollongong Malaysia,
Jalan Kontraktor U1/14, Seksyen U1,
40150 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.

3 Fakulti Kejuruteraan dan Teknologi Mekanikal,
Universiti Malaysia Perlis,
Kampus Tetap Pauh Putra,
02600 Arau, Perlis, Malaysia.

* Corresponding author e-mail: khairul.fadzly@mpob.gov.my