ITS Campus, ITS News – The myriads of household organic waste indicates that the community hasn’t been able to process waste properly yet. To help create and design a practical waste processing system, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) through the Kuliah Kerja Nyata Pengabdian Masyarakat (KKN Abmas) or the Student Study Service program developed a ballistic waste processing machine.

The head of the ITS Abmas team, Liza Rusdiyana ST MT, said that this KKN Abmas program aims at the community of Bangsal Village, Mojokerto. According to her, Bangsal Village has much organic waste either from inside the village or from the neighboring area.

The waste was just left piling up and not utilized. Fortunately, organic waste can be helpful if it is appropriately processed. “Especially if this organic waste is used for agricultural cultivation and farming,” she added.

In collaboration with the Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes) of Bangsal Village, Mojokerto, the ITS Abmas Team initiated a machine to process organic waste to be reused and reduce the number of waste heaps. This machine is also a solution for Teknologi Tepat Guna (TTG) or Appropriate Technology in waste treatment in the form of a ballistic crusher machine.

A Waste Disposal Site (TPS) condition in Bangsal Village, Mojokerto.

This appropriate technology is simple to use. Users only need to enter their waste into the machine, and then this device will push the trash into the screw installed on the device. Furthermore, the waste will be squeezed so that the machine can separate the water content. The waste is then ready to be chopped in a machine that uses a rotary engine with a knife shaped like a thread. Another feature that makes this machine practical is the machine’s screening feature that can separate organic waste from plastic waste.

Apart from being superior in function, the materials used in making this machine are also suitable. Liza said that this machine is made of a rolled hardox steel plate shaped into a 500 mm cylinder. At the same time, the blade is made of skd11 steel, which is welded to a hardox steel shaft. “We chose this material because it is stronger and corrosion-resistant so that the machine will last longer,” she explained.

The KKN Abmas Team of the ITS Industrial Mechanical Engineering Department, when repairing and repainting the ballistic waste crusher

Besides its durability, this machine is also designed to be effective and efficient for all waste management systems. With this appropriate technology, the waste processing process is faster, the costs are cheaper, and the waste sorting process is also more effortless. In addition, the quality and results of sorting from organic waste processing can also increase by up to 30 percent. “So this machine makes BumDes process waste more easily,” said the lecturer of the ITS Industrial Mechanical Engineering Department.

The processed waste from the ITS KKN Abmas team’s ballistic waste processing machine 

The hard work of the six lecturers and four students of the ITS Abmas team is then continued by donating the Ballistic Waste Processing Machine to the BumDes of Bangsal Village. This program also received many positive feedbacks from the community. The woman who took part in the Mechanical System Design hopes that processing organic waste can produce organic fertilizer or compost, which will help grow and fertilize plants. “We will be delighted if this machine can also be applied to other areas that have the same problem,” she concluded. (ITS Public Relations)

Reporter: Mukhammad Akbar Makhbubi

Editor: Gita Rama Mahardhika