RANCANG BANGUN SISTEM BAK PENGERING GABAH OTOMATIS BERBASIS PLC

Abstract

Indonesia is an agrarian country with vast, fertile lands, where most of the population works in agriculture, particularly in rice farming. Gabah (unhusked rice) is one of Indonesia's largest agricultural commodities. Traditional sun-drying of gabah is less effective and risky due to rain, dirt contamination, and animals. With technological advancements, a new drying method was developed to ensure quality. This system uses a tray with two compartments: the top holds gabah, while the bottom circulates hot air, separated by a perforated partition. It features temperature and humidity sensors controlled by a Programmable Logic Control (PLC) Outseal. The system has a capacity of 5-20 kg of gabah, operating at 50-55°C, and requires about 30 minutes to reach the desired temperature. The entire drying process takes around 2.5 hours to reduce moisture to 15% in 20 kg of gabah, significantly improving efficiency compared to the 2-4 days needed in traditional methods, depending on weather conditions.

Keywords: Unhusked rice, Programmable Logic Controller, Outseal, Drying, System.