Abstract
A low-cost cashew-nut cracker was designed, fabricated, and tested. Materials of construction were locally available and the cost affordable to peasant farmers in Nigeria. The machine consists of the main frame; a 600 mm x 900 mm mild steel table and a cracking jug assembly composed of the assembling plate; and the pillar pole, cutting case, knives or blades, hand lever, and springs (tension and return). The machine was tested using small, medium, and large nuts (the three sizes of the cashew nut). Machine efficiencies were obtained as 69.4, 75.5, and 75.7% for the three sizes, respectively. From the results obtained, it was concluded that even a simple device, such as the one fabricated, would considerably improve the capacity for processing cashew nut in Nigeria.
