The first mobile de-husker was built on the farm in 2014, with gradual improvements on the initial design each season. “Over the past few years we have optimised the initial design. For example, where it was PTO-driven before, it is now fully hydraulic.” The improvements led to increased operational efficiencies in the number of tons per hectare dehusked and reduced the turning circle of the machine, minimising the overall time spent de-husking. Protea Engineering has also seen additional improvements, including the optimisation of the hydraulics system’s torque and flow rate, reducing the overall kilowatt requirements. Also, our engineers have redesigned the mechanical parts to reduce wear and tear and cut back on the time required for repairs. A further improvement is in the auger design to assist in removing nuts that are not fully de-husked, thus reducing the time needed for secondary de-husking.