ABACA Activities in the Philippines - Unido

Ref. No. CFC/FIGHF/09 CFC/UNIDO/FIDA 20
4.3 Development of abaca decorticating machine
4.3.1 Study model
It was made of a single decorticating chamber with 400 mm diameter decorticating
drum and a concave anvil; feed conveyor consisting of 3 pieces double V-belts pressed on a
1000 mm diameter – 3 grooves V-pulley, and two prime movers of 10 hp diesel engine for the
extracting drum and 10 hp electric motor for the feed conveyor. This is how the machine was
operated: the leaf sheaths were laid down in the feed conveyor. One at a time, the leaf sheath
was caught by the decorticating drum. Since the machine had only one decorticating drum
only half of the leaf sheath could be defibered. The leaf sheath had to be refed to the machine
with the undefibered half laid to the side of the decorticating chamber.
Figure 14. Working
model of autofed
decorticating machine
The test results show the machine could not extract the materials
effectively. The gripping pressure of the conveyor belts was not sufficient to hold the
material as it was being defibered at the decorticating chamber. Thus, the material is
thrown out of the machine without defibering.
4.3.2 Working model
Figure 13. Study model of abaca decorticating machine
The working model was designed guided by the objective to complete the
decortication process, that is; the whole fed leaf sheath should be decorticated when
the machine releases the material. Thus, the working model consisted of two
decorticating chambers, two sets of feed conveyors made of steel chains and
sprockets with presser, and driven by two 8 hp diesel engines. The machine is
mounted on chassis with pneumatic tires.