DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF ABACA

STRIPPER DRIVEN BY ELECTRIC MOTOR

HEINZ ANDREW M. GIL

RICHEELYN B. MEJOY

April 2022

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 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Abaca (Musa textilis) is a banana-related plant whose leaves have some of the world's

strongest natural fibers. It is native to the Philippines and thrives in the provinces of Bicol,

Samar, and Leyte, among others. Abaca is also one of the few cash crops that can flourish in

steep forest areas with very little input compared to other crops (Lacuna-Richman, 2002).

The Abaca production reached 77.9 thousand metric tons in 2012. (MT). The

Philippines generated 83 percent of the world's total. Ecuador is the world's second-largest

producer of abaca, with large estates and rapidly mechanized processing. Smallholders

dominate the abaca industry in the Philippines. Other Southeast Asian countries contributed

2% of total global demand. Indonesia is making serious and ambitious efforts to mass-

produce abaca as part of its government's reforestation policy, placing the abaca sector in

jeopardy (PRDP, 2014).

Abaca banana's economic value is on the trunk that has fiber for useful raw materials

in the textile and paper industry. The multipurpose fibers and the perspectives are very

strong, so that the abaca plant is highly attracted to private, governmental and cooperative

farmers from various community groups. Multiplication humps cause extremely low

propagation, planting material is easily affected by transport, does not last and needs a great

deal of space to cover the transport cost (Srilestari Rina, 2021).

In the Philippines, abaca fiber is widely used as a raw material in the textile, clothing,

cordage, and craft industries. (FAO, 2018). Abaca is a very important crop for the Philippine

2
economy. It is, in effect, critical to the global economy and environmental protection. The

Philippines is the world's largest producer of abaca fibers, supplying about 87 percent of

global demand for cordage, specialty papers (for currency notes, stencil paper, teabag, coffee

filter/cup, capacitor and insulation paper, and so on), textiles, furniture and fixtures,

handicrafts, novelty items, meat casing, cosmetics and skin care products, grocery bags, and

composites for autistic children (PhilFIDA, 2018).

The manual method of fiber extraction necessitates the application of a lot of force as

an effort, which takes a lot of time and energy from the farmer. Thus, its mechanization is

essential to maximize productivity. This approach has many drawbacks, including being time

intensive, having a low production rate, being vulnerable to human errors, and requiring more

employees and skilled laborers, especially for mass production purposes (Villanueva,

2018).

Manually stripping abaca fibers is a primitive form of fiber extraction with low

investment costs compared to more advanced approaches. The tuxies are put between a blade

and a block of weight, which forces the tuxies against the knife's cutting edge while stripping

by hand. The knife may be serrated to help in the separation of fiber packets, which is

normally a physically challenging activity. For the farmer's productivity, this is a very slow

and low yielding method of production. Each day, a manual stripper produces around 20 kg

of fiber bundles. The existing decorticating, a semi-mechanical method that uses revolving

blades to process the entire abaca leaf sheath, is another semi-mechanical technique. This has

both advantages and disadvantages. Productivity increases at the price of fiber quality.

Because no tuxying is necessary, a time-consuming phase in the process can be skipped;

nevertheless, the output will be of poor quality as a result of a mixture of various tuxy layers

of both primary and secondary fibers. Furthermore, because the decorticating machine cannot

3
remove a whole piece of sheath at once, a regrip to strip the opposite side of the in-going

piece is still required. The most effective method of extraction is decortication, which may

achieve a production level of 140 kg per day at the expense of inferior fiber quality. Taking

into account the entire weight of the trunk, the hand stripping technique yields a 1% yield of

fibers (or 28% of the extractable fibers). The decortication machine is the most productive

stripping device, yielding 3.34 percent of total trunk weight or up to 95 percent of total fiber

content. The fiber content and yield, of course, differ between varieties (KTH, Stockholm,

Sweden, 2019).

The purpose of designing and fabricating an abaca fiber decorticator is to automate

the extraction of abaca fiber. Decortication is the mechanical extraction of fibers (stripping

the fiber from its sheath). A stripping/beating mechanism: a 6-inch diameter roller with 12

evenly spaced blades fastened around its body, a welded stripping block with 2-3mm gap

between roller blades, and bearings on pillow block mountings to hold the 1-inch diameter

shaft. A drum roller is fastened to twelve-foot-long angle bars type that are evenly placed

around the drum in this configuration. To keep each angle bar in place, two threaded bolts are

used. A 1.5 horsepower electric motor drives the drum roller (Villanueva, 2018).

Nowadays, customer expectations and demand are rising, but the supplier's output

volume is so poor that they can't even meet the consumer's demands. We all know that Abaca

fiber is extremely valuable in our industry because it is the primary ingredient used in

products such as paper and clothes. The researcher devised a design for making fiber in a

much easier and more convenient manner than the traditional method; this form of abaca

stripper is automatic and powered by an electric motor to operate. We should ensure that this

process of harvesting the fiber is less risky and that the output rate can improve. Our primary

aim in designing this machine is to increase the pace of output.

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 In order to overcome the problem about the manual method of stripping the abaca, the

researcher considers and plans a concept that will assist farmers in making abaca production

simpler and faster.

The alteration of abaca stripper in this study shall not be otherwise from the current

design feature. But there will be a huge benefit since the machine to be modified has a new

improvement performance to the farmer. Manufacturing enough abaca fiber as the cure to

reduce difficulty confronted by our economy.

Objectives of the study

The researcher’s main objective of this study is to design, develop and evaluate the

performance of an abaca stripper driven by an electric motor.

Specifically, it aims to:

1. Design and fabricate an electric motor-driven abaca stripper.

2. Evaluate the performance of the developed abaca stripper in terms of:

a. Stripping capacity

b. Stripping efficiency

c. Fiber recovery

d. Electric consumption

3. Determine whether there is significant difference in performance between existing

abaca stripper and developed abaca stripper using the two factors, namely:

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 a. Factor I - Variety (Kutay- Kutay and Puti-an)

b. Factor II - Pully diameter (12 inches, 14 inches and 16 inches)

4. Perform the Cost and Return Analysis

a. Payback Period (PBP)

b. Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR)

Significance of the Study

The design, development and performance evaluation of the abaca stripper driven by

electric motor fixes a problem that the abaca stripper has, which is detailed in the following:

Publication

New information, development design in the course of the machine's work is provided

by the design, development and performance analysis on the Abaca Strippers powered by

electric motors, which is being published in free- reviewed online scientific journals.

Patent

The design and development of the abaca stripper machine patenting is on-going and

will be ready for commercialization. The latest ASM development includes an electric motor,

which increases the capacity of manufacturing fiber. Furthermore, by doing this research, it

supports a new method of processing fiber to broaden its range, which has not previously

been employed in any research study.

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Product

The design and development of the abaca stripping machine has the utmost

prospective for expanding fiber in the commercialization of the technology. Among the

developments is: an electric motor, which would assist to make the abaca more efficient and

productive than prior inventions. The materials used in this technique are less expensive. The

product is less costly and easier to get for abaca producers and other abaca stripper

consumers. Data will be easier to collect and more profitable, and it will provide a firm basis

for data to be rigorous and analytical.

People Service

The researcher's purpose is to reduce the farmer's cost, raise their revenue, and ensure

consumer contentment because they satisfy the industry's need. To assure that development

supports individuals, particularly small-scale farmers with limited resources, in finding better

ways to run their businesses, inadequate fiber output, caused by delayed processes that result

in poor revenue, is also one of the most critical issues determining the Philippines' export

competitiveness. In reality, these developments have the potential to significantly reduce poor

productivity while increasing fiber output.

Places and Partnership

The researchers would like to extend the relationship to its beloved school Jose Rizal

Memorial State University Tampilisan Campus, the Premiere University of Zamboanga del

Norte (Bgry. ZNAC, Tampilisan Zamboanga Del Norte) and to its allied agencies. The

primary goal of this collaboration is to have a development and research extension of the

abaca farming industry in our region, as well as to introduce new ideas and concepts of smart

farming toward agriculture 4.0.

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 Scope and Limitation of the Study

The study shall be conducted in order to determine the performance of the developed

electric motor driven abaca stripper using different variety of abaca and size of pulley in

terms of stripping capacity, stripping efficiency, fiber recovery and electric consumption.

Operational Definition of Terms

To facilitate a better understanding of the study, the following terms are hereby

defined.

Angle bar. It is used for the machine's framework and to support the building

structure. Known as angle iron in the form of right angle, as used in this study.

Belt. It is used to spin the belt pulley, as used in this study.

Blades. A major functional component of the machine that strips abaca to make fiber,

as used in the study.

Body. A machine framework that acts as the foundation in all components is attached,

as used in this study.

Bolts and Nuts. A cylindrical metal bar with knots that is screw threaded and used for

fitting, binding components, lock and holding resistance, as used in this study.

Conveyor. Transport the fiber to the machine's exterior, as used in this study.

Feeding chute. Serves as the inlet where the abaca feed through, as used in the study.

Fiber. A product of abaca, as used in the study.

Plain sheet. Use of metal sheets is highly needed to protect and cover the building

frame of the machine, as used in this study.

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 Prime mover. A machine that converts primary energy to mechanical energy for use

in propulsion or power generation in order the machine will work, as used in this study.

Pulley. A wheel with a flexible belt on its rim, which will convey energy and motion,

as used in this study.

Pulley guard. Protect the belt against dislocation by acting as a cover for the belt and

pulley, as used in this study.

Rotating blade. The one will crush the abaca to make fiber, as used in this study.

Stripper. A machine for stripping abaca, as used in the study.

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 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES AND LITERATURE

Abaca plant

The abaca plant (Musa textilis) is related to the banana plant. A hard fiber is harvested

from the abaca plant's sheath around the trunk and used to make specialty paper, such as tea

bags, Japanese banknotes, tobacco filter sheets, and high-quality wrapping paper. Abaca is

also used to make strings, twines, fishing lines, nets, and gritty sacking. Abaca clothes,

curtains, windows, and furnishings have a niche market. The abaca tree is known to aid in

erosion control and is used in landscape rehabilitation. Through this new partnership, farmers

will be assisted in protecting and rehabilitating degraded forest lands through enrichment

planting, assisted natural regeneration and agroforestry. These activities are geared at

conserving the area’s rich biodiversity as well as mitigating climate change (Langford, 2016).

Abaca, also known as "Manila hemp" in contemporary world commerce and

botanically as Musa textilis Nee, exemplifies this complicated history. Musa textilis was

domesticated by Filipinos as a wild plant native to the Philippine Islands and northern

Borneo. A fiber, commonly known among them as " abaca ", was prepared from it and used

and sold as a monopoly commodity for centuries. The abaca plant belongs to a large family,

the members of which are sometimes collectively referred to as "plantains" in the Orient. It is

similar to the common banana (Musa sapient) and the edible plantain (Musa sativa) (Musa

paradisiaca). The plant is a tree-like herb that grows to a height of ten to 28 feet, depending

on the type, from a perennial rootstock. It is the strongest of commercial plant fibers, about

three times as strong as cotton, half as strong as most sisals, and somewhat stronger than true

hemp. It has a high longitudinal strength but a low transverse strength. It is classified as a

hard fiber, like most other tropical fabrics, as opposed to the soft fibers of the subtropical and

10
mid-latitude areas, although this is a somewhat subjective differentiation. Musa textilis fiber

is less lignified than that of other Musa plants, which accounts for the former's comparatively

light weight. The harvested fiber strands range in length from three to twelve feet and in

diameter from 1/500 to 6/500 inch (Spencer,1953).

Abaca Fiber

Throughout the nineteenth century, abaca was commonly used for ship rigging and

pulped to make strong manila envelopes. It is still used today to make strings, twines, fishing

lines, and nets, as well as coarse sacking cloth. While there is a thriving niche market for

abaca clothing, curtains, screens, and furnishings, the fiber's primary use is primarily

papermaking is a genus of banana native to the Philippines that is cultivated as a commercial

crop there. Abaca harvesting is time-consuming since each stalk must be sliced into strips and

scraped to extract the pulp. After that, the fibers are cleaned and dried. The plant is

economically significant because it is processed for the fiber derived from the leaf-stems. a

leaf fiber made up of long, slim cells that serve as part of the leaf's supporting structure the

lignin content is 15 percent. It is highly valued for its high mechanical strength, resistance to

saltwater disruption, and long fiber lengths of up to 3 m. The best abaca grades are fine,

lustrous, light beige in color, and extremely solid. The Philippines is the world's leading

abaca producer, with 90 000 small farmers cultivating the plant on 130 000 ha. Although the

crop is grown in other Southeast Asian countries, Ecuador is the second largest producer,

where abaca is grown on vast plantations and cultivation is being rapidly mechanized. Abaca

has a high capacity to replace glass fibers in a variety of car parts; production could be

expanded if other countries in tropical and humid climates developed industries. The

expertise and experience obtained in manufacturing and processing can be quickly translated

to other countries (FAO, 2021).

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 Abaca fibers have enormous potential as reinforcement parts in composite materials.

Abaca fiber is typically removed from the leaf sheath by stripping using either a manual or

mechanical operation. Tuxying is used where one of the processes is used. Tuxying is the

separation of the outer sheath, which contains main fibers, from the inner leaf sheath, which

contains secondary fibers. Tuxy refers to the isolated outer leaf sheath. Decortication is an

alternative way of processing abaca fiber. The whole leaf sheath is used in this method to

remove the fiber, recovering both the main and secondary fibers. It is still used today to make

strings, twines, fishing lines, and nets, as well as coarse sacking cloth. Abaca clothes,

curtains, screens, and furnishings also have a thriving niche market. Fiber craft products such

as Abaca rugs, doormats, hats, coasters, hot pads, linen, and handbags became very popular

overseas. After raw fiber exports, the fiber craft industry became the second largest foreign

exchange earner for the Abaca industry. Ropes, twines, aquatic cordage, binders, and cordage

are all examples of cordage materials. Because Abaca fiber is lighter than fiberglass, it has

been approved as a main component in the manufacture of composites used in the automotive

industry (Vijayalakshmi, 2014).

Physical Dimensions of Abaca Fiber

Abaca ultimate fiber cells are 3–15 mm long, 3–30 m in diameter, and have a lumen

width of around 3 m. (Kohler 2006). They are oval or rounded polygons with five or six sides

in cross section. Longitudinally, they eventually taper to a pointed or rounded finish

(Bawagan et al. 1972; Batra 1985; Sun 1998). Fiber cells have a wide lumen and often thin

walls. The hollow arrangement of the fiber cells may have led to the fiber bundle's lower

density. Almost all-natural fibers have cell lengths that are comparable to abaca fabric. The

cell widths of hemp and abaca are each 0.02–0.05 mm (Rowell 1995).

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Abaca’s importance to its procedure

The majority of the current research on abaca's prospects focuses on the fiber's final

applications. Similar to the manufacture of paper from wood pulp, the manufacturing of

abaca into high-value items such as condensers, filters, and other specialty papers necessitates

technologies and expenditure that are out of reach for most villages. However, the

introduction of new value-added abaca products has transformed the abaca market. Even if

the final production of these new goods is undertaken elsewhere, they can offer a viable

source of employment at the state and national levels, as well as new opportunities for export

revenue. In any case, abaca-growing villages are likely to find a demand for greater quantities

of raw fiber made. Instead of increased output, abaca growers and organizations supporting

its production will need to focus on raising the value-added revenue from abaca at the local

level (Lacuna, 2002).

Fiber Supply

There must be a long-term assured supply of capital in every commercial production.

To ensure a continuous supply of fiber, agricultural production land should be managed

through a proactive method of land management with the aim of both sustainable agriculture

and the promotion of healthy habitats. Ecosystem maintenance is not a synonym for

restoration, which may mean benevolent negligence. From a state, national, and global

perspective, sustainable agriculture signifies a balance between conservation and use of

agricultural lands to satisfy both social and economic needs. Sustainable agriculture does not

imply exploitation, but rather aims to satisfy all of the needs of the current generation without

jeopardizing future generations' ability to meet their own needs. It includes, in this case,

continuous fiber processing, multi-land use considerations, and overall habitat protection.

There are several agro-based fibers to consider for utilization. All of them should be

considered for composites in order to take advantage of the special fiber properties that each

13
plant form has to give, not only that we choose one fiber over another. Unless a single fiber

has a market advantage, it will be replaced by whatever resource has a market advantage.

This competitive advantage can be dependent on a variety of factors such as supply, price, or

efficiency. Markets are not driven by desire. Producers and manufacturers of agro-fiber must

identify shared goals and, where appropriate, establish a long-term strategic strategy for the

growth and promotion of an agro-fiber industry (Rowell, 1994).

Economic importance of abaca fiber

Abaca is a very important crop for the Philippine economy. In reality, it is critical to

the global economy and environmental protection. The Philippines is the world's largest

producer of abaca fibers, supplying about 87 percent of global demand for cordage, specialty

papers (for currency notes, stencil paper, teabag, coffee filter/cup, capacitor and insulation

paper, and so on), textiles, furniture and fixtures, handicrafts, novelty items, meat casing,

cosmetics and skin care products, grocery bags, and composites for autistic children. Over the

past half-decade, the Abaca sector has contributed to the country's economy by receiving an

annual average of P4.7 billion in export earnings. Abaca fibers are grown on 176,549

hectares of farmland by over 122,758 farmers, mostly in the Visayas and Mindanao Islands.

In recent years, it has been recognized that, in addition to the significant economic impacts of

Abaca, its use may also have various environmental benefits (PhilFIDA, 2018).

Sustainability Considerations

Environmental Benefits

The United Nations has designated 2009 as the World Year of Natural Fibers. Natural

fiber industries employ millions of people worldwide, especially in developing countries.

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Natural fibers and their derivatives are manufactured in both small and large factories, and

customers all over the world benefit from the given products. The promotion of natural fibers

as a CO2-neutral fuel is thought to lead to a greener world. The fiber and textile industries are

among the most labor-intensive fields, stimulating industrialization in low-wage countries.

This development should be sustainable, which means it should not be at the detriment of the

ecosystem or jobs. Various environmental effects may be identified in the value addition

chain of fiber crop processing and retail supply. The environmental impact factor is

proportional to the amount of fiber products produced and the size of the end-use industry

(Jan E.G, 2008). Other industrial natural fibers are manufactured in much smaller quantities,

totaling less than 6 million tons. These output rates have remained stagnant in recent decades,

and these fibers now only supply a small percentage of the textile fiber industry (2-3 percent)

(FAO statistics).

Social impacts

Abaca harvesting is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process that is often

performed by hand. The plant is grown on 130,000 ha by 90,000 small farmers in the

Philippines, where the majority of abaca comes from. Production takes place mostly on small

farms and provides a living for many peoples, including aboriginal ones. According to the

International Natural Fiber Organization, the Philippines supplies approximately 86% of the

world's abaca demand. Ecuador supplies the remainder. As an export-oriented sector, supply

and demand are heavily influenced by the global economic condition. Output is particularly

vulnerable to weather conditions as an agricultural crop. The abaca market in the Philippines

is mostly small farm holders. Big estates define the sector in Ecuador. There is, however, a

sizable smallholder co-operative movement of abaca farmers (PhilFIDA, 2018).

15
 Abaca Verities

Puti-an

The color of the outer leaf sheath is yellow green with red purple and brown spot, the

inner leaf sheath is watery green. Average weight of mature stalk is 18.65 kg, with a height of

272 cm. Stalks matures at 14-18 months. Fairly soft, white medium to fine textured fiber.

Tensile strength of 49.54 kgf/gm. good producer of suckers with an average of 11 yearly. The

male bus is pink purple to red purple, with a lanceolate in shape. Recommended for cordage

industry, pulp, paper and handicraft making. Susceptible to diseases, and to high velocity of

winds. Also recommended for Southern Tagalog (PhilFIDA, 2019).

Kutay-kutay

The stalk color is light brown to light green. Has a height of 239.7 cm. Shinny pseudo

stem appearance, prolific stooling habit with an average of 20-30 suckers, has an erect lamina

attitude and a blunt lamina tape shape. Earlier maturing at 18 months has an average

circumference of 46.29 cm at the base, 32 cm at the middle, and 20.51 cm at the top. It is one

of the best varieties in the industry and PhilFIDA highly recommends it to the farmer not

only in Mindanao also in the Visayas, the Bicol region and in the eastern seaboard provinces

of Luzon (PhilFIDA, 2019).

Industry prospects

From 1996 to 2000, the Philippine abaca industry maintained a foothold in both

foreign and domestic markets, earning US$80 million per year. Since abaca is an export

16
product, the country's abaca industry has retained its position as the world's largest producer,

accounting for 97 percent of global imports. However, the abaca industry continues to focus

entirely on conventional varieties, and as a result of a lack of effort paid to continuous

varietal improvement, the old abaca varieties have outlived their utility and have now become

easy targets for disease devastation (Lalusin, 2014).

Feature of existing design

It has an emergency stop bar strategically placed directly in front of the operator, as

well as an engine accelerator, a decorticating drum braking system, and a belt tensioner. The

machine is not supposed to run unless the emergency stop bar is engaged. To avoid and ham,

the feed chute barrier should only be opened by stepping on the pedal, which should be

released upon insertion of the leaf sheaths end. Decorticating blades that attach to the wall.

Anvil made of high carbon tool steel that can be replaced eight times one each surface has

worn away. It is designed to absorb rapid impact in order to protect the decorticating blades,

anvil and pillow block bearings. Torsion bar suspension design allows for simple access to

trash for disposal. Powered by an 8-horse power diesel engine (KTH, Stockholm, Sweden,

2019).

Discussion and methods of existing design

The existing decorticating, a semi-mechanical method that uses revolving blades to

process the entire abaca leaf sheath, is another semi-mechanical technique. This has both

advantages and disadvantages. Productivity increases at the price of fiber quality. Because no

tuxying is necessary, a time-consuming phase in the process can be skipped; nevertheless, the

output will be of poor quality as a result of a mixture of various tuxy layers of both primary

and secondary fibers. Furthermore, because the decorticating machine cannot remove a whole

piece of sheath at once, a regrip to strip the opposite side of the in-going piece is still

17
required. The most effective method of extraction is decortication, which may achieve a

production level of 140 kg per day at the expense of inferior fiber quality. Taking into

account the entire weight of the trunk, the hand stripping technique yields a 1% yield of

fibers (or 28% of the extractable fibers). The decortication machine is the most productive

stripping device, yielding 3.34 percent of total trunk weight or up to 95 percent of total fiber

content. The fiber content and yield, of course, differ between varieties (KTH, Stockholm,

Sweden, 2019).

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 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter provides an overview of the research methods used in the review. The

researcher explains the study's research design locale, location, materials chosen for the

purpose of this study, and the reasons for this selection. The instrument used for data

collection is also mentioned, and the procedures followed to carry out this analysis. The

techniques used to interpret the data are also discussed by the researcher.

Research Design

Procedural Framework

The first step is to conceptualize the design. The next step is to prepare all of the

materials that would be utilized. Next is the fabrication of the machines to their various

pieces based on their size and shape. The machine's performance was evaluated once it has

been tested and adjusted. A variety of experiments were carried out to assess the machine's

efficiency. At this point, we can determine whether the machine functions effectively by

assessing its performance in terms of stripping capacity, stripping efficiency, fiber recovery,

and power consumption using different varieties of abaca and the sizes of pulley. During this

stage, various changes were made to comply with the overall objectives of the study. Data

will be interpreted and analyzed. Results are written on the report. The procedural framework

of the study was shown in Figure 1.

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 CONCEPTUALIZATION OF THE DESIGN

PREPARATION OF MATERIALS

DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF THE

MACHINE

TESTING AND ADJUSTMENT EVALUATION

INTERPRATATION AND ANALYSIS OF

REPORT

REPORT WRITING

Figure 1. Procedural Framework of the design and development of abaca strippers.

Locale of the Study

The design and fabrication of Abaca Stripper Machine was conducted at the oval open

stage. It was be chosen as the locale of the study since this place is more suitable for our

study and far from the many people to passed by and necessary materials are assembled and

produced based on plan and design.

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Location

The performance evaluation of Abaca Striper Machine will be conducted in Jose Rizal

Memorials State University (JRMSU) Tampilisan Campus, Znac, Tampilisan, Zamboanga

del Norte.

Existing Design of Abaca Stripper Machine

A semi-mechanical method that uses revolving blades to process the entire abaca leaf

sheath, is another semi-mechanical technique. It is designed to absorb rapid impact in order to

protect the decorticating blades, anvil and pillow block bearings.

Figure 2. Existing Design of Abaca Stripper Machine

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 Research Instrument

The design of this Abaca stripper is shown in figure 3-8. This type of machine, the

abaca stripper is designed to assist farmers in producing fiber more quickly and easily. It also

aimed to assess the machine's performance and to determine what the best requirement would

be to help increase the capacity and efficiency of the various processes.

Figure 3. Perspective view of the Abaca Stripper Machine using sketch-up.

The researcher plans to create this design because the existing design is not well

modernized and its capabilities are limited, the quality will be low. For this application, the

design was created in sketch-up 2014 version. It is user-friendly and easy to use and you can

create your desired design that appears to be real because you can shape the design. This

machine is intended to be used for a purpose that benefits abaca farmers, consumers, and

industry. It is a huge help in facilitating the production of high-quality fibers.

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Mechanism of the Machine

The machine functions when it is plugged in. The abaca is placed on the feeding

conveyor until it reaches rotating blades. Then the process of stripping will start until fiber is

produced. It will then come out to the discharge conveyors and it will put into the razor blade

for final fiber output. Cleaning will be done after using the machine to improve the longevity

of the machine and to make it ready for the next operation.

Design Conceptualization

Figure 4. Front view of the abaca stripper machine

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Figure 5. Left Side view of the abaca stripper machine

Figure 6. Right Side view of the abaca stripper machine

24
Figure 7. Back view of the abaca stripper machine

Figure 8. Top view of the abaca stripper

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 Experimental Design

The experimental design to test the performance of the construct machine is done

using Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with eight (6) treatments and having three (3)

replications:

The experimental treatments for the stripper machine base on stripping process are

indicated below:

T1= twelve (12) inches diameter, Kutay-kutay

T2 = twelve (12) inches diameter, Puti-an

T3= fourteen (14) inches diameter, Kutay-kutay

T4= fourteen (14) inches diameter, Puti-an

T5= sixteen (16) inches diameter Kutay-kutay

T6= sixteen (16) inches diameter, Puti-an

Experimental layout

TREATMENTS

RANDOMIZED
T1(kutay2) T2(puti-an) T3(kutay2) T4(puti-an) T5(kutay2) T6(puti-an)
REPLICATION

R1(12) T1R1 T2R1 T3R1 T4R1 T5R1 T6R1

R2(14) T1R2 T2R2 T3R2 T4R2 T5R2 T6R2

R3(16) T1R3 T2R3 T3R3 T4R3 T5R3 T6R3

Table 1. Randomized Complete Block Design Treatment of Abaca Stripping Machine

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 Data Gathering Procedure

The researcher takes time, commitment and collaboration in order to demonstrate the

accuracy of the data in order to show the validity of the results. The following are the data to

be gathered during the test: time (the duration of the test), number of abaca sheath per time of

the test, quantity of the fiber collected. Performance evaluation will follow and this is carried

out to collect and verify data on total abaca stripper performance.

For the operation and gathering of data of the abaca stripper machine the procedures

and steps below are followed:

1. Abaca variety to be used in the test are Kutay-kutay and Puti-an.

2. The abaca will be weighed before feeding it to the feeding chute then the total

time of operation will be recorded. The abaca fiber will be weighed.

3. The abaca fiber will be hanged and exposed it to the sunlight half day.

4. Evaluation of the stripping capacity, efficiency, recovery and electric

consumption will be performed and the revolution per minutes of the rotating parts will be

measured.

5. Operation will be repeated three times in every treatment in the same manner

to minimize the error of closure and to determine their average capacity, efficiency and

performance of the machine.

6. Cleaning will be done after using the machine to improve the longevity of the

machine and to make it ready for the next operation.

27
Duration of the test

When the abaca fiber is automatically fed in the conveyor, the time of the test starts

and ends after feeding of the last batch of abaca sheaths and it shall be recorded as operating

time.

Performance Evaluation

Stripping Capacity

Stripping capacity is defined to be the mass of abaca feed per unit time. It is acquired

by calculating the total time of operation in units of an hour, divided by the mass of abaca

feed on the feeding chute in kg.

Stripping capacity is

W fe
C S= (Eq. 1)
To

Where:

CS = Stripping Capacity, kg/h

W fe= fresh weight of the extracted fiber, kg

To = Total time of operation, h

Stripping Efficiency

The stripping efficiency is determined by dividing the total weight of dried extracted

fiber to the total wet weight of extracted fiber multiplied by 100 (one hundred).

W dfe
Effs = x 100 (Eq. 2)
W wfc

Where:

28
 Effs = Stripping Efficiency, %

W dfc= weight of dried extracted fiber, kg

W wfc = total wet weight of collected fiber, kg.

Stripping Recovery

The ratio between the fresh weight of the strip collected and the total fresh weight of

the stripper input, expressed in percent.

W fe
x 100 %=Sr (Eq. 3)
Wi

Where:

W fe = fresh weight of the extracted fiber, kg

Wi = fresh weight of the input

Sr = stripping recovery, %

Extraction Loss

Total weight of losses collected.

W fe
Le = (1- ¿ x 100 (Eq. 4)
W pfc
Where:

Le = stripping recovery, %

W fe = fresh weight of the extracted fiber, kg

W i = fresh weight of the input

29
Electricity Consumption

Electricity consumption is electricity consumed by the electric motor. Measured in

watts per volts time of operation.

Electric Consumption is measured using this formula:

W x T (Eq. 5)
Where:
W = wattage

T = time of operation in hour

Cost and Return Analysis

The following is the equation that is use in evaluating the cost and return in designing

the abaca stripper machine.

Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR)

This is the ratio of the gross income to the total operating cost. The present worth of

benefits divided by the present worth of costs. This is calculated using the formula.

Gross Benefit
BCR= (Eq . 6)
Total operating cost

Payback Period (PBP)

Payback period is the length of time it takes to recover the invested capital or until the

net benefits equal the investment cost. This is calculated using the formula.

30
 Investment Cost
PBP= (Eq . 7)
Average annual net benefits

Method of Data Analysis

Statistical Tool

In evaluating the experiment, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to determine

the significant effect of each factor and Tukey’s test was used to determine the difference

between the combined treatments.

31
 CHAPTER IV

RESULT AND DISCUSSIONS

This chapter covers the development and evaluation of the performance of the abaca

stripper driven by electric motor that considered what is the best performance requirement to

the machine in terms of its capacity, efficiency, recovery and electric consumption and the

actual design.

Actual Design

Figure 9. Actual Picture of the Designed Abaca Stripper Machine.

Locale of Fabrication

The machine start fabricated on August until December 2021, at Poblacion, Kalawit

Zamboanga del Norte.

32
 Figure 10. Google Map of Fabrication of the Machine

Visit and Testing of the Machine

It was visited two times by the panelists and the adviser the pre-visit or the pre-testing

and the final visit. Pre-visit was happened on September 21, 2021, during the pre-testing of

the machine the abaca was crumpled and the panelists gives some comments and suggestion.

There was some development and adjustment of the machine. After that December 12, 2021,

was the final visit gladly there was a progress of the machine the abaca was not crumpled

anymore and made two changes of the machine such as the removal of the discharge wheel

and the razor blade was transferred.

Date Activity/Task Owner Deliberation/Output Status

33
1st week of  Preparation of Gil &  Electric Motor
August to Materials Mejoy  Belt conveyor
2nd week  V-belt
of August  Shaft
 Galvanized sheet
 Angle bar
 Flat bar Done
 Round bar
 Bolts & Nuts
 Pulley
 Pillow Block
 GI Pipe
 Ball bearing
 Engine sprocket

2nd week of  Fabrication of Gil &  Abaca Stripper Machine

August to the Machine Mejoy Done
1st week of
December
2nd week  Testing of the Gil &  Data gathered (Stripping
to last machine Mejoy Capacity, Recovery, Efficiency
week of and electric consumption. Done
December Duration of the test; Number of
abaca sheath per time of the
test; Quantity of the fiber
collected);
1st week of  Data Analysis Gil &  Analyze the data gathered
January to Mejoy (Stripping Capacity, Recovery,
1st week of Efficiency and electric
February consumption. Duration of the Done
test; Number of abaca sheath
per time of the test; Quantity of
the fiber collected);
2nd week  Interpretation Gil &  Final result and cost and
of of result Mejoy Return analysis (Payback
February Period (PBP) and Benefit CostDone
to last Ratio (BCR))
week of
February
March -  Report Writing Gil &  Final manuscript On- Going
April Mejoy
Table 2. Time Frame Schedule of Design, Development and Performance Evaluation of
Abaca Stripper Driven by Electric Motor

Parts and Components of the Machine

34
 Figure 11. Parts and Components of the Designed Abaca Stripper Machine

The dimension of the machine has the length of 1.49 m, the width of 0.66 m and the

height of 0.89 m. The feeding chute is made from steel serves as the inlet of the abaca, the

design is for safety and convenient entrance of the abaca. Rotating blades are attached to

perform the operation of the stripper machine it crushes the abaca stalk into fiber. The

conveyor will transport the fiber to the machine's exterior. The razor blades are metal bar

used to perform the last operation of the machine, where the abaca turns into a good quality

of fiber. Pulley is a wheel on an axle or shaft that is designed to support the movement and

direction change of a taut belt, as well as the transfer of power between the shaft and the belt.

The frame will support the machine, it holds all the machine parts including the electric

motor and a switch that serves as on/off of the operation.

Stripping Capacity of Abaca Machine (kg/hour)

35
 The weight of the abaca stalk fed into the machine over the total time of operation is

the stripping machine actual operation capacity, which is referred to as the stripping capacity

as used in the study. The graphical presentation for the abaca stripping capacity is shown on

Figure12.

Average Abaca Stripping Capacity (kg/hr)

6 5.6
5.53
5.14 5.13
5

3.95 3.87
4
kg/hr

0
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6
Treatment

Figure 12. Average Abaca Stripping Capacity (kg/hr) of abaca stripper.

Based on the result of the study, T4 having the 14-inch pulley diameter and puti-an

variety has the highest stripping capacity having an average of 5.60 kg/hr. The lowest

stripping capacity of the machine is on T6 which has 16-inch pulley diameter with an average

stripping capacity of 3.87 kg/hr. Perhaps the reason for the low capacity is due to the size of

the pulley which has a 16-inch diameter. It was determined using statistical tool that the

pulley inch diameter of samples was significant to stripping capacity.

Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig.

Between Groups 10.150 5 2.030 3.928 .024

36
Within Groups 6.201 12 .517
Total 16.351 17
Table 3. ANOVA for stripping capacity

The interpretation of the results of these tests was based on the calculated p-value of

the data, with 5% significance level (α =0.05 ). If the p-value is equal to or smaller than the

significance level, there is a significant difference between the results obtained. Moreover, if

the p-value is less than 0.01, this means they are highly significant. On the other hand, if p-

value is higher than the significance level, there is no significant difference between the two

or more obtained results.

Stripping Efficiency of Abaca Machine (%)

The weight of the dried extracted fiber over the wet weight of the extracted fiber is the

efficiency of the stripping machine. Figure 13 shows the machines stripping efficiency.

Average Stripping Efficiency (%)

30 28.5
27.05 26.24
25 23.25 22.89
20
15.06
15
%

10

0
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6
Treatment

Figure 13. Average Abaca Stripping Efficiency of Abaca Stripper.

T1 had an average of 23.25 %, T2 = 15.06 %, T3 = 28.5 %, T4 = 22.89 %, T5 = 27.05

%, T6 = 26.24 %. The graph shows the treatment with the highest stripping efficiency is T3

37
having the 14-inch pulley diameter and kutay-kutay variety. However, the lowest stripping

efficiency is on T2 having 15.06 % stripping efficiency.

Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig.

Between Groups 348.073 5 69.615 3.502 .035

Within Groups 238.560 12 19.880
Total 586.633 17

Table 4. ANOVA for stripping efficiency

The significance level for stripping efficiency is .035 the pulley inch diameter of

samples was significant as to the stripping efficiency.

Stripping Recovery of Abaca Machine (%)

Stripping recovery is defined to be the total weight of the strip collected over the total

weight of the abaca fed on the machine. Figure 12 shows the graphical presentation of the

abaca stripping recovery

Average Stripping Recovery (%)

18 17.06
16 15.54 15.39
14.24
14 12.96 12.69
12
10
%

8
6
4
2
0
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6
Treatment

Figure 12. Average Abaca Stripping Recovery of Abaca Stripper.

38
 Abaca stripping recovery of the abaca stripper machine. T1 had the average of 17.06

%, T2 = 15.54 %, T3 = 12.96 %, T4 = 15.39 %, T5 = 14.24 %, T6 = 12.69 %. shows the

treatment with the highest stripping recovery is T1 having 12-inch pully diameter and kutay-

kutay variety. The lowest stripping recovery is on T6 having 12.69 % stripping recovery. The

pulley inch diameter of samples was significant as to the stripping recovery.

Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig.

Between Groups 42.210 5 8.442 3.660 .030

Within Groups 27.682 12 2.307

Total 69.892 17

Table 5. ANOVA for stripping recovery

The significance level for stripping recovery is .030 the pulley inch diameter of

samples was significant as to the stripping recovery.

Electric Consumption of Abaca Machine

The Abaca Stripper Machine test also includes determining its electric consumption

on a period of time of operation in every treatment. Factors influencing the electric

consumption of electric motor is the length of time of operation and the size of the pulley.

Definitely when the sizes of the pulley are bigger the higher electric consumption produce.

Figure 13 shows the Average of electric consumption of the abaca stripper machine.

39
 Average Electric Consumption (kWh)
T6 0.79

T5 0.69

T4 0.54
Treatment

T3 0.43

T2 0.67

T1 0.59
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9
kWH

Figure 13. Average of Electric Fuel Consumption

Consumption (kWh) of abaca stripper.

T1 had an average of 0.59 kWh, T2 = 0.67 kWh, T3 = 0.43 kWh, t4 = 0.54 kWh, T5 =

0.69 kWh, T6 = 0.79 kWh. The graph shows the highest electric consumption is T6 having

16-inch pulley diameter and puti-an variety. The lowest electric consumption is on T3 having

0.43 kWh.

Table 6. ANOVA for electric consumption

Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig.

Between Groups .243 5 .049 9.401 .001

Within Groups .062 12 .005

Total .306 17

The significance level for electric consumption is .001 the pulley inch diameter of

samples was significant as to the electric consumption.

Cost and Return Analysis of Abaca Stripper

40
 Farm machinery cost can be computed with different parameters: investment

cost, fixed cost which occurs regardless of the machine used. Fixed cost includes

depreciation, investment on capital, tax and insurance, repair and maintenance while variable

cost includes only power consumption.

Payback period is the length of time it takes to recover the invested capital or

until the net benefits equal the investment cost. The PBP of the abaca stripper machine was

calculated as investment cost gains divided by the average annual net benefits. Assuming the

approximate price of the machine is ₱ 100,000 with its investment cost of ₱ 98,767 it had a

payback period of 0.20158 years. This meant that the initial cost of the investment could be

recovered instantly after approximately three months

The Benefit-cost ratio is defined as the ratio of the gross income to the total operating

cost. As shown in the Table 3. the machine has a BCR of 7.33 which means the study is more

economically feasible.

Cost and Return Analysis

Investment Cost ₱ 98, 767
Total Fixed Cost ₱ 58, 302.53
Gross Benefits ₱ 525,960
Payback Period 0.20158 or 3 months
Benefit-cost Ratio 7.33

Table 3. Summary of Cost and Return Analysis of the Abaca Stripper Machine.

41
 CHAPTER V

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter contains the summary, conclusion and recommendations of the whole

study. The summary summarizes the study without providing too much detail. The

conclusion will include generalizations and other interferences, as well as the

recommendation of the researcher for the near future. Generally, this chapter aims to cover up

the end result of the study.

Summary

This study fabricated an abaca stripper that incorporates the abaca stripping process.

A series of replicated test, data gathering evaluation and analysis on the results obtained was

performed during the experiment in order to determine what must be the optimum

requirements of different parameters were the abaca stripping capacity, stripping efficiency,

stripping recovery and electric consumption. Cost and return analysis were also performed in

order to determined its benefits cost ratio, return on investment and payback period.

Abaca stripper machine with pully diameter 12, 14, and 16 are tested on two different

varieties of abaca which are kutay-kutay and puti-an in three replications if there be any

significant difference between the factors of pully diameter size and varieties at defined

parameters. Using One-way Analysis of Variance, it was determined that on stripping

capacity, efficiency and recovery parameter, varieties don’t affect the stripping capacity of

the machine apart from the diameter of pully. On the other hand, both the varieties and the

size of pully diameter affects the parameter of stripping efficiency and stripping recovery.

42
Conclusion

As the result of the development and performance evaluation of abaca stripper

machine, the stripping capacity, efficiency and recovery is best on the use of electric motor.

Regardless of how the electric consumption the machine was test in three (3) replications in

order to know the rate of consumptions in kilogram per hour.

The statement above shows that the best factor in terms of stripping capacity and

efficiency in achieving the good quality of outcome to produce fiber is pulley #14 as for its

fiber recovery from pulley #12 the difference is point ahead. However, the fiber recovery

output is best in pulley #12 but not good in terms of stripping capacity and efficiency. Yet the

study contemplates its objective that the machine would be a great help to the Abaca farmers

in producing output by the demand of market and consumer. The Abaca stripper machine has

208.60% Return of investment (ROI) and 7.33 Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) that warrant the

abaca farmers will benefit form this innovation in generating a good income by the utilization

of Abaca Plants into good quality fibers.

Recommendations

The findings of this study, the following listed below as per recommended:

 The capacity of feeding chute

 Razor will be incorporated with the mechanism and

 Under its mechanism guiding chamber is built.

43
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