Dimapilis, Arjay P.

BS Agricultural Engineering 4-1

Mojica, Marco Agricultural Machinery Design
Rivera, Cheenee E.

Introduction

Abaca (Musa textilis Nee), is indigenous to the Philippines and its fiber is known
worldwide as Manila hemp. The fiber is obtained from the leaf sheaths of the abaca plant which
is similar to banana in appearance. At present, there are only two countries commercially
producing abaca fiber, the Philippines and Ecuador. The abaca varieties in Ecuador originally
came from the
Philippines, particularly from Mindanao.
Abaca is grown practically all over the Philippines, except in the northernmost part of the
country. At present, some 121,400 hectares are planted to abaca in the country involving 76,100
farmers. The abaca areas are mostly located in Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Southern and Western
Mindanao and Caraga.
The Philippines supplies about 84% of the world abaca fiber requirements while Ecuador
supplies about 16%. During the last five years, the Philippines produced an annual average of
about 68,000 metric tons of abaca fiber. Of the total, 76% were processed locally into pulp,
cordage and fiber crafts, mostly for export. The remaining 24% were exported in raw form.
Demand for abaca, particularly in pulp form has been increasing due to the growing
concern for environmental protection and forest conservation which provided more opportunities
for natural fibers, like abaca. It is expected that demand for abaca fiber, particularly by local pulp
processors will continue to expand as world demand for abaca pulp continued to grow.
Abaca fiber is extracted from the leaf sheath around the base of the abaca plant.
Harvesting of abaca stalks usually takes place between 18 and 24 months from the first shoots.
When mature, an abaca plant will have about 12 to 30 leaf stalks, each approximately 12 to 20
feet high. Subsequent harvest is done at 3 to 4 month intervals.
 The abaca fibers are used in the production of handicraft products such as fashion
accessories, decorative accessories, furniture, garments, textile, packaging materials, table-top
accessories, playthings for pets, sports paraphernalia.
Abaca fibers are also used in sinamay weaving. Sinamay is of less gossamer tissue, but
almost transparent and far more durable than the fabrics made from pineapple fiber. Sinamay
materials are used in making gift boxes; packaging materials, decorative accessories, wall
covering; draperies, fashion accessories, footwear; table top accessories and more.
Abaca fibers are also used in pulp -making which are used as raw material in the
production of currency and bank notes, tea bags, coffee filters, meat casings, coating for pills,
surgical caps and masks, high capacitor papers, cable insulation papers, Bible paper, restoration
and conservation of historical documents, adhesive tape paper, lens tissue, carbonizing tissue,
abrasive base paper, mimeograph stencil base paper, weather-proof bristol , maps, charts, as a
strengthening material for napkins and tissue paper; insulation for computer chips, etc.
Abaca fibers also have several medical and industrial applications: such as for ortophedic
materials (joint replacements and fracture healing implants); as material composites to replace
glass fibers in the manufacturing of cars, planes, yachts. For building materials such as fiber
boards, ceramic tiles, wall facades, plumbing fixtures, reinforced concrete and roofing, caulking,
flooring, electricity poles, in the production of sporting goods, telephones , cleaners and paints
and more.

Objectives
The objective of the study is to design a mechanical abaca stripper based on PAES 254.

Discussion

It starts with the tumbling of the stalk, which leaf sheaths are either tuxied or separated
depending on the extraction process employed. If the process is stripping, tuxies are used; if
decortication, the raw materials are leaf sheaths.
A stalk of abaca contains fiber equivalent to 3-4% of its weight depending on variety,
maturity, and source of the plant. The method of extraction influences fiber recovery. At 3.5%
fiber content of abaca stalks, manual stripping yields 1% fiber or 28% of the recoverable fiber;
spindle stripping recovers 1.5% or 43% of the total fiber content while the decortication process
produces 3.34% fiber by weight of the stalk or 95% of the total recoverable fiber.
Tuxying is the process of extracting the fiber from the leaf sheaths. A specially-made
tuxying knife is used to make an incision through the inner and middle layer of each sheath,
close to the base or butt end to remove the outer layer.
The strips, or “tuxies,” obtained from this process are then put through a cleaning
process, called stripping, in which all pulpy material is scraped off and the strands of fiber are
freed. In the Philippines, the two common stripping methods in use are hand-stripping and
spindle stripping.
Hand-stripping (hagotan) is a simple yet laborious method. The strip, or tuxy, is inserted
between a block and the stripping knife, then pulled with force from the tip end of the tuxy to
separate the fiber from any waste.
The spindle stripping method involves winding the fibers around a tapered-shaped
spindle which is kept in motion by an electric motor or an engine. A spindle stripped fiber tends
to be whiter and more lustrous than a corresponding grade of hand stripped fiber.

The machine consists of a feeding table, guide roller, knife assembly, presser, puller,
power drive, pedal, and frame assembly. A set of rollers is mounted in the feeding table to allow
the leaf sheath to move freely towards the knife. This is followed by a guide roller that directs
the leaf sheath to the blade assembly. A roller is mounted and pressed on top of the knife
assembly. It flattens the leaf sheath as it goes through the knife. The knife then cuts and separates
the outer from the inner portions of the leaf sheath as two contra-rotating rollers pull it out. The
whole assembly is mounted on a frame with two wheels and handle for easy transport. In
operating the machine, the foot pedal is pressed down to create an opening between the presser
and the puller. The leaf sheath is then inserted in the opening between the two rollers. The foot
pedal is released and the tuxy is manually pulled. A gasoline engine is used to power the
machine.

References
http://www.dap.edu.ph/cshd/unep_biomass/non-energy/NE%20Pdf/MechTuxer_Phils.pdf
http://www.abacaphilippines.com/abaca.php?go=about&show=uses
https://ecokaila.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/how-to-make-abaca-fiber/
APPENDICES
Figure 1. Abaca Tree
Figure 2. Hand Stripping

Figure 3. Spindle Stripping

Figure 4. Stationary Single Pedal Spindle Type Abaca Stripper (Stationary)

Figure 5. Stationary Single Pedal Spindle Type Abaca Stripper (Stationary)