Design and Development of Engine Driven Warqe ( Ensete Ventricosum ) Decorticating Machine

Warqe processing is carried out dominantly by women using traditional tools such as a bamboo scraper and wooden plank. The processing practice of warqe into food remained traditional and inefficient. The decortication process through which the separation of fiber and core takes place has been time consuming, much energy demanding and cause drudgery, and unhygienic due to the use of traditional decorticator that consisting of bamboo scraper and wooden plank. In light of the above, effort was made to develop mechanical warqe decorticator in order to improve the processing performances. The objective of this work was to design, fabricate the essential components, assemble, test and evaluate the performance in terms of decortication efficiency, throughput capacity, reliability, simplicity, safety, and cost. The functional parts of the machine included drum beater, breastplate, reduction gears, diesel engine, collecting box, chain and sprocket, feeding table, pulleys, transmission belts, rollers, engine seat, and bearings. The machine was manufactured using locally available materials to minimize cost. The design can further be improved to have better decorticating efficiency and throughput and low cost through the use of materials like aluminum and plastics rather than stainless steel and there is also the possibility of improving on the design and fabrication in view simplifying for mass production which can also attract private manufacturers.