Development of cotton fiber preparation machine from knowledge base for spin cotton thread group in Loei Province

Abstract

This research aimed to design and developed a cotton fiber preparation machine based on local knowledge for the cotton-spinning group in Loei Province. The objective was to reduce the time and labor burden on the group's elderly members. The machine was designed as a semi-automatic system capable of performing both seed separation and cotton fluffing within a single unit. Emphasis was placed on ease of operation, safety, simple maintenance, and compatibility with single-phase electrical power. The study revealed that the fabricated machine measured 75 cm in width, 114 cm in length, and 108.5 cm in height. Its operational mechanism comprised three distinct components: a seed-ginning blade set, a cotton-fluffing blade set, and a conveyor roller shaft assembly coupled with a centrifugal fan. Performance evaluation showed that the machine could efficiently gin and fluff the 'Khao Yai' cotton variety at an average rate of 55.50 kg/hour. This was achieved with the seed-ginning blades operating at 620 revolutions per minute (rpm) and the fluffing blades at 1,250 rpm. The processed cotton exhibited high quality, with 30.27% by weight being clean, impurity-free fiber, while 69.73% by weight consisted of cotton seeds and associated impurities. Economic analysis indicated that the break-even point for using the machine was 3,490.33 kilograms per year.