Table 1 presents the grading results of jute fibres, showcasing their commercial grades based on the IS:7032-1986 and IS:271-2003 standards. Fibres isolated from post-vegetative phase main stems, subjected to biological and combined biological-chemical treatments, were classified as TD-6+8% and TD5+87% grades, respectively. The grade difference was primarily attributed to the additional retting with urea liquor, which led to a reduction in hemicellulose and lignin content in the fibres
(Saha et al., 2017). Similarly,
Emmanuel Oduwaye et al., (2017) conducted a study on kenaf stems retted with different concentrations of urea liquor and analyzed the characteristics of the resulting fibres. The research demonstrated that urea liquors enhanced the retting process due to their higher enzyme activity, resulting in fibres with superior mechanical properties. However, their study did not evaluate the impact of kenaf plant age or fibre quality. In the case of post-vegetative phase Sunnhempfibres, urea treatment outperformed compost culture and the control in terms of mechanical properties and retting period
(Vanishree et al., 2019). These findings align with the current research, indicating that urea treatment uniformly enhances the fibres’ quality in various plant types during the post-vegetative phase. However, further research is needed to substantiate this claim, as it contrasts with the findings of
Dhanalaxmi et al., (2013) regarding Mesta plants. Comparisons with the research conducted by
Banik et al., (2007) also reveal the superiority of mixed biological and chemical treatment as a retting strategy for jute fibre extraction, regardless of the plant phase (vegetative or post-vegetative).
The primary objective of this study was to determine the viability of jute seed crops in terms of yielding fibres beneficial to the textile industry. Table 1 provides unequivocal evidence that jute seed crops can produce commercial-grade fibres (TD5 to TD6) suitable for hessian and sack production. The secondary goal of the research, as presented in Table 2, highlights the advantages of jute seed crop fibre extraction without compromising seed production. Regardless of the type of dryland farming, the collection of 30,000 to 50,000 plants per acre resulted in satisfactory seed yields. Each jute plant, with a length of 4-6 ft, can yield 8-15 g of jute fibre without affecting seed production. Therefore, economically viable fibre extraction could lead to an additional production of 4-5 quintals of fibre per acre, providing a significant advantage for farmers. Moreover, the separation of branches containing seeds from the main stems, which are intended for fibre extraction, can reduce agricultural waste by 30 to 50%. However, the current manual method of separating branches from main stems in large quantities is impractical. There are no suitable reports addressing this type of separation, underscoring the urgent need for innovative and cost-effective equipment to streamline this labor-intensive process and enable the efficient separation of fibres and seeds from jute plants harvested for their seeds.
Considering the industrial applications of post-vegetative phase fibres obtained through dryland farming, it is evident that harvesting both fibres and seeds would be beneficial for farmers. However, the manual separation of branches from main stems poses significant challenges on a large scale due to the inherent labor-intensive nature of the process. This issue becomes apparent when examining the geometric characteristics of the jute plant, as presented in Table 3. The manual separation requires bending along the length of the main stem (approximately 5 ft) to detach the branches. Consequently, a new machine has been developed, as depicted in Fig 2 and Fig 3 and minor modifications have been made to the dryland farming procedure, as illustrated in Fig 4.
Fig 2 provides a practical approach for separating fibres and seeds from jute crops harvested for seed. The harvesting process outlined above remains intact for obtaining high-quality dryland jute seeds. Once the seeds have fully matured, the main stems and branches need to be separated using the proposed technique. This involves growing or harvesting jute seeds, removing weeds, nurturing jute plants with appropriate fertilizers, trimming the main stalks when they reach 3 to 5 feet and allowing the plants to mature until the seeds ripen. In the next step, the primary stems of the plants are cut at the base in the early morning of winter to prevent seed loss. The revolutionary machine is then employed to separate the main stems from the branches without causing damage to the seeds. The machine is designed to cut branches growing in 360-degree directions from top to bottom. Following the base trimming, the chopped branches are sun-dried for 10-15 days on a tarp. Once dried, the branches are processed for seed extraction using a combine harvester. For optimal seed quality, the branches should be sufficiently dry to enable effective extraction by the combine harvester, which requires less power compared to processing the entire plant.
Considering the auxiliary features listed in Table 3, particularly the radial distance between the main stem and the nearest matured seedpod (10-15 cm) and the relatively straight main stems, it is evident that a machine is required to separate the branches along the main stem without damaging the seedpods. This analysis of the problem statement, coupled with a review of relevant literature presented in Table 4, indicates a lack of existing methods or machine tools for effectively separating the seeds from the fibre source during seed extraction. However, the analysis suggests various factors to consider for the development of a machine tool, including stripping and cutting techniques for branch separation, seedpod picking, direction of feeding and plant handling. The development of the machine tool requires further investigation and research.
To conduct static analysis, the CAD model of the machine was imported into the Fusion 360 program. The material qualities, size and performance of the components were determined based on the availability of market parts such as bearings, pulleys, motors and cutting blades. The frame, which holds all the components together, underwent loading analysis as a single unit, considering the weights of the remaining components (300N). The frame was constructed using Steel AISI 1008-91 HR, possessing specific characteristics such as density, tensile strength, yield strength, elastic modulus and Poisson’s ratio. Fig 5 presents the analysis results, including displacement, strain, stress and factor of safety. Table 5 provides an overview of the outcomes, indicating that the suggested frame design can withstand all static stresses without failure, ensuring a promising level of safety. However, there is room for improvement in terms of material selection and mass reduction, which requires a more comprehensive analysis. The subsequent phase of the study will focus on the detailed design of each component and outline the manufacturing process of the machine.
