Design and Parameter Optimization of a Lightweight Fold-Line Ramie Decorticator

To address the problems of high labor intensity and unstable decortication quality regarding ramie decortication, this study designed a lightweight fold-line ramie decorticator using “Chuanzhu No. 16” ramie as the research object. First, a five-stage continuous decortication scheme comprising pressing, conveying, decorticating, throwing, and receiving was adopted. Structural design and theoretical analysis were conducted on main components, such as the decorticating device, to determine working parameters including fin shape, drum speed, and fin number. By analyzing the beating-decortication process of ramie stalks and constructing a simulation model, single-factor dynamic simulation experiments of decortication were carried out using the ANSYS 2024 R1/LS-DYNA module to compare three fin structures: straight tooth, inclined tooth, and curved tooth. The results showed that the curved tooth had the worst overall performance, with the lowest fresh-stem fiber extraction rate and the highest impurity content of raw fiber; the inclined tooth had the highest fiber extraction rate but higher impurity content than the straight tooth; the straight tooth had the lowest impurity content but a slightly lower fiber extraction rate than the inclined tooth. The fin inclination angle was the key to balancing these two indicators, providing a basis for subsequent inclination angle experiments. According to a three-factor, three-level quadratic orthogonal combination experimental design, experiments were carried out. By means of analysis of variance and response surface analysis, the optimal working parameters of the lightweight fold-line ramie decorticator were determined as follows: a fin inclination angle of 5°, a decorticating drum speed of 550 r·min−1, and a fin number of 18. For prototype verification, the decorticating drum speed was set to 550 r·min−1, the fin inclination angle to 5°, and the fin number to 18. The measured average fresh-stem fiber extraction rate was 4.82%, and the average impurity content of raw fiber was 1.25%, which satisfies the technical standards for ramie decorticators. This direct-feeding device can realize continuous flattening, conveying, and beating-decortication of ramie, simplify the structure of the decorticator, and improve its operational performance and decortication quality. The research results can provide a reference for the development of fiber beating-decortication prototypes.