Diseño de un desfrutador de palma africana de 12 t/h considerando factores de seguridad y factibilidad

Abstract

An African palm fruit thresher with a 12 t/h capacity is designed to support the Ecuadorian palm sector; the project aims to size the main components, select the drive system, deliver detailed manufacturing drawings, and estimate fabrication costs. The hypothesis states that a locally adapted design using available materials can reduce downtime and product losses in small and medium scale plantations. A mechanical design methodology was applied and the system was modeled in Inventor/ANSYS; A36 structural steel was selected for the frame and AISI 4340 for the main shaft, and finite element verifications were performed. A drum of Ø 1.5 m and 4 m length was sized to operate at approximately 21 rpm, providing a residence time of 7.42 min; a design torque of 5.38 kN·m was obtained and a 20 HP gearmotor was selected. The main results showed 79.04 MPa maximum von Mises stress, 0.756 mm maximum deformation, a 2.31 fatigue safety factor, and a first modal frequency of 37.18 Hz versus an estimated excitation of 29.58 Hz. The design proves technical and economic feasibility, with an estimated cost of USD 17,978.18 enabling local implementation and accessible maintenance. Keywords: Agroindustry, Mechanical Design, Sustainability, Finite Element Analysis, Thresher.