Production :
From leaf sheath to plate is a whole process and consists of a few steps. Below the different steps are expained from harvesting the material till the disposal of the final product.
1. Harvest
Areca palms leaves with the sheaths attached to it fall naturally from the trees three four times a year. By simply picking them up from the ground they are harvested.The amount of sheaths that can be collected from one tree at a time is two - three pieces. The average Areca palm plantation has around 2000 trees. One Areca sheath weights between 200g and 300g and has dimensions of 0,30 m by 1m.
2. Drying
After harvest the sheaths need to be dried properly as the sheaths are prone to mold and fungus due to humidity. Normally the sheaths are dried in the open sun. However the time to dry will be approximately 6 months. For speeding up this process a Solar/ LPG drying unit will be designed. The use of an alternative form of fuel, such as LGP, makes it possible to continue production during periods of little sunlight.The dryer unit uses heated air to dry the sheaths. Also an effective drying storage facility will be designed to limit the drying time.
3. Cleaning
After the drying process the sheaths need to be cleaned thoroughly in water to remove dirt and dust. This is done manually with a brush. During cleaning the sheaths will absorb water, which will make the sheaths more flexible for pressing.
4. Pressing with heat
The sheaths are laid in the machines, whereas it will be pressed into the shape of the dies. These dies will be customizable to make plates of various shapes and sizes. They are heated by an external energy source and will be pressed with a certain amount of pressure, this changes the structure of the sheath particles making them fixed in their shape during pressing. A moisture content above 5% needs to be maintained during pressing or else cracks will appear in the products. Depending of the size of a sheath, multiple products can be pressed.
5. Finishing/ post cure
After pressing the plates contain too high moisture content, this means that the plates need to be used immediately or need to be dried. After drying the plates can be stored up to 11 to 12 months.
