Herb sorting technology for increasing the productivity of herbal medicine processing in the Thai Traditional Medicine Herbal Center, Surin Province

Abstract

This research aims to create and find the efficiency of the sorting technology of Thunbergia laurifolia leaves for use in the Ban Kan Tuad Ramuan Herbal Processing Community Enterprise Center. The main components of the machine include the machine structure, a set of thick independent crankshaft blades, a 1-horsepower motor as the power source and belt transmission, a raw material pressing set, and a sorting screen. This research studied the speed of the raw material press at 3 levels (8 rpm, 12 rpm, 16 rpm) and studied the efficiency of the sorting technology of Thunbergia laurifolia.

            The study found that when using the speed of the press at 8 rpm, the average weight of Thunbergia laurifolia after sorting was 932.78 grams, with a sorting efficiency of 93.25 percent, and an average sorting time of 33.18 minutes. When using the speed of the press at 12 rpm, the average weight of Thunbergia laurifolia after sorting was 927.34 grams, with a sorting efficiency of 92.72 percent, and an average sorting time of 23.51 minutes. When using the speed of the press at 16 rpm, the average weight of Thunbergia laurifolia after sorting was 909.25 grams, with a sorting efficiency of 90.90 percent, and an average sorting time of 21.45 minutes. From testing the speed of the press at all 3 levels It was found that the level that the herbal processing group wanted was a speed of the rolling set of 12 rpm, considering the fineness of the herbs, the time used for sorting, and the low contamination of Thunbergia laurifolia.