Design And Finite Element Analysis Of Flour Packaging Machine For Plantain Processing Plant

Plantain, the fourth most important crop, is crucial to food security and livelihoods of many people in Nigeria - the fifth leading plantain producer in the world. The demand for plantain flour is rapidly increasing due to its health benefits and industrial applications; hence, the need for more machines. However, importing flour-packaging machines is found to be not cost-effective. Thus, it is necessary to locally develop a flour packaging machine for a plantain flour production and packaging plant. For this reason, this paper aimed to present the design and finite element analysis of a flour packaging machine. The model was developed and after careful selection of suitable materials and design analysis, its functionality, structural integrity and design adequacy for fabrication were evaluated using SolidWorks 2016. The highest induced-stress and the lowest factor of safety values were obtained from the simulation of the machine 's frame, which is made of mild steel. As evidenced by the simulation results, it was revealed that the machine will be able to serve its intended purpose. However, care must be taken to reinforce the locations with the highest induced-stress values on the machine, before or during fabrication, for optimum reliability.