Initial Stem Processing Methods

Reaper and bailer

Modified cane cutter

Combine harvesters

  Modern hemp specific harvesting machinery is currently being designed in Europe and Canada, these machines will also work on other similar crops

Combine harvesters can be used to harvest hemp, however slowing harvesting rates to 1.5 to 5 acres an hour, and harvesting while the crop is still fairly green can help avoid the strong hemp fibre entangling the combine.

Initial Stem Processing Methods

The development of decortication facilities, would extend hemps product range to include textiles and hurd or tow based products. This diversification would be accompanied by employment opportunities, regional development and financial return to the region.

Whole stem, in lengths or chopped

• Defibrator Ô ASA pulping for paper production

Field chopping, separates about 10% of hurd as stems are broken

Ô Sieving - approx. 25% cross contamination between hurd and bast fibre

Ô Floatation - approx. 12% bark in hurd, clean bark

Fibre and hurds suitable for non textile uses

Or further short fibre processing and cottonization for textiles

Traditional hurd and fibre separation

Dew or water retting Ô breaking and scutching (decortication) Ô hackling Ô long fibre

Residue fibre = tow Ô scutch and hackle Ô spin for course yarn.

Retting, either by dew in the field, or in water, allows microbiological breakdown of bonds between fibre and hurd, predominantly from pectin and lignin type substances. This makes the stems easier to mechanically separate, although may reduce fibre strength and hurd quality.

Cottonization

elementarization of fibre using mechanical or chemical-mechanical methods to generate short fibre suitable for use in cotton spinning machinery

Mechanical decorticating

The Schlichten decorticator was produced in the 1920-30's, and offered hemp, what the cotton gin did for the cotton industry. Dry unretted hemp was basically passed through a series of rollers and batters, to yield clean hurd and long fibre, mechanically degummed, suitable for carding.

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