Abstract: In order to improve the quality and efficiency of ginkgo shelling, a cylinder-bar shelling device for ginkgo was developed. According to the comparision of shelling experiments of ginkgo with different moisture content, it was found that the shelling rate and kernel-breaking rate depend mainly on the rotor speed, cylinder diameter and grid clearance. The ginkgo shelling test was conducted by central combination method. A mathematical model which reflected the relationship between ginkgo shelling, breaking rate and rotor speed, cylinder diameter, grid clearance was established. And the optimal working parameters of the cylinder-bar ginkgo shelling device were got by applying the response surface analysis and multi-objective optimization method. The result showed that ginkgo shelling and breaking rate could reach 92.80% and 8.10% respectively under the condition of rotor speed 180r/min, cylinder diameter 182 mm, grid clearance 10.5 mm and moisture content 12.6%. The device proposed offers a new approach for the ginkgo shelling production.