Description
ABSTRACT
Automation brought about by technology has saved human effort and time to a larger extent. Slicing vegetables is a risky and time-consuming task in our busy life. The associated difficulties like time constraint, contamination, etc. make it pretty difficult for any person handling the job. Manual cutting of vegetables is still prevalent, in hostels, and even in restaurants, which cater to a whole set of varying customer tastes and preferences. This system is mainly designed to reduce the human effort and time. This project is aimed at solving above stated problems by introducing a special product named automated vegetable cutting system.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
COVER PAGE
TITLE PAGE
APPROVAL PAGE
DEDICATION
ACKNOWELDGEMENT
ABSTRACT
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT
- AIM OF THE PROJECT
- OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT
- BENEFIT OF THE PROJECT
- SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT
- SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF STUDY
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
- EXISTING AUTOMATED VEGETABLE SLICER AND ITS DEMERITS
- REVIEW OF THE RELATED STUDY
- OVERVIEW OF VEGETABLE
- DIFFERENT TYPES OF VEGETABLE CUTTING STYLES
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
- DESIGNING OF MECHANICAL COMPONENTS
- SELECTION OF ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS
- SYSTEM BLOCK DIAGRAM
- SYSTEM CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
- PROCESS PLAN AND FABRICATION
- MICROCONTROLLER PROGRAM
CHAPTER FOUR
TESTING AND RESULTS
- CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURE AND TESTING
- INSTALLATION OF THE COMPLET DESIGN
- ASSEMBLING OF SECTIONS
- TESTING OF SYSTEM OPERATION
CHAPTER FIVE
- CONCLUSION
- REFERENCES
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Nigeria has rich and favorable climatic zones making her suitable for the cultivation and production of a wide variety of vegetables. Majority of Nigerians live in the rural areas and are predominantly engaged in agriculture. Thus, to guarantee access to food, reduce rural-urban migration and encourage sustainable development, the processing of agricultural products like vegetables into more valuable products must be promoted and encouraged
. Vegetables which are excellent sources of certain vitamins and minerals and often the main source of dietary fiber consist of a large group of plants consumed as food globally (Gave, 2008). Consumption of vegetables has increased significantly. The increase in its consumption can be accounted for by the increased health consciousness of the consumers. Vegetables can be perishable when fresh but able to be preserved using a number of processing method such as blanching, dehydrating, canning, freezing, fermenting and pickling, and irradiating (Gave, 2008). The perishable nature of the fresh produce has confined the international trade in these products in the processed form. The classification of vegetables can be done based on different criteria some of which are; by edible parts into root (e.g., potatoes and carrots), stem (asparagus and celery), leaf(lettuce and spinach), immature flower bud (broccoli and Brussels sprouts ), and fruit (tomatoes and cucumbers ( Neidhardt, 2008). Differences in the structure, size, shape, and rigidity of the individual cells are dependent on the class of vegetable (Odior and others, 2 2009). The processing requirements and fresh market life are also different for varying classes. The variations in the sizes in which these products are obtained have made it expedient for certain reduction techniques to be to be utilized. Reducing its size either for further processing or to improve the eating quality or suitability for direct food consumption becomes very necessary. Certain processes such as; cutting, slicing, mincing and pulping has being utilized to ensure the size reduction of these products. One of the processes commonly used is the slicing process. The slicing process from time immemorial has involved the use of knives. But with the advent of time, technology advances has being seen to be on an increase hence efforts were being made to eradicate the inefficiencies posed by the use of knives which are evident in the time wastage and injuries incurred during its use. The increased consumption of vegetables either domestically or commercially has greatly influenced the variations in the slicing technology, with the basic principle of the action of shearing by blades and other types of cutters remaining the same. The invent of the slicing technology has made the size reduction of the vegetables more efficient. The vegetable slicing machine has being utilized in reducing the varying sizes of vegetables. The machine consists of two cutting blades, a vegetable feeder (hopper), a slicing/processing chamber, two electric motors, and a discharge unit. Some certain factors such as safety, power consumption, economic value and efficiency of cut have greatly informed the modification of this machine to meet up with present demand. This machine is capable of automating the cutting process increasing efficiency and enhancing the hygiene of slicing vegetable for both domestic and commercial consumption.
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT
In the late 90’s, automation was the rage of the engineering world. The best of the minds, rallied day and night to bring forth improvements of significant magnitude, something which could make an impact in the day-to-day life. Today, it’s a plethora of fields which have embraced with automation, from manufacturing to food processing, biomedical and pharmaceutical industries. In such a scenario, domestic applications have also been developed with the common man in mind. Of late, processes which were manual before are slowly being converted to semi-automated and automated nature. The amount of vegetables to be cut for the dishes always remains higher than actually what’s consumed. The associated difficulties like time constraint, contamination, etc. make it pretty difficult for any person handling the job. Therein, arose a need to automate the process of vegetable cutting.
Therefore, as a student of Mechatronics engineering, this project interest and expose us to the field of mechanical, design engineering, electronics devices, programming languages. On the whole, in this project, to design the mechanical part of a vegetable cutting system and to fabricate the mechanical part of the system is the step to learn mechanical engineering and to write a program to perform major tasks by using micro controllers is the step to learn electronics engineering.
1.2 AIM AND OBJECTIVES
The aim of this project is to design and fabricate a Modified Vegetable Slicing Machine. This aim is achieved through the following objectives:
- Reduction of human effort in the process of vegetable slicing, as the machine is designed to operate automatically using a set of motor and set of mechanisms, enabling power/torque to be transmitted to the vegetable to be sliced
- Allowing variation of slicing speed by the user based on the nature of the vegetable to be sliced, as a variable speed motor is utilized.
- Processing of different sizes of vegetable with the aid of the mechanical components of the machine.
- Ensuring safety of the user by employing standard design requirement.
- Ensuring that a level of hygiene is maintained and the vegetable is safe for consumption through proper selection of material.
1.3 BENEFITS OF THE STUDY
Vegetable slicers make the difficult task of cutting the vegetables quite easier. It makes this vegetable slicing and cutting a task of almost no time. Vegetable slicers are quite important and essential equipment of any kitchen and they are a most important need of anyone working with vegetables. These help you to cut the vegetables more efficiently as well as quickly. Before the invention of these useful vegetable slicers the cutting of vegetables was a very much difficult and tiring process and it took too much time. Many of the people are very much busy and have no time to cut vegetables with efficiency or cut them in a new way. They want to eat them in a good or new way but are not sure that if it is possible or not. Vegetable slicers solve all the problems of these people by providing them a solution to cut vegetables in quite good and attractive manner.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Vegetable slicers are very much useful and efficient equipment, because of their usefulness and efficiency they have become the most important need of every kitchen.
These vegetable slicers are widely available in a nearby market or super store. But the selection of vegetable slicers must be done efficiently, because they will be used almost regularly in your kitchen. Working with them is quite easy, all you have to do is wash a raw piece of vegetable and put it onto your vegetable slicer and slice it down.
Time saving is the most important factor of any vegetable slicer. they end up all your kitchen problems by cutting the vegetables in almost no time. This time saving quality of any vegetable slicer makes them more useful. Your time to prepare a dish reduces by using a vegetable slicer.
1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF STUDY
The project will put into consideration basic design concept which will be limited to material and stress analysis and specification for fabrication. The design would cover some essential components of the machine such as the
- Base/Machine frame
- Cutter blade
- Slicing chamber
The electric motor design will not be covered in this project however, proper selection on the appropriate size required would be made.
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