Development and testing of an automated contact plate unit for a cassava grater

Abstract

Automation has played a vital role, not only in modern industrial processes, but also in agricultural crop processing systems. It is characterized by self-acting machines and devices with integrated control systems that are often arranged in complex industrial processes or systems. This research work was conducted to develop an automated contact plate unit for a cassava grater capable of regulating and enhancing the process of ensuring contact of cassava tubers to the grating surface for efficient and timely grating operation. Fundamental design analysis and calculations were carried out in order to determine and select materials suitable to develop this unit. The major component parts of this system include contact plate, double-acting hydraulic cylinder, hydraulic valve, hydraulic motor, and control system. The results of the performance test using loading time and time sustained by contact plate as operating parameters showed that the lowest grating time of 211 secs was obtained when the system was operated at loading time of 4.40 secs and time sustained by contact plate of 5.85 secs. The optimization of the machine parameters using response surface methodology produced optimum grating time of 258.19 secs with desirability of 90.9% from optimal operating parameters of 4.12 secs of loading time and 10.78 secs of time sustained by contact plate. The time sustained by contact plate has positive significant effects on the grating time. Grating time decreased with increase in loading time and decrease in time sustained by contact plate. The cost of production of the automated system of the contact plate for cassava grater is $ 405.