Innovative Ways of Cutting Raw Materials

Abstract

Actuality. The article raises the question of establishing the basic laws of cutting vegetable raw material with a linear knife. It is one of the most commonly used food processing methods in the food industry. It depends on a large number of factors, in particular the structure of the product, its properties, the cutting mode, and so on. Considering these factors and their quantitative assessment are important for the cutting equipment development. Purpose and methods. The purpose of the article is to determine the basic regularities of the process of cutting the group of vegetables, as well as to study the mechanism of action of the knife blade on the product with viscoelastic rheological properties. The method of symbolic computer mathematics for graphic representation of the experimental studies results of strain dependence, deformation rate, compression stress, specific cutting forces from the duration of deformation has been used. Results. The results of theoretical and experimental research of the process of cutting vegetable raw materials with a linear knife are given. The theological models are presented in the form of differential equations of the first order for raw materials with different structural and mechanical properties. Their analytical research has been carried out. The relative positioning influence of the product and the knife on the specific cutting force has been theoretically substantiated and experimentally confirmed. According to the results of experimental studies, the reliability of theoretical assumptions has been confirmed. Calculated values of specific forces of cutting, work and instantaneous power of cutting have been determined. They are necessary for specifying calculations of the modes in technological process and parameters of vegetable cutting equipment. The analysis of knives designs of vegetable cutting machines by disk type, which are used in enterprises of restaurant business, has been carried out. Conclusions and discussion. The conducted researches and the obtained mathematical dependencies have allowed to reveal directions of optimization in a cutting process, to define defects of constructions of vegetable cutting equipment, which worsen cutting quality and increase energy costs. According to the results of experimental studies, the requirements for cutting tools have been formulated. Recommendations for creation of new devices, raw materials orientation in relation to knives, and introduction of rational modes in operation of vegetable equipment have been given.