Performance evaluation of slicer cum shredder for commercialization

Abstract

The present work focuses on development of an improved portable multipurpose slicer cum shredder that takes care of the problems mentioned above. Multipurpose vegetable slicer cum shredder constitutes mainly of the feeder assembly, cutter assembly and the power transmission assembly. The size reduction process involved a lot of physical labor and material wastes. Therefore, in order to improve the processing method and enhance its hygienic level, there is the need of mechanization of the slicing method. The performance of developed slicer cum shredder was evaluated for slicing of potato and cucumber and for shredding of carrot and bottle gourd. The known amount of peeled product was sliced/shredded at four different rpm and three replications were made. The machine performance was evaluated with regard to the capacity, breakage percent, thickness of sliced vegetables and wastage during processing. On 500 rpm, maximum performance efficiency (86.33 percent), slicing efficiency (85.67 percent), capacity (94.33 kg/h), and effective capacity (81 kg/h) was observed and on the other hand minimum mechanical loss (5 percent) and breakage percent (14.33 percent) was observed. Potato slices for producing chips have 0.92 RI. The developed machine operated at 500 rpm gives best result for carrot shredding. On this rpm, maximum performance efficiency (98.66 percent), capacity (70.63 kg/h) was observed and on the other hand minimum mechanical loss (2 percent) was found. The cost benefit ratio for processing of potatoes was found to be 2.28 with a payback period of 4 years. It can be inferred that the processing unit for potatoes processing is techno- economically viable industry. The main goal is to create a quick, safe, and easy way to slice vegetable with increased productivity and cost effectiveness.