Modular Pasta Cutting Roller for Precise Multi-Nozzle Extrusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pasta forming devices face issues with cutting accuracy and consistency due to non-uniform wear and tear of blades, leading to size and quality inconsistencies, and require complex and costly maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A pasta forming device with a cyclic cutting roller featuring modular, individually adjustable knives mounted on supports, allowing precise cutting and easy maintenance through a locking/unlocking mechanism and adjustment device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a cutting roller with elongated blades is used to simultaneously form dough pieces from multiple extrusion nozzles, then production rate is increased, but cutting accuracy deteriorates due to difficulty in positioning blades precisely and uniformly from one nozzle to another
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting roller is segmented into multiple independent cutting units, each with its own knife and support structure. Each unit can be independently positioned and adjusted relative to its corresponding extrusion nozzle, allowing precise cutting for each nozzle while maintaining high production rates through simultaneous operation of all units.
2Productivity
If a cutting roller with elongated blades is used for high production rates, then productivity is improved, but blade wear becomes non-uniform leading to inconsistent dough piece quality
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting roller is divided into independent cutting units, each with its own knife that can be individually adjusted and maintained. This segmentation ensures that wear on one knife does not affect the performance of other knives, maintaining consistent dough piece quality across all extrusion nozzles even during prolonged high-rate operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Each cutting unit is equipped with an adjustment mechanism that allows dynamic repositioning of the knife relative to its support. This enables compensation for blade wear by adjusting the knife position, ensuring consistent cutting accuracy and dough piece quality over time while maintaining high production rates.
3Productivity
If a cutting roller with elongated blades is used, then production capacity is increased, but maintenance complexity and cost increase due to uniform wear across the entire roller
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting roller is segmented into independent cutting units with individually replaceable knives. This allows maintenance to be performed on a per-knife basis rather than requiring replacement or repair of the entire roller, significantly reducing maintenance complexity and cost while preserving high production capacity through parallel operation of multiple units.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular knife design allows worn knives to be individually discarded and replaced without affecting the other cutting units. This selective replacement approach reduces maintenance time and cost compared to replacing the entire cutting roller, while the recovered functional units continue to operate, maintaining high production capacity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a cutting roller positioned at a distance from extrusion nozzles is used, then dough formation flexibility is improved, but cutting precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting roller is segmented into multiple cutting units distributed along its circumference, with each unit independently positionable relative to its corresponding extrusion nozzle. This segmentation allows the cutting roller to be positioned at an optimal distance for flexibility while each individual cutting unit maintains precise cutting alignment with its target nozzle, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and precision.
Data Source
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AI summary
- Pasta forming device, installation and corresponding manufacturing process. - The invention relates to a pasta forming device (1) comprising: - extrusion nozzles (2) for forming extrudates, - a cyclic cutting roller (4) for said extrudates, mounted to rotate about an axis of rotation (X-X'), characterized in that said cyclic cutting roller (4) comprises a plurality of supports (40), a plurality of knives (5) each carried by one of said supports (40), and a plurality of connecting devices each attaching one of said knives (5) to said support (40) which carries it, each connecting device comprising a locking/unlocking member (12) and an adjustment member (13). - Devices and processes for manufacturing food products.