Modular Pasta Extrudate Cutting for Flexible Nozzle Sizes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pasta forming devices for industrial production are complex, costly to maintain, and require specific cutting tools for each extrusion nozzle diameter, leading to high maintenance costs and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A modular pasta forming device with a detachable cutting system comprising modules with cores and knives, allowing easy assembly and disassembly, and a rotating unit sub-assembly for versatile and efficient cutting of extrudates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a traditional cutting roller with elongated blades is used, then continuous cutting of extrudates is achieved, but maintenance complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting roller is divided into multiple independent modular units, each with its own blade assembly. This segmentation allows individual modules to be replaced without affecting the entire cutting roller, significantly reducing maintenance complexity while preserving continuous cutting capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular design enables selective replacement of worn or damaged blade modules without discarding the entire cutting roller. Used modules can be recovered, inspected, and replaced only when necessary, reducing overall maintenance costs and waste.
2Manufacturing precision
If specific cutting tools are used for each extrusion nozzle diameter, then cutting precision is maintained, but device complexity and maintenance cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The modular cutting roller units are designed with universal compatibility to work with different extrusion nozzle diameters. Each module can be adjusted or reconfigured to accommodate various nozzle sizes, eliminating the need for multiple specialized cutting tools while maintaining cutting precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting modules incorporate adjustable mechanisms that allow dynamic adaptation to different extrusion parameters. The blade position, angle, and spacing can be modified to match different nozzle configurations, providing precision cutting across various product types without tool changes.
3Ease of operation
If elongated blades with flexibility are used, then cutting operation is simplified, but durability and cutting accuracy compromise
Solution Approach 1:
Each blade module is designed with optimized local properties, including rigid blade construction for durability and precision cutting. The modular design allows each blade to be independently engineered for optimal performance while maintaining ease of replacement if needed.
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 at the outlet of said nozzles (2), - a cutting system (4) for said extrudates, characterized in that said cutting system (4) is modular and comprises a plurality of modules (5) each comprising a core (5A) and at least one knife (5B, 5C, 5D) carried by the core (5A), said modules (5) being assembled by their cores (5A) to form a unit subassembly of modules (5) mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation (X-X'). - Devices and processes for manufacturing food products.