Smart Cashew Nut Deshelling & Packaging Machine

SMART CASHEW NUT DESHELLING & PACKAGING MACHINE

(A study on integrating Mechatronics approach to improve existing Models)

Authors

Lal Surajkumar Shrikant1*, Waquar Mazhar2, Anurag Labana3, Nikhil S4

*1SRM UNIVERSITY, Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Aura Lab

2 SRM UNIVERSITY, Department of Mechatronics Engineering
3 SRM UNIVERSITY, Department of Mechatronics Engineering
4 SRM UNIVERSITY, Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Aura Lab

E-mail address: surajkumar.aura@gmail.com

Corresponding author:

Lal Surajkumar Shrikant

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Abstract: 

Cashew nut farming is one of the prime occupations in Goa.  However, due to lack of labor force it is getting tough for the farmers involved in this occupation. The major risk involved being spilling of fluid from shell that can lead to partial/permanent blindness. The machineries involved with processing are bulky, costly, imported as well as needs regular maintenance.

We intend to build a smart machine that can fulfill requirements of the farmer as well as provide additional function such as deshelling, inspection, sorting, packaging and online maintenance (using internet). The breakdown of machine can lead to loss and hence to minimize the time the machine can do monitoring and state the Makers about the specific faults online and thus, save time and resources. This is important as Transportation network in remote areas is weak.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Keywords: maintenance, deshelling, inspection, sorting.

Introduction

Cashewnut farmers are the real producers of Cashewnuts. However, Cashew-nut farmers don’t earn enough profits in spite of being a producer of dry fruits due to lack of facilities in technical as well as managerial side. The requirements were thus studied and a solution was developed. Thus, Smart Deshelling, Packaging, Sorting machine was the solution founded.

To execute the task the first and foremost work was that, if we want to perform deshelling, sorting, grading and packaging in a single machine then we need a platform which is suitable to do programming, controlling and simulating the concept within a same environment. MATLAB, SOLIDWORKS & ARDUINO turned out to be the best platforms for implementing the solution. Mechatronics approach was chose to solve this problem. The first step was to think of the mechanism required to implement such system. Thus, a 3D model was created after confirming the mechanism. Thus, we completed our first step.