Group No: 37

Problem Definition and Project Brief ME3052

Automatic String hopper Machine

By Index No. 080456A 080515F K.Sanjeevan Ushan G.A.C Name Marks from (5+5)

Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Moratuwa Sri Lanka

PROBLEM DEFINITION

String Hoppers is Sri Lankans traditional food made by steaming process. This is made with rice flour after passing much process. It is served for the breakfast or dinner as main food with hot chilli coconut sambol, hot chilli powder gravy or sweet tasting white gravy made with coconut milk. Mainly string hoppers are eaten only in Sri Lanka, but its not like that main food. In India, Singapore, Malaysia & most of Asian countries eat string hoppers but with different names. In South India Pittu Mayam is Indiappa in Sri Lanka [1]. Its a piece of evidence that we mainly eat string hoppers, for our breakfast or dinner and its a very famous dish in every part of the country, no matter you are rich or poor all Sri Lankans love to eat string hoppers. This string hopper is commonly made with a handheld hand-made wooden device consisting of a small cup having a cylindrical through bore extending from its top to bottom. A metal plate with a plurality of openings formed therein is mounted with screws at the bottom of the cup so that the bore forms a cylindrical well therein for holding the rice dough. The cup has two arms extending outwards from its two opposite sides. A wooden cylindrical plunger having the complementary size as the well is mounted on a carrier which also has two opposite side arms similar to the cup. The device is operated by placing the rice dough into the well of the cup and then inserting the plunger into the well and squeezing the arms of the plunger and the cup tightly towards on another by hands so as to extrude the dough through the plate with the plunger

to form the string hopper. While extruding the string hopper, the operator must also move the device in a circular motion so as to deposit the string hopper onto a steam tray for its subsequent cooking. A relatively large pressure must be exerted

between the plunger and the cup in the operation, which requires a high degree of dexterity and effort to carry out Furthermore, the device is unsanitary since it is difficult to clean any dough remnant from the wooden well and between the well and the

metal plate [2] The problem arises in making string hopper in home and as in edible industries is more difficult. If squeezing through the press is difficult, it is possibly due to following resons. Health issues:
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Repetitive work: Low productivity:

Food behaviours of developing countries like Sri Lanka are gradually getting changing. They have used to take instant food. Most of them take simple food like bread, hoppers and string hoppers for their breakfast & dinner. As a matter of the fact these foods has a great selling market. So we see there is an improvement in these food industries. From that we would like to pay attention to the string hoppers making industry.

PROJECT BRIEF
Aim and Objectives Aim of this project is propose the detail design and drawings of Automatic string hopper machine using electrical power. Under the objectives following are considered To reduce the limitation in application of the machine. To reduce the complexity of the machine. To reduce the production time of the machine. To reduce the production cost of string hoppers. To operate by anyone themselves. To reduce the manufacturing cost of the machine.

User Needs Cheap Machine Initial cost and maintenance cost should be low Quality Machine durability should be high and functional and controlling also should be best Safe
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Machine parts and operation should not be hazard thing for the user Less Power Machine should use power efficiently Quickly Machine should be extruded and conveyed out quickly Portable Machine should be changed dies easily. Cleanable Machine should be easy to clean and maintenance.

Scope of This Project/Engineering Perspective The output rate of the machine should be 5 string hoppers per minute. Maximum length and width of the machine base are 1m and 1m

Methodology Problem identification and define the scope of the project Conceptual design(Function analysis, Morphological generation, analysis and concept selection) Draw the free body diagram and the velocity diagram Material selection and make the design calculation Design 3D CAD model of the machine using solid works Carry out a computer simulation of motion generation Optimization and improvement of the overall design based on simulation results chart and concept

REFERENCE