NATIONAL COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

(AFFILIATED TO TRIBHUVAN UNIVERSITY)

TALCHHIKHEL, LALITPUR

A REPORT ON

CASE STUDY
AT
NEBICO PRIVATE LIMITED

Submitted By:
Ashish Kumar Pokharel 077BCT006
Prashant Subedi 077BCT021
Raju Chapagain 077BCT024
Ronish Adhikari 077BCT026
Sabina Pandey 077BCT028
Saksham Maharjan 077BCT029

Submitted To:
Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering
August 2023
CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................1
1.1 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................................1
1.2. OBJECTIVES ......................................................................................................................................................1
2. EXISTING SYSTEM ...............................................................................................................................................2
2.1. BLOCK DIAGRAM .............................................................................................................................................2
2.2. PROCESS ..........................................................................................................................................................4
3. DAILY CONSUMPTION ........................................................................................................................................7
4. LIMITATIONS .......................................................................................................................................................7
5. RECOMMENDED SYSTEM ...................................................................................................................................8
5.1. BLOCK DIAGRAM .............................................................................................................................................8
5.2. PROCESS ....................................................................................................................................................... 10
I. Automatic Oil Spray System ......................................................................................................................... 10
II. Automatic Label Printing System................................................................................................................. 11
5.3. ADVANTAGES................................................................................................................................................ 13
6. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................................... 13
7. REFERENCES..................................................................................................................................................... 13

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND

Nebico Private Limited is the pioneer biscuit industry of Nepal. It was established in 1964 by Mr.
Chandra Prasad Agrawal, a visionary entrepreneur. Nebico started its journey with a small factory in
Kathmandu and today it is one of the leading biscuit manufacturers in Nepal. However, it was only in
1970 that the company started its production process due to machinery problems. Nebico has a wide range
of biscuits and confectionery products that are loved by people of all ages. Some of its popular products
include Nebico Butter Cookies, Nebico Marie Biscuits, Nebico Coconut Crunches, Nebico Digestive
Biscuits, Nebico Thin Arrowroot, Nebico Trekker’s Choice, Nebico Glucose, and Nebico Sugar Free
Crackers.
NEBICO began operations as a premier biscuit and confectionary producer of Nepal in 1967 to replace
imported biscuits and confectionery. It is in Balaju Industrial Zone, Kathmandu, and occupies 73000 sq.
ft. of land. For technical and production purposes, it partnered with Britannia Industries Limited, a
renowned biscuit producer in India, in 1980. Later, it joined the Stock Company as well.
The ISO 9001:2000 certified company has also been subscribed to the global compact company. The
company started with the vision of providing quality and volume for the entire satisfaction of its valued
consumer still rules the market as one of the leading biscuit and confectionary manufacturers.

1.2. OBJECTIVES
The objectives are as follows:
• To observe the existing management system and technology of the company.
• To study the problems in the industries due to manual operation and to propose a design to make
it operate automatically.
• To know about the different instrumentation systems used in the company.

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2. EXISTING SYSTEM
2.1. BLOCK DIAGRAM
Before diving into the instruments used and the procedure followed in detail, the block diagram given
below gives an overview of the overall manufacturing process.

Figure 1: Block diagram of manufacturing process

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Figure 2: Block diagram of the printing process

Figure 3: Block diagram of the packaging process

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2.2. PROCESS

Ingredients
During the beginning of the manufacturing process, the raw materials are carefully considered. The
main ingredients utilized in the production of biscuits include:
• Flour
• Ghee
• Water
• Sugar
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Flavoring Agents
• Vegetable Oil

Although the composition of the biscuits may differ, the base recipe remains constant. However, in this
field visit, we observed the manufacturing process of Glucose biscuits since different biscuits are
manufactured on different days and dates according to their demand. In the manufacturing process of
Glucose, one of the primary machineries i.e., Laminator is not used as its main function is to create a
layered structure in the dough to improve the texture which is not necessary for manufacturing Glucose
biscuits.

Now the instruments used in the manufacturing process are discussed below along with their specific
functions.

Dough feeder
It is a complex system responsible for feeding the dough into biscuit forming machine simply
called a Die Cutter. Initially, the dough is placed manually using a trolley. With the help of dough feeder,
an appropriate amount of dough is passed at a time. Dough Feeder and the conveyor moves the dough
evenly to make consistently sized loaves. The Dough Feeder allows for immediate adjustment of the dough
proof time and size of dough loaves during production.

It consists of the following components:

• A Dough Hopper
It is a large container that stores the dough and is made of stainless steel. It has a
capacity of several hundred kgs of dough.
• Dough Feeder Conveyor
It is a system of belts and rollers used for transporting dough from the hopper to the die cutter.

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 • Dough Feeder Control System
It is a computer that controls the speed and operation of the dough feeder conveyor. Control
systems can be programmed to feed the dough at a consistent rate ensuring that the biscuit-forming
machine (die cutter) receives the correct amount of dough.

Die cutter
The thin sheets of dough are then transferred to a Die cutter machine where the dough is cut into
the required shape. The machine has a strip of a certain shape installed on it that rolls around the sheet of
dough cutting it into the shape of that strip. The excess layer of the dough is then transferred back to the
conveyor manually and the process repeats. The surface of the die cutter is oiled at regular intervals to
prevent the dough from sticking to the die cutter's surface.

Baking oven
The molded biscuits from the die cutter are passed through the oven by a conveyor. In a conveyor
oven, which has a continuous band that transports the biscuits through the oven, biscuits are baked. The
VFD on the oven band regulates the band's pace, which in turn regulates how long the biscuits bake. The
band's speed can be controlled to guarantee that the biscuits are cooked uniformly. PLCs are used to
control the temperature and humidity of ovens, which is important for ensuring that the biscuits are cooked
evenly and that they meet quality standards.
The oven has three compartments for burners used for heating the biscuit, proper cooking, and maintaining
its color. The temperature of each compartment can be set using oven band VFD.

The following were the observation of temperature set in the oven during our visit:
Heating Zone Actual Temperature Set Temperature
Upper (burner 1) 197 185
Lower (burner 1) 183 175
Upper (burner 2) 234 235
Lower (burner 2) 223 235
Upper (burner 3) 262 225
Lower (burner 3) 219 225

After the baking process is complete the biscuit is passed through the conveyor to the glazer.

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Glazer
A Glazer is a machine designed to apply a glaze or finishing coat to the surface of the biscuits. The
glaze can be made from various ingredients such as sugar syrup, egg wash, or other solutions that provide
a glossy finish and potentially add flavor or sweetness to the biscuits. It can be programmed to apply a
specific amount of glaze to each biscuit. The nozzle of glazer is positioned above the biscuits and sprayed
with the required amount of glaze. The conveyor belts continue to move forward, and the glaze dries from
air cooling on the biscuit which is then sent for packaging. The glazer is refilled by opening the lid of the
reservoir and poring the glaze ingredient in it.

Quantity Separator
When the biscuits are manually transferred from the conveyor to the weight separator, a certain
number of biscuits are separated measuring the total count of biscuits in the machine. This machine
separates the exact number of biscuits for packing according to the total of the biscuits. Then the group of
biscuits is transferred to the final step which is packing.

Date Printing Machine

Before the final packaging process, the packaging layer of the biscuit needs to be coded/labeled
with important information like manufacturing date, expiry date, MRP, etc. For this purpose, inject
machine was used in which the packaging layer was placed in a marked position and the machine initiated
the labeling task according to provided data. Then the labeled packaging layer was transferred manually
to the packaging block for further processing.

Packing Machine
The biscuits were transported from the conveyor belt to the slots of the quantity separator machine
manually which has a biscuit separator kit for the separation of a fixed no of biscuits which are then
packaged inside the wrappers with the help of an automatic heat-sealing mechanism. After the packaging
was completed, the packets were manually stacked in boxes ready for distribution. Here in the packaging
section, 8 columns of the packaging compartment were present in order to make the packaging process
faster and more efficient. Similarly, the quantity separator kit was different for each biscuit according to
the size.

Brief
Initially, the production of glucose biscuits started with the mixing process. The ingredients for
the production were perfectly blended for the perfect baking. Ingredients such as flour, sugar, ghee and so
on were used. The blended mixture was passed to the conveyor belt to transfer it to the dyeing machine

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for the proper cutting of the desired shape where the die cutter was initially set as for the glucose biscuit.
The oiling was done manually to prevent the shaped biscuit from sticking to the machine. Shaped biscuits
were then passed to the filtering process for quick filtering manually to remove the undesired shaped
biscuits are filled in the oven for the proper cooking which included 5 compartments i.e., 3 for heating,
cooking and color, 1 for fans and the other for exhaust. The perfectly cooked biscuit was glazed using
glazer which sprays oil for its outer coating. The baked biscuit is then passed through the conveyor belt
for air cooling and transferred to the packing process. The biscuits are collected from the conveyor belt
into a perfectly aligned tray of many sections. The biscuits are manually taken out and placed on a slide
for the quantity separator to split the number of biscuits for each package. Two different weighted biscuits
were manufactured (50 and 100 gm) during our visit. 8 columns of packaging machine were there. The
packing process includes the printing on the packing wrapper which prints the expiry date, date of
manufacture and so on. The package wrapper was brought from another factory and rolled onto a disc
which was fitted to the packaging machine. The printed wrappers are set in the packing machine in which
the key is also set to amount the pieces of biscuit. The sensor in the packaging machine used a black mark
(I-mark) to sense biscuit package size and wrap. The wrapper was sealed using heated chain dials. During
our visit, the speed of packing was set to 55 on the machine. The size of the glucose pack (50 gm) was
217 mm (about 8.54 in). Encoder pulse detectors were used to control the speed of the biscuit packaging
line and to ensure that the biscuit was evenly spaced. If no biscuit was detected in the quantity separator,
then the machine stopped which was observed frequently. The empty packet was separated manually, and
the waste biscuit would be used to feed animals. The packaged biscuits were filled in the cartons and
tapped manually for marketing and sales.

3. DAILY CONSUMPTION
This factory produces around 22 tons of biscuits every day and the factory are operated for 2 shifts
in a single day consisting of 60-65 workers per shift. The monthly electricity consumption cost is nearly
21 Lakhs. The baking oven consumes the most electricity among all the instruments. The cardboard for
shipping is brought from outside. Among all the required fundamentals, the PLC system requires the most
cost. The operational cost per kg is 6.5 to 7.

4. LIMITATIONS
The limitations of the present system are as follows:
• The initial mixing process required manual weighing and feeding of the raw ingredients.
• The segregation process of glazed biscuits was done manually after cooling.
• In the packaging process, low precision was due to various errors such as an insufficient number
of biscuits in some packages causing the machine to stop operating.
• The die-cutters cutting surface was oiled manually to prevent the sticking of dough in the machine.

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5. RECOMMENDED SYSTEM

5.1. BLOCK DIAGRAM

Figure 1: Block diagram of manufacturing process

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Figure 2: Block diagram of the packaging and printing process

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5.2. PROCESS
In our visit, we observed some of the operations could be performed via an automated system.
Currently, the task is performed manually but, to improve the performance and implement a system to
overtake such tasks we propose two systems to be included in the existing system.

I. Automatic Oil Spray System

A diet cutter is a critical piece of equipment in the biscuit making process, as it ensures that the
biscuits are cut to the correct size and shape. To prevent the dough from sticking on the cutting surface of
die cutter, oils were sprayed manually. So, we propose an automatic oil spray system to spray oil on the
cutting surface of the die cutter which is activated only before the biscuit dough makes contact with the
cutting surface.
The spray system consists of the following components:
• Precision Nozzles
• Oil Reservoir
• Oil Pump
• PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)
• Proximity Sensors

Proximity Sensors
Proximity sensors are used to detect the presence or absence of biscuit dough as it approaches the
cutting surface of the die cutter. Proximity sensors are strategically positioned near the cutting surface of
the die cutter, in locations where biscuit dough is expected to come into contact.
Capacitive proximity sensors generate an electromagnetic field that is influenced by the dielectric constant
of the material in their detection range. When biscuit dough enters the detection range of the capacitive
sensor, the change in dielectric constant triggers the sensor to send a signal to the control system. The
control system uses this signal to activate the oil spraying process at the exact moment.

PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)

A Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is a specialized programmable digital computer system
designed to control and automate industrial processes, machinery, and equipment. The PLC operates in a
continuous loop called a "scan cycle." During each scan cycle, the PLC reads input values from sensors
and updates its internal memory. Based on the input data and programmed logic, the PLC makes decisions
regarding system behavior, such as activating the oil spraying process.
The PLC receives digital signals from proximity sensors indicating the presence or absence of biscuit
dough. It also receives analog signals from sensors that provide continuous data, such as oil pressure or

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flow rate. When the PLC determines that biscuit dough is approaching the cutting surface, it activates the
oil pump to pressurize the oil reservoir. The PLC opens the valves of precision nozzles, allowing oil to be
sprayed onto the cutting surface. The PLC continues to monitor the input signals from proximity sensors
to ensure biscuit dough detection and optimize the oil spraying process.

Oil Pump & Reservoir

The oil reservoir stores a sufficient quantity of lubricating oil, ensuring a continuous supply for
the oil spraying process. Sensors are present within the reservoir to monitor the oil level to prevent running
out of oil during production.
The oil pump is activated by the control system which activates it to pressurize the oil from the reservoir
which creates a controlled flow of pressurized oil. Its activation is synchronized with the cutting process
to ensure that oil is applied at the right moment. The pump's flow rate is adjusted by the PLC to control
the amount of oil being delivered to the precision nozzles. The pressurized oil is delivered through tubing
to the precision nozzles to ensure a consistent supply of lubricating oil.

Precision Nozzle
A precision nozzle is a component designed to deliver a controlled flow of fluid, typically in the
form of a fine mist or spray. It ensures precise and uniform distribution of the fluid so, it is used in various
industries for tasks such as lubrication, cooling, cleaning, and coating.
The pressurized oil is directed through a small orifice in the precision nozzle. The constriction of the
orifice causes the oil to break into tiny droplets, creating a fine mist of lubricating oil. The nozzles generate
a specific spray pattern at an angle that is optimal for effectively coating the cutting surface. The angle of
the nozzle directs the oil mist downward onto the cutting surface. The fine mist generated by the precision
nozzle provides even coverage of the cutting surface, ensuring consistent lubrication across critical contact
points. When proximity sensors detect the absence of biscuit dough it sends a signal to the control system,
and it deactivates the nozzles.

II. Automatic Label Printing System

One of the limitations of the existing system is that the manufacturing date and expiry date printing
for the products was done manually. The printing process is tedious and time-consuming. So, we proposed
an automatic label printing system that could print the dates without manual labor. The automatic system
consists of two components:

• Positioner
• Inkjet printer

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Positioner
The primary function of a positioner is to control the movement of biscuit to predetermined positions,
often in coordination with other processes. The positioner uses sensors, motors, actuators, and control
algorithms to achieve precise positioning. The goal is to align the biscuit with an inkjet printer for further
operation i.e., Printing.

• Sensors: Sensors are used to detect the position, orientation, or presence of biscuit. They provide
feedback to the control system about the biscuit's current state.

• Actuators: Actuators are responsible for moving biscuits in their proper order for printing.
Actuators execute commands from the control system to adjust the biscuit's position.

• Control System: The control system manages the entire operation of the positioner. It processes
input from sensors, calculates necessary adjustments, and sends commands to the actuators.
Modern control systems often use programmable logic controllers (PLCs) or other automation
controllers.

Inkjet printer
Inkjet printers are widely used for various printing applications, ranging from personal documents to
industrial product labeling. They work by propelling tiny droplets of ink onto a substrate, such as paper,
labels, or other materials, to create text, images, or graphics. There are diverse types of inkjet printing
technologies, but the fundamental principle remains the same: converting digital information into physical
ink droplets. Here is how a typical inkjet printer works:

• Data Input: The process begins with the digital information that needs to be printed. In this case
the manufactured and expiry date.

• Image Processing: The printer's internal electronics process the digital data and convert it into a
format that the printer's print head can understand. This involves breaking down the image into a
matrix of tiny dots called "pixels."

• Print Head Control: The print head is the key component of an inkjet printer. It contains a series
of nozzles through which ink is ejected onto the paper or substrate. Modern inkjet printers have
sophisticated control mechanisms that manage the firing of these nozzles with high precision.

• Droplet Formation: The printer generates controlled pressure or electrical signals to force small
droplets of ink out of the nozzles. The size of the droplets and the timing of their ejection are
carefully controlled to achieve accurate printing results.

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 • Image Completion: As the print head continues to move across the wrapper and deposit droplets
of ink, the image gradually emerges on the substrate. This is achieved by depositing thousands of
individual ink droplets in a specific pattern based on the pixel data from the original digital image.

• Finished Print: Once the printing process is complete, the biscuit with the printed dates is ready.
The ink is now dry, and the printed biscuit is ready for use.

Inkjet printing on delicate objects like biscuits requires careful consideration to avoid damaging the
product. The force generated by the inkjet printer's ejection mechanism, whether thermal or piezoelectric,
is typically controlled to prevent causing any harm to the substrate, especially in the case of fragile items
like biscuits. Manufacturers take several precautions to ensure that the printing process does not cause the
biscuits to crumble. The precautions may include things like controlled force, position print head at an
appropriate distance and angle from the substrate to minimize the force of impact.

5.3. ADVANTAGES
The advantages of the recommended system are as follows:
• By automating the oiling process in the die cutter, we can decrease the overall production cost in
the long run. Besides, this process will be much faster, reliable, and error-free.
• By integrating the label printing machine in the packaging section, we can reduce packaging time
and make the process highly efficient.

6. CONCLUSION
Our field trip to Nebico of Nepal was a success. This report reflects our exploration of real-world
microprocessor-based instrumentation systems. We learned how these systems are applied in the biscuit
manufacturing process at the factory and understood the challenges they can pose. Malfunctions in these
systems can lead to significant production setbacks and repairs. We also proposed improvements through
a new block diagram without considering financial constraints and quality assurance needs, which are
essential for actual implementation. We conclude that our visit and report successfully provided insights
into practical applications of instrumentation systems at the Nebico biscuit factory in Kathmandu.

7. REFERENCES
➢ Case Study on NEBICO Private Limited at Balaju Industrial District, Balaju, Kathmandu by KEC college
students Lucky Prajjwol Shrestha.et.al.

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