Design and Analysis of an Automatic Shell Cracking Machine of Metohuayo (“<i>Caryodendron orinocense</i> Karst”) with a Capacity of 50 kg/h

This article presents the design and analysis of an automatic shell broken machine of seeds of Metohuayo (“<i>Caryodendron orinocense</i> Karst”) with a production capacity of 50 kg/h, considering manufacturing and maintenance of local facilities. Metohuayo is the fruit of a tree that grows in various jungle areas of Perú, and the Metohuayo oil is very requested because of its nutritional properties. Starting with these specifications, the design was developed according to the systematic approach established by the VDI-2221 standard, with seven basic steps to analyze the optimum design. Once the definitive project was reached and the commercial components were selected, finite element simulations were performed to analyze the strength of the shell broken system and to evaluate the strength and the dynamic response of the structural support of the machine components. Additionally, complementary experimental studies were performed, such as the analysis of the required force to break the shell or the measurement of their dimensions.