The document discusses proposed modifications to reduce the gap between tobacco cakes and CFCs and reduce bulging of cakes during the re-drying process. The key points are: 1) Currently there is a 22.1mm gap along the length and 20.4mm gap along the breadth between cakes and CFCs, and cakes bulge by 51mm on average. 2) Proposed modifications include increasing the size of the charger box to reduce gaps to around 6mm and 4mm, and using a hydraulic press after cake formation to reduce bulging. 3) Other recommendations involve adding guiding mechanisms for CFC alignment, modifying the feeding drum for uniform feeding, decreasing charger

1. TO REDUCE THE GAP BETWEEN
TOBACCO CAKE AND CFC AND
BULGING OF THE CAKE
Submitted By:
Pankaj Mehta
Amrit Thapa
Project Supervisors:
Er. Suresh Kaji Shrestha
Er. Ravinder Yadav
Submitted To:
Surya Nepal Pvt. Ltd.
Simara, Bara
A PRESENTATION ON PROJECT

2. CONTENT
Introduction
Problem Statement
Objectives
Data Collection and Analysis
Brainstorming
CAD Models
Modifications
Recommendations
Conclusions 2

3. Introduction
• Tobacco leaves are re-dried in LRD Plant.
• Minimum gap is required between cake and CFC.
• Un-bulged cake is required for efficient
stacking.
3
• Re-dried leaves are filled in CFCs and pressed by
bale-press to form tobacco cakes.
Fig. A cake-filled CFC from ITC

4. 4
LAMINA
FEED
WEIGHNING
CONVEYOR
CONDITIONING
CYLINDER
VIBRATING
CONVEYOR
SWEEPER
APRON
DRYER
BALE PRESS AND
PACKAGING
•
Fig. Process Flow Diagram of LRD
Plant, Solakhpur
process
starts here
process
ends here

5. 5
 Bale-press System
Feeding
drum
bale-press
charger-box

6. Problem
Statement
• Gap between the tobacco cake and CFC
is 22.1mm (average) along length and
20.4mm (average) along breadth.
• The bulging height of cake is 51mm (average).
6
Bulginggap
• Un-pressed leaves are present around
the periphery of the cake.
fig. CFC filled with cake
at LRD Plant
Un-pressed leaves

7. Objectives
Primary Objectives
• To reduce gap between tobacco cake and CFC.
• To reduce bulging of cake after packaging.
Secondary Objectives
• To make minimum modifications to the existing system.
• To study the causes and effects of the related
problems and find the possible solutions.
• To recommend feasible solutions to the company.
7

8. Data Collection and
Analysis
CFC
1040
1050
1060
1070
1080
1090
1100
1110
1120
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Length(inmm)
Sample Number
CFC Size (inner)
Length Mean Length
mean=
1094mm
s.d.= 10.84mm
8
Thickness of the CFC walls is 8mm.
640
650
660
670
680
690
700
710
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Breadth(inmm)
Sample Number
CFC Size (inner)
Breadth Mean Breadth
mean=
687mm
s.d.= 8.78mm

9. Data Collection and
Analysis
CFC
700
705
710
715
720
725
730
735
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Height(inmm)
Sample Number
CFC Size (Inner)
Height Mean Height
mean=
721mm
s.d.= 5.37mm
9

10. Data Collection and
Analysis
Gap Between
Cake and CFC
10
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Gap(inmm)
Sample Number
Air gap ( along length) Avgerage gap
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Gap(inmm)
Sample Number
Air gap ( along breadth) Average gap
mean=22.1m
m
mean=20.4mm

11. Data Collection and
Analysis
Bulging of Cake
11
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
BulgeHeight(inmm)
Sample Number
Bulge Height (approx. value ) Average Height
mean=51mm
s.d.=5.78mm

12. Brainstorming
12
Gap
between
cake and
CFC
Methods
Machine & Other
Constraints
Men
Manual placing of CFC
below the charger-
box Less-eccentric
Feeding
Absence of
guiding
mechanism
Small size of charger-
box relative to the
CFC
10mm thick walls of
charger-box
Thinner walls
may lead to
bending

13. Brainstorming
13

14. Brainstorming
14
Bulging of
tobacco cake
Methods
Machine & Other
Constraints
Men
Less time for pressing
the leaves
Small size of bale-
press. Sufficient
pressure cannot be
applied at the
periphery of the cake
Increased
pressing time
decreases
desired output
Manually
controlled large
feed rate
Constraint due
to the
misaligned
charger-box.
Manual strapping of
the CFC
Less eccentric feeding
drum
The leaves are pressed
only once.
Absence of Hydraulic
Press

15. Brainstorming
15

16. EXISTING SYSTEM
16

17. 17
Showing the working mechanism of bale-press
system

18. CAD Models
fig. Existing System ( exploded view )
18
Bale-press
Charger-box
CFC
Fig. Arrangement of Bale-Press
System
Fig. Bale-Press System (Exploded
View)
18

19. Findings
• Gap of 37.5mm along length and 42.5mm along
breadth between charger-box and bale press.
• Gap of 28.5mm along length and 17mm along
breadth each side between charger-box and
CFC.
Conclusion: This gap has resulted in presence of
un-pressed leaves in the cake.
Conclusion: This gap has resulted in presence of
air gap between cake and CFC.
Fig. Showing gap in existing system
19
CFC
Charger-
box
Bale-press

20. REDUCTION OF GAP BETWEEN CAKE AND CFC
20

21. Modifications
21
 Increasing the cross-section of the charger-box
fig. Modified
charger-box
 Size of modified charger-box increases
by 37mm along length and 14mm
along breadth.
21
 Size of modified charger-box:
1074mm × 667mm × 840mm

22. Modifications
22
 Increasing the cross-section of the charger-box
fig. Fabrication of Modified Charger-box

23. Modifications
23
 Increasing the cross-section of the charger-box
23
Parameters Before After
Size 1060×630×840 1074×667×840
Gap between CFC and
Charger-box
28.5mm (along length)
17mm (along breadth)
10mm (along length)
10mm (along breadth)
Gap between CFC and cake 22.1mm (along length)
20.4mm (along breadth)
Expected
6mm (along length)
4mm (along breadth)

24. REDUCTION OF BULGING OF CAKE

25. Proposed
Solutions
 Use of hydraulic press after cake formation
25

26. Proposed
Solutions
 Use of hydraulic press after cake formation
Fig. Working mechanism of Hydraulic Press

27. Proposed
Solutions
 Use of hydraulic press after cake formation
27
fig. Showing location of Hydraulic
press

28. Proposed
Solutions
 Working Parameters of Hydraulic Press
• Capacity of hydraulic pump: 25 Ton
• Stroke length: 100-125mm
• Pressing time: 30 seconds
• No. of presses: 2
• Working process: Semi-automatic

29. Modifications
 Use of hydraulic press after cake formation
Pros Cons
• Bulge of the cake is
considerably
reduced.
• Reduction in gap
between cake and
CFC.
• Un-pressed leaves
are pressed
removing air
• Extra workload to
the workers.
• Difficulty in
operation if the
system is manually
run.
29

30. Recommendation
s
 Guiding mechanism for proper alignment of the CFC
Design 1
30
Design 2

31. Recommendation
s
31
 Mechanism to make uniform feeding at all sides to
the CFC.
Existing
Problem
Fig, Existing Feeding
Drum
Fig, Existing Feeding
Drum

32. Recommendation
s
32
 Mechanism to make uniform feeding at all sides to
the CFC.
Possible
Solutions
Fig, Modified Feeding
Drum
Fig, Modified Feeding
Drum

33. Recommendation
s
 Decreasing the thickness of the charger-box
33
fig. Charger-box
• Using SS instead of MS
develops fatigue stress,
stress concentration more
easily.
• Expensive.
• Stainless steel (SS) has
almost two times tensile
strength than mild steel (MS).
• This modification reduces the
gap to some extent.

34.  Fixation of plate into the lower side of the bale-press
Recommendation
s
34
• Gap between ram and
charger-box is reduced to
10mm along each side.
• Un-pressed leaves are
eliminated and gap is
reduced.
figs. Modified Bale-press

35.  Fixation of plate into the lower side of the bale-press
Recommendation
s
35
fig. Showing gap between
charger-box1 and ram
fig. Showing gap between
charger-box2 and ram
charger-box
main-press
ram

36.  Fixation of plate into the lower side of the bale-press
Recommendation
s
36fig. Showing guide and key of
bale-press

37. Conclusions
37
The gap is expected to be reduced from 20.4mm to 4mm along
breadth and from 22.1mm to 6mm along length.
Bulging of cake is expected to be nullified by using hydraulic
press.
Addition of guiding mechanism makes manual handling of
CFCs convenient.
Un-pressed leaves can be minimized using hydraulic press
and by fixing a plate once press-ram is properly aligned.

38. 38
THANK YOU!!!!