Developing and evaluating a semi-industrial carrot peeling machine

This study developed and evaluated a semi-industrial mechanical carrot peeler designed for efficient, uniform peeling with minimal waste. The machine featured rubber rollers with cold foam coating, stainless-steel blades with a hinge system, and a grooved aluminum frame, designed in CATIA and fabricated using laser cutting and CNC machining. Power was supplied by two geared electromotors through a belt-pulley system. Performance was tested on carrots of two diameter ranges (2–3 cm and 3–4 cm) at two linear travel speeds (15 and 25 cm s -1 ), with three replications. Results showed that carrot diameter, speed, and their interaction significantly affected peeling percentage. The highest peeling efficiency occurred with larger carrots at lower speed, while smaller carrots at higher speed showed the lowest efficiency. Peeling thickness was influenced only by carrot diameter, with smaller carrots producing thinner peels. A strong correlation was observed between initial weight and peeling thickness. The machine achieved an average peeling thickness of 1.8 mm, compared to 2.4 mm for hand peeling, resulting in reduced waste. Additionally, hand peeling consumed approximately four times more energy than machine-assisted peeling per carrot sample. Overall, the developed machine offers an economical and efficient solution for small- and medium-scale production.