Student coffee machine project gets boost from Norelem

Supporting a bachelor thesis project at The Vienna University of Technology, Norelem has provided a range of components to enable students to make their idea a reality.

With the ambition to visualise as many of the technical processes involved in coffee preparation as possible, students at the university constructed an advanced coffee machine – known as ‘coffee machine 2.0’.

Consisting of two main sections, the machine would demonstrate the process of roasting the coffee beans, as well as the extraction process. Within the roasting section, green coffee beans are roasted using a fluidised bed reactor, which utilises a cyclone and heat exchanger for separating silver skins. Whereas, the extracting section makes use of a grinder, a heating tank with an immersion heater, a suspension tank, and a filtration device.

The process begins by dosing green coffee beans through a screw conveyor. The beans are then roasted in the fluidised bed reactor with the help of a fan and air heater. As the beans are being roasted, water from a tank is pumped through the reactor’s heat exchanger tube to preheat it. The roasted beans are transported to the mill using a bean lift, where they are then grinded into coffee grounds. The preheated water is further heated in the heating tank and sprayed onto the ground coffee using a spray head. Finally, the suspension is filtered, leaving ready-to-drink coffee.

To make the project possible, Norelem provided various components, including swivel castors with a locking system and robust tubular handles which were installed to allow for easy transportation and parking of the machine. Cheese head screws and other standard components were also used to assemble the fluidised bed reactor.

To transport the beans to the mill, a toothed belt shaft and stepper motor were used, and a housing bearing unit was employed to both mount the toothed belt pulley and tension the toothed belt. Norelem also supplied maintenance-free housing bearings and a precision shaft, controlled by the stepper motor, to support the load-bearing rotating plate on which the finished coffee was served. And finally, rubber buffers were used to minimise vibrations, while cover profiles were used to protect the system from dirt, dust, and coffee spills.

This project is another in the long list of the student projects that have been supported by Norelem. Through the promotion of young talent, the Norelem ACADEMY not only realises one of its key business ideologies, but fulfils one of Norelem’s wider goals, which is furthering all aspects of the manufacturing industry.

Moreover, the Norelem ACADEMY is committed to assisting engineering professionals throughout their careers by offering a variety of training programmes. These include imparting knowledge on commonly used components and providing technical training on various design subjects. The Norelem ACADEMY places great importance on fostering education and student projects, and therefore offers complimentary materials and valuable technical guidance from their team of experts.

norelem Ltd

Innovation Centre
1 Devon Way
Birmingham
B31 2TS
UNITED KINGDOM

+44 (0)121 222 5320

info@norelem.co.uk

www.norelem.co.uk

More news
NSK bearings help pet food plant raise OEE
When a major UK pet food producer wanted better machine utilisation with the aim of raising its OEE (overall equipment effectiveness) by 3 points, it asked experts at bearing specialist NSK if they could evaluate processes and systems to help with this improvement goal.
NORD DRIVESYSTEMS has “inspiring discussions” at SPS
Drive specialist NORD DRIVESYSTEMS reports a highly success time at the SPS trade fair in Nuremberg, with three intensive days on the topic of efficient drive solutions for the automation industry.
A Christmas gift with every GS Yuasa battery
GS Yuasa has unwrapped its latest promotion – a Christmas present with every battery. Whether you’re buying a battery for a Pyronix alarm system or a Peugeot – qualifying purchases of both GS and Yuasa batteries throughout December will include a festive freebie.
Beckhoff UK and HepcoMotion’s mechatronics showcase takes centre stage
Automation technology specialist Beckhoff UK, in collaboration with leading manufacturer of linear motion systems, HepcoMotion, hosted a mechatronics showcase at MK7, the home of Oracle Red Bull Racing in Milton Keynes, with several innovations from both companies on display, as well as a brand-new product reveal – the GFX-r guidance system.
PPMA re-brand puts automation at the heart of UK manufacturing
The PPMA Group of Associations has re-branded and has changed its name to AutomateUK to better represent the needs of its membership and their end user customers in the ever-changing manufacturing landscape.
steute Technologies restructures its business fields
steute Technologies, an international technology company offering switches, intelligent sensors and wireless systems, has announced a comprehensive restructuring of its business fields.
Young designers take off with e-racing cars and support from norelem
Set around the challenge to build and operate a purely electric racing car, this year’s Formula Student (Electric) competition put student designers to the test. To prepare several teams for the event, the VDI Racing Camp powered by norelem brought together more than 250 participants from across Germany, preparing them for the prestigious competition by providing components and support to each team.
Showcasing design, production and process engineering in the food and drink sect
Taking place on 1 May 2024 at the National Motorcycle Museum, Food Manufacturing Live serves the design, production, process and maintenance engineering teams across the UK food and drink manufacturing sector.
Understanding safety and security for the protection of human and machine
How do you master employee protection, liability protection, productivity and data protection? How do you increase your quality and simultaneously prevent manipulation on your machines? How do you protect your data and employees in equal measure? Pilz is hosting a free webinar on 15 December, 9:30-10:30 am, to address just these questions.
Schaffner opens new regional channels for its range of EMC solutions
EMC solutions provider, Schaffner, announces new partnerships with three distributors to further broaden the reach and scope of its product range and support services across Europe. The new agreements with Telerex, CATS and DSL Components will open new supplier corridors and enable customers to have local and faster access to products.

Login / Sign up