Virtual Booth

Dried chilli is a widely used ingredient in households and small-scale food enterprises; however, traditional manual processing methods such as cutting and seed separation are labour-intensive, time-consuming, and pose safety risks due to the use of sharp tools and repetitive handling. To address these challenges, this project presents ChiliSeedXYZ: Design and Development of an Automated Dry Chilli Cutting and Seed Separation Prototype, an innovative mechanised solution developed to improve processing efficiency, operational safety, and user convenience. The prototype features a lightweight and portable structure measuring 30 cm × 30 cm × 40 cm, making it suitable for household and small-enterprise applications. The system consists of two primary operational sections: an upper cutting chamber equipped with a high-speed rotating blade powered by a DC motor for efficient chilli slicing, and a lower seed separation chamber incorporating a mesh filtration mechanism assisted by a DC vibration motor to effectively separate chilli seeds from the chilli skin. The automated operation enables continuous processing while significantly reducing manual labour and processing time compared to conventional hand-cutting techniques. Furthermore, the enclosed system design enhances occupational safety by minimising direct user contact with sharp cutting components. Experimental performance evaluation demonstrated consistent cutting efficiency and effective seed separation capability, confirming the system’s reliability, practicality, and suitability for real-world applications. ChiliSeedXYZ offers a low-cost, energy-efficient, and user-friendly innovation with strong potential for implementation in households, food preparation businesses, and small-scale agro-processing industries. By integrating practical automation with functional engineering design, this innovation contributes towards smarter food processing practices, increased productivity, and safer working environments while supporting the modernisation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).