RoboLabs MINI ROBOPOP 25 User manual

OPERATING MANUAL
MINI ROBOPOP® 25 (VPM-MRS2F)
READ THE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING THE MACHINE!
PDF version of this manual is available on www.robolabs.pro

Robopop 25 user manual Nov-20
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
Safety requ rements.......................................................................................3
1. Overv ew.......................................................................................................4
1.1. Purpose.................................................................................................4
1.2. Techn cal spec f cat ons.....................................................................4
1.3. Del very set...........................................................................................4
1.4. Unpack ng.............................................................................................5
1.5. Power requ rements............................................................................6
1.6. Amb ent cond t ons..............................................................................6
1.7. Safety components.............................................................................6
1.8. Ma n components................................................................................8
2. Intended use..............................................................................................10
2.1. Operat on modes...............................................................................10
2.2. Popp ng mode....................................................................................10
2.3. Qu ck start gu de...............................................................................11
2.4. Parameters.........................................................................................12
2.5. Test ng mode......................................................................................13
2.6. Popcorn qual ty..................................................................................14
3. Techn cal ma ntenance...........................................................................15
3.1. Clean ng gu de...................................................................................15
3.2. L ght bulb replacement....................................................................16
3.3. Conservat on......................................................................................17
3.4 Serv ce, repa r, spare parts.............................................................17
4. Troubleshoot ng........................................................................................18
5. Transportat on and storage....................................................................18
6. Qual ty control cert f cate.......................................................................19
7. Warranty obl gat ons................................................................................20
8. Manufacturer deta ls................................................................................20
Annex A. Chamber clogg ng.......................................................................21
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Robopop 25 user manual Nov-20
SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
DO NOT WASH MACHINE WITH WATER JET!
DISCONNECT MACHINE FROM THE MAINS BEFORE
SERVICING!
DO NOT LEAVE RUNNING MACHINE UNATTENDED!
ALL SWIVEL CASTERS MUST BE LOCKED WHILE IN
OPERATION!
BEWARE MOVING PARTS!
SOME PARTS ARE HOT WHILE IN OPERATION!
DO NOT USE MACHINE FOR PROCESSING OTHER
KERNELS THAN CORN!
ONLY INSTRUCTED PERSONNEL ARE ALLOWED TO
OPERATE THE MACHINE!
PRINT OUT THE ANNEX A AND AFFIX IT NEXT TO THE
MACHINE FOR OPERATOR’S REFERENCE!
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Robopop 25 user manual Nov-20
1. OVERVIEW
1.1. Purpose
Vortex Popcorn mach ne VPM-MRS2F (here nafter “popper” or “mach ne”) s a
hot-a r popper for mak ng popcorn. Both Butterfly and Mushroom var et es can
be processed. Popper bu lt on patented Vortex technology that has follow ng
benef ts:
- No o l s used at all, so hot-a r popped popcorn has no carc nogens and
trans-fats; and the cost of product on s reduced.
- Once popped, popcorn s mmed ately removed from the hot area, thus ts
nutr t onal value and taste are kept as much as poss ble.
1.2. Techn cal spec f cat ons
Th ro u gh pu t 1up to 12 kg/h r
Rat ed curre nt 25 A
Rat ed voltage 1/ N/PE A C 23 0 V 50-6 0 Hz
Net we gh t 15 0 kg
D men s ons 10 70 х580х1600 mm
1.3. Del very set
1x Vortex popcorn mach ne VPM-MRS2F
2x Controls module key
1x Halogen lamp 48 W 64684 ECO
1x Operat ng manual
1 Amount of raw corn processed. Production rate of the machine depends on corn uality.
Due to humidity loss during popping and some amount of unpopped kernels and husk, weight
difference may be up to 20%.
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1.4. Unpack ng
HEAVY EQUIPMENT! AT LEAST 3 PERSONS ARE
REQUIRED TO GET THE CRATE IN UPRIGHT POSITION!
Unpack the mach ne carefully. To do th s, follow nstruct ons below:
1. Remove wood screws along the per meter of upper cover plate (1), take off
the plate.
2. Demount wood bar (2).
3. Remove protect ve cardboard sheet (3).
4. Once the package s open, the plywood crate w th mach ne must be set
upr ght.
5. Once the crate s n upr ght pos t on, release and remove fasten ng belts
hold ng the mach ne ns de.
6. Release the breaks of the front sw vel casters, and then carefully roll out the
mach ne from the crate.
7. Check the contents of the package. Remove protect ve f lm from all surfaces.
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1.5. Power requ rements
CONNECTIONS MUST BE DONE ONLY BY QUALIFIED
ELECTRICIAN!
ELECTRIC SOCKET MUST HAVE GROUNDING TERMINAL!
IF SUPPLY CORD DAMAGED, IT MUST BE REPLACED BY
MANUFACTURER, SERVICE AGENT, OR QUALIFIED
PERSONS IN ORDER TO AVOID HAZARD!
It s necessary to per od cally check electr c connect ons, nclud ng ground ng
connect on. Whenever any fault cond t ons are found, do not turn the equ pment
and call for qual f ed electr c an!
Equ potent al bond ng w re (up to 10 sq.mm) shall be connected to screw
term nal marked w th IEC 5021 s gn.
Cable plug s not ncluded n the del very set. It s recommended to use IEC
60309 2P+E 32 A plug. Refer to the w r ng d agram on the power cord label.
1.6. Amb ent cond t ons
The equ pment must be operated at the amb ent temperature between +5° and
+40°C (+41°F to +104°F), relat ve hum d ty not more than 45% at 40°C/104°F).
Alt tude above sea level should not exceed 1000 m.
Wh le n operat on, a lot of mo sture and heat s com ng out of the popper. The
nstallat on area must be equ pped w th an exhaust ng hood (800x800 mm, 300
cu.m/hr or more) nstalled above the output port of the mach ne.
A bient conditions have strong effect on the end product quality! See
section 2.6 for ore details!
1.7. Safety components
On the front panel the EMERGENCY STOP button s located. The button
completely turns off the mach ne at any t me.
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USING EMERGENCY STOP BUTTON MAY LEAD TO
CHAMBER CLOGGING!
There s a contactor ncluded n the electr cal c rcu t before sol d-state relays,
wh ch run heat ng elements. Emergency thermostat runs the contractor. The
thermostat sensor s located ns de the chamber, next to the heat ng elements.
In case of sol d-state relays fa lure or ma n automat on system fa lure and
uncontrolled heat ng, the emergency thermostat w ll be tr ggered and w ll shut
off the heat ng elements, avo d ng overheat ng.
The ma n controller watches current frequency of the turb ne. If current
frequency s less than 20 Hz dur ng the operat on, then the controller w ll shut
off the mach ne n 12 seconds.
There s an automat cally operated 32 A electr cal sw tch (c rcu t breaker)
nstalled at the ma ns nput ns de the mach ne.
The s fter drum sn’t r g dly connected to the dr ve rollers. Thus, f a sl ght effort
to block the s fter s appl ed, the s fter won’t rotate and w ll stay n ts pos t on.
The mach ne s nstalled on a stand equ pped w th lock ng casters w th
mechan cal locks, wh ch avo d spontaneous movements of the mach ne.
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1.8. Ma n components
Ma n components are: 1 - Turb ne; 2 - Chamber; 3 – Corn feeder; 4 – Control
panel; 5 – S fter (perforated drum); 6 – Scrap tray, see F g.1:
F g. 1 Ma n components
TURBINE (BLOWER)
The turb ne prov des constantly c rculat ng a rflow ns de the popper. Th s s a
d rect type dr ve; the blower s ts on motor’s shaft. Rotat onal speed s controlled
by the ma n PLC.
CHAMBER
Th s s where popp ng happens. A rflow c rculates through the chamber; a r s
be ng heated by heat ng elements. In the chamber’s lower part there s a bowl
w th spec al shaped holes that causes a r vortex.
Dur ng mach ne operat on corn kernels are be ng fed nto the chamber; kernels
are be ng heated up, and f nally, mmed ately blown away from the chamber
once popped.
Chamber can be eas ly accessed through the door prov ded. Halogen lamp
llum nates the chamber ns de.
Chamber s equ pped w th temperature sensor, wh ch helps the mach ne to
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control and ma nta n temperature n the chamber automat cally.
CORN FEEDER
Corn feeder can hold 8 kg or raw corn. There s an auger ns de the feeder that
pushes corn kernels nto the chamber.
SIFTER AND SCRAP TRAY
S fter s a rotat ng drum that screens un-popped kernels (“old ma ds”), partly
popped popcorn, and other small fract ons nto scrap tray located under the
s fter. Scrap tray s eas ly removable.
CONTROL PANEL
There are follow ng tems on the control panel:
START/PAUSE push button – to turn the mach ne on, and set t to pause mode.
STOP/COOLING push button – to turn the mach ne n cool ng mode.
EMERGENCY STOP button – to turn the mach ne n case of emergency (see
sect on 1.7 for more deta ls).
Temperature regulator – to set the operat ng temperature.
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2. INTENDED USE
2.1. Operat on modes
The popper has follow ng operat on modes:
- Heat ng mode. Once START/PUSE button s pressed, popper
automat cally starts to heat up. The button nd cator bl nks slowly. Upon
reach ng certa n temperature popper sw tches automat cally to popp ng
mode.
- Popp ng mode. Th s s the ma n operat on mode. START/PAUSE button
nd cator glows.
- Pause mode. Popper doesn’t process corn n th s mode, but ma nta ns set
temperature n the chamber. So, operat on may be resumed n no t me.
START/PAUSE button nd cator bl nks fast.
- Cool ng mode. In cool ng mode heat ng elements are completely de-
energ zed; turb ne keeps runn ng, cool ng down the mach ne. Once
temperature drops low enough, popper s turned off automat cally.
START/PAUSE button nd cator s off.
- Test ng mode. Th s mode s used for test ng popper components. See
sect on 2.5 for more deta ls.
2.2. Popp ng mode
Popp ng mode s the ma n operat on mode. Popper operates n cycl c way,
process ng corn kernels batch by batch. Each cycle cons sts of three stages:
1) Feed ng . Hopper auger rotates, push ng corn kernels nto the chamber.
2) Popp ng . Corn kernels are heated up n the chamber, eventually blown out
from the chamber once popped.
3) Purg ng . Turb ne speed s ncreased n order to remove dust and scrap
from the chamber.
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2.3. Qu ck start gu de
THE VERY FIRST BATCH OF CORN IS NOT INTENDED TO
EAT!
MAKE SURE THE CHAMBER IS CLEAN BEFORE TURNING
MACHINE ON!
1. F ll the hopper w th raw corn and prepare a conta ner for popped corn.
2. Press START/PAUSE button to turn the mach ne on. Heat up starts
automat cally.
3. It takes about 15 m nutes to reach the set temperature.
4. Corn feed starts automat cally.
5. Wa t for the feeder to be empty. It w ll take not more than 15 m nutes.
6. Turn off the mach ne by press ng the COOLING/TURN OFF button. The
mach ne w ll automat cally sw tch nto cool ng mode, and then w ll be shut off
completely. The cool ng stage takes 10 m nutes approx.
PAUSE MODE
Press the START/PAUSE button to enter n the pause, to suspend operat on.
Mach ne w ll execute current cycle normally, but won’t start next one. S fter w ll
stop n a few m nutes. Press START/PAUSE button aga n to resume operat on,
or press COOLING/TURN OFF button to sw tch the mach ne n the cool ng
mode.
CHAMBER PURGE FEATURE
Dur ng warm ng up stage, chamber purge procedure s act vated at the same
t me as the s fter starts to rotate. Thus the chamber s be ng empt ed of scrap
left there before.
Also, f COOLING/TURN OFF button s kept pressed dur ng cool ng stage for
more than 3 sec, then chamber purge cycle s act vated. Use th s feature to
clean the chamber w thout open ng t.
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2.4. Parameters
TEMPERATURE
Popp ng temperature shall be chosen by the user. Due to d fferent features of
used corn and chosen sett ngs, and also cycl c type of operat on, moderate
temperature fluctuat ons are poss ble.
Popp ng temperature affects the way how popcorn pops; ts shape and s ze.
Too h gh values lead to smaller popcorn. Too low values lead to reduced
product v ty, mproperly popped kernels, and chamber
clogg ng.
Common popp ng temperature for Butterfly s between 190
and 205°C; for Mushroom t s between 205 and 215°C.
To change the temperature set value (SV) use up and down
arrow keys on the ma n temperature regulator.
POPPING TIME
To adjust the popp ng t me, enter nto to the test ng mode. Press and hold the
COOLING/TURN OFF button and then press and release the START/PAUSE
button.
The START/PAUSE button nd cator bl nks slowly, wh ch means that popp ng
t me s reset to 110 sec, the max mal value2. Press the START/PAUSE button to
change the popp ng t me.
There are three ava lable values:
- 110 sec (slow bl nk ng), wh ch corresponds to 3/4 of the max mum
product v ty (default sett ng);
- 90 sec (faster bl nk ng), wh ch corresponds to 7/8 of the max mum
product v ty;
- 75 sec (fastest bl nk ng), wh ch corresponds to the max mum product v ty.
Press the EMERGENCY STOP button to save the popp ng t me set and ex t.
The ma n cr ter on of opt mal popp ng t me s that more than 95% of corn should
be popped and thrown out from the chamber before chamber purg ng.
2 For safety reasons, each time when you enter into the testing mode, the parameter is reset
to 110 sec.
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CHAMBER CLOGGING CAUSED BY IMPROPERLY CHOSEN
PARAMETERS IS NOT A WARRANTY CASE!
If popp ng t me s set on the max mum and most of the corn batch can’t pop and
fly out n t me, t s recommended to ncrease the temperature set po nt, for not
less than 10°C.
TURBINE SPEED
The Vortex patented technology s based on a r convect on ns de the mach ne.
A rflow ntens ty s be ng changed dur ng operat on accord ngly to the
operat onal algor thm. A rflow s be ng generated by the ma n turb ne that s
be ng controlled by VFD un t (voltage frequency dr ver).
If the speed s too low, the mass of corn won’t be moved n the chamber; that
w ll cause chamber clogg ng, and popcorn smolder ng. If the speed s too h gh,
percentage of scrap w ll be ncreased, s nce some kernels w ll be blown out of
the chamber before they pop.
To change the reference speed of the turb ne, do the follow ng.
HIGH VOLTAGE INSIDE! ONLY QUALIFIED AND TRAINED
PERSONNEL ARE ALLOWED TO DO THE FOLLOWING
OPERATIONS!
1. Open the electr c compartment that s under the
s fter.
2. Press START button to turn the mach ne on.
3. Check f the value on the VFD d splay starts
w th F. If not, press MODE button few t mes, unt l
you see read ng start ng w th F.
4. Use ‘up’ and ‘down’ arrow keys on VFD un t to
change the reference speed.
5. Close the compartment.
F VALUE MUST BE WITHIN 30.00 TO 40.00!
2.5. Test ng mode
It s poss ble to check certa n components of the mach ne n test ng mode.
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Press and hold COOLING/TURN OFF button and press START button to enter
nto the test ng mode.
SIFTER TESTING
Press and keep pressed COOLING/TURN OFF button for more than 3 seconds.
S fter w ll rotate as long as the button s kept pressed.
FEEDER TESTING
Press the COOLING/TURN OFF button once. Feeder w ll execute a s ngle cycle
of feed ng.
Press EMERGENCY STOP button to ex t the test ng mode.
CORN WILL BE PUSHED INTO THE CHAMBER DURING
FEEDER TESTING. ALL CORN MUST BE REMOVED FROM
THE CHAMBER BEFORE START!
2.6. Popcorn qual ty
Popcorn s a very sens t ve product that requ res ult mate attent on towards
many aspects. Understand ng popcorn process ng technology s the key to
good qual ty product on.
RAW CORN
It s mposs ble to get good stable result us ng low qual ty suppl es, f rst of all,
raw corn kernels. Choose reputable and rel able corn suppl ers. Make sure that
raw corn s stored and handled properly at your product on s te. Ask your corn
suppl ers for recommendat ons on storage and handl ng recommendat ons.
POPCORN CRUNCHINESS
Popcorn s crunchy when ts mo sture content doesn’t exceed 1-1.5%. Popcorn
that just came out of the mach ne has h gher mo sture rate (4-5%) as t s st ll
los ng mo sture as cool ng down. It s recommended to prov de proper
env ronment and establ sh the workflow at the s te n such a way to be able to
ach eve top qual ty product.
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3. TECHNICAL MAINTENANCE
3.1. Clean ng gu de
DISCONNECT THE PLUG BEFORE CLEANING!
DO NOT WASH MACHINE WITH WATER!
WAIT UNTIL MACHINE IS COOLED DOWN BEFORE
CLEANING!
DO NOT USE SHARP TOOLS OR ABRASIVES FOR
CLEANING!
The purpose of techn cal ma ntenance s to ma nta n the equ pment n good
cond t on dur ng all the l fet me and to meet f re safety rules.
The follow ng schedule3 s recommended below:
ACTION PE R I OD
Surface cle an ng , dust a nd wa ste remo v al On ce a day
S fte r clean ng (hu s k, popcorn re mo val) On ce a day
The chamb e r clean ng (hu sk, corn du st , un-poppe d co rn re m o va l) On ce a day
Chamber g r d c lea n ng (hu sk, c o rn dust re m o va l) On ce a mont h
OUTER SURFACES CLEANING
Clean outer surfaces of the mach ne by the means of dry and clean cloth; t s
allowed to use a cloth sl ghtly damped w th soap water.
CHAMBER CLEANING
It s necessary to clean the chamber of husk and dust once a day. To clean the
chamber, unfasten the latches wh ch hold the door, and pull t out. After that,
3 Technical maintenance should be performed as necessary.
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remove husk and debr s from the chamber. It s handy to use a vacuum cleaner
for th s operat on.
After clean ng, close the chamber door.
Dur ng long t me operat on, certa n amount of corn dust s accumulated n the
chamber. It s mportant to clean the mesh screen on regular bas s.
Open the chamber. There s a baffler n the center. The mesh screen s beh nd
the baffler. Normally there s enough room to get access to the screen n order
to clean t. However, f requ red, baffler can be removed. To do so, remove two
bolts that f x the baffler to s dewalls. And then pull the baffler out. Once clean ng
s done, put the baffler back and f x t w th the bolts.
SIFTER CLEANING
S fter s not r g dly connected to the mach ne and can be taken out of the
mach ne. S fter l es freely on two shafts each w th couple of rubber rollers. In the
course of t me, the rollers’ surface may become greasy and sl ppery, because of
natural corn o l and dust. Th s may cause s fter stop and chamber clogg ng. To
avo d th s, rollers must be cleaned as necessary. It s su table to do w th a hard
steel brush or other tool that prov des strong mpact on grease layer on rollers’
surface.
3.2. L ght bulb replacement
To replace l ght bulb do the follow ng.
1. Turn off the mach ne and d sconnect t from the ma ns. Wa t unt l the mach ne
cools down.
2. Take chamber door off to open the chamber.
3. L ght bulb s located n the upper part of the chamber.
4. Remove four screws that holds lamp screen and take the screen out. If t s
stuck, carefully nsert flat screwdr ver under the metal frame of the screen and
turn t gently to detach the screen.
5. The l ght bulb s hold by spr ng loaded socket. Sh ft the bulb left or r ght to
release ts oppos te end, and then take the bulb out.
BULB MAY BE VERY HOT! BURN HAZARD!
6. One must not touch the new l ght bulb w th bare f ngers; sk n fat can cause
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bulb destruct on dur ng further operat on. If the bulb s greasy, t s requ red to
w pe t thoroughly w th soft, clean and dry cloth before putt ng t n.
7. Once bulb replac ng s done, put the protect ve screen back and f x t w th
four screws. Close the chamber.
DO NOT OPERATE POPPER WITHOUT BAFFLER OR MESH
SCREEN!
3.3. Conservat on
If the mach ne s not n use for a long t me, t s necessary to perform all the
techn cal ma ntenance works, nclud ng complex clean ng of the s fter.
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4. TROUBLESHOOTING
Pro blem Poss ble cause Po ss ble remedy
Cha mber c l og ge d
w th p op corn ofte n
- low q ua l ty corn
- corn st o rag e cond t ons
are not me t
- wrong c h osen set t ngs o f
the mach ne
- do not u s e low q ua l ty co r n
- prov de proper s torage co nd t ons fo r
raw corn
- adjust p op p ng te mperatu re
- adjust t u rb ne sp eed
Sc r a p percen t ag e s
to o h gh
- low q ua l ty corn
- too h gh tu rb ne s pe ed
- do not u s e low q ua l ty co r n
- decrea se tu rb ne speed
Po pcorn s not cr sp y - lo w qual ty co rn
- extre m e amb en t
con d t ons
- no exha u st ng hood
prov ded
- popco r n s st ll ho t
- do not u s e low q ua l ty co r n
- prov de proper a mb en t cond t on s
- prov de exhau s t ng ho od
- arrange t he workf l o w such a w a y to
let popcorn to cool d o wn
To o small po pcorn - too h gh po pp ng
temperatu r e
- reduce p op p ng te mperatu re
To o much b ut te rfly
shaped popcorn
wh le ma k ng
Mush room
- too lo w popp ng
temperatu r e
- nc rea se popp ng te mp e rature
In case of other ssues, related to serv c ng, repa r, spare parts, contact the
dealer or the factory (see below).
5. TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE
Popcorn mach ne may be transported by any k nd of covered veh cle, n
accordance w th transportat on rules for th s k nd of veh cle.
Amb ent temperature dur ng the transportat on and storage must be between
m nus 25°C to +55°C.
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6. QUALITY CONTROL CERTIFICATE
QC CERTI FICATE
________________________
PRODUCT NA ME
№ ________ __ __ ________ __ __
SERIAL NUMBER
THE MACH I NE IS MA DE WITH ACCO RDANCE TO MANDATO RY REQUIRE ME NTS O F THE
STA TE STA N D A RDS, A CTUAL TE C H N I CAL D O CUMENTATI O N, AND A PP ROVED F OR
USE.
QUA LITY CO N T ROL E N GI N EER
STA MP HE R E
_________________
SIGNATURE
_________________
DATE
_________________
FULL NAME
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7. WARRANTY OBLIGATIONS
The manufacturer guarantees trouble-free operat on of the mach ne dur ng 12
months from the date of rece v ng the mach ne by the dealer ( n accordance
w th transport documentat on); or, n case of purchase d rectly through Trapeza
LLC, from the purchase date, g ven that terms of us ng, transportat on, and
storage are met.
The warranty repa r s performed upon presentat on of th s manual and f lled
warranty card w th the seller’s seal and the date of sale.
Techn cal spec f cat ons of the mach ne can be changed by manufacturer at any
t me due to mprovements and/or other reasons. Techn cal spec f cat ons stated
n th s document are ntended to act as a reference po nt, wh ch s necessary to
evaluate su tab l ty of the mach ne for the customer’s needs, and are not the
subject of warranty pol cy.
The nformat on stated n th s document has been thoroughly checked and
cons dered as accurate one; nevertheless, the manufacturer s not respons ble
for any typograph cal errors or m spr nts.
DUE TO CONSTANT IMPROVEMENT OF THE EQUIPMENT, TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE.
8. MANUFACTURER DETAILS
RoboLabs LLC
11 Industr al Street, Tver, 170100 Russ a
Techn cal support: [email protected]
For all nqu r es related to serv ce, repa r, and spare parts, subm t the follow ng
nformat on to the dealer, or the manufacturer:
- photo of mach ne’s nameplate w th ser al no.
- related photo/v deo mater als
- photo of the part or parts need to be replaced
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