Troubleshooting a Knobel One Shot Depositer

[artiesel]

Does anyone have any experience using Knobel depositing machines?

 

My one shot plate is leaking chocolate out of the top and I can't determine why.

 

Any help would be appreciated

 

[Kerry Beal]

4 hours ago, artiesel said:

Does anyone have any experience using Knobel depositing machines?

 

My one shot plate is leaking chocolate out of the top and I can't determine why.

 

Any help would be appreciated

 

What do you know about the one shot plate itself? 

 

An article by Eric Schmoyer - who works for Callebaut USA these days - describes it like this

 

"Depositor molding generally has a vertical depositor and piston arrangement. The pistons open, drawing chocolate into the depositor block; then the rotary valve opens, and the chocolate is shot through a series of nozzles laid out according to the cavities in the mold."

 

I assume some part of this arrangement is failing to do it's bit and the chocolate is forced out the top.

 

 

 

[artiesel]

The plate is a 3-layer sandwich of aluminum attached to the depositing arm below the chamber containing the pistons.

 

The chocolate is being extruded out through plate and out of the nozzles but it appears that the seal between the plate and the depositing arm isn't as tight as it should be because chocolate is leaking out of the top of the plate each time the pistons move.

 

I removed the locking mechanisms from the machine, cleaned off all the chocolate deposits and lubricated them before returning them tot he machine and it still leaks. 

 

I'm wondering if it's time to buy a new one shot plate?

 

Was this helpful?

[Kerry Beal]

13 minutes ago, artiesel said:

The plate is a 3-layer sandwich of aluminum attached to the depositing arm below the chamber containing the pistons.

 

The chocolate is being extruded out through plate and out of the nozzles but it appears that the seal between the plate and the depositing arm isn't as tight as it should be because chocolate is leaking out of the top of the plate each time the pistons move.

 

I removed the locking mechanisms from the machine, cleaned off all the chocolate deposits and lubricated them before returning them tot he machine and it still leaks. 

 

I'm wondering if it's time to buy a new one shot plate?

 

Was this helpful?

Is it depositing the quantities it is supposed to?

 

 

[artiesel]

For the most part.  The amounts are slightly less than what they should be due to the leakage

[Kerry Beal]

13 minutes ago, artiesel said:

For the most part.  The amounts are slightly less than what they should be due to the leakage

Does the depositing plate have a gasket? Can you try changing that first? 

[artiesel]

I'm trying to jerry rig a gasket together as a stop gap measure.  I'm also hoping to hear back from the US distributor in the hope that they'll have some insight.

[Kerry Beal]

3 hours ago, artiesel said:

I'm trying to jerry rig a gasket together as a stop gap measure.  I'm also hoping to hear back from the US distributor in the hope that they'll have some insight.

Would be nice if it were a cheaper fix than replacing the depositing head!

[artiesel]

LOL!!!  Yes, and it would be cheaper than a new one-shot plate!  

 

I'll keep you  updated now that our gear head production manager is back from vacation

[artiesel]

Turns out that I was just assembling the  whole thing wrong.  It's working just fine now!  lol

[Kerry Beal]

5 hours ago, artiesel said:

Turns out that I was just assembling the  whole thing wrong.  It's working just fine now!  lol

Excellent - happy to hear it.