| 1 | Application:An instrument for the determination of Texture, rheological/stress-strain behaviour of foods under force deformations, measurement of hardness, softness, stickiness, brittleness, bite force, consistencies and penetration force of food and agricultural products. The instrument should be able to determine the properties such as hardness, firmness, fracturability, crispiness, chewiness, resilience, tenderness, extensibility, resistance to extension, biting force, consistency etc. in products such as bakery, fruits and vegetable, gels, snacks, powders and dairy products.Instrument Features:Texture Analysing System of mechanical frame to withstand force up to 50 Kg with facility to attach multiple load cells up to 50 Kg on the same frame. However, the instrument to be supplied with Load cell of 10 kg capacity to apply force from 0 to maximum 10 kg. The instrument should have following basic specifications:• Force Accuracy: 0.1% to 1% of load cell capacity.• Force Resolution: 0.1. g to 1 g• Speed Range: Fixed and variable speed range between 0.01 to 10 mm/sec which should be upgradable to 0.01 to 30mm/sec• Speed Accuracy: equal to or better than 0.1% at all speeds• Data Acquisition Rate: User programmable, load cell and speed independent up to 333 samples/sec• PC Interface: USB or Standard RS 232 port.• Firmware Updates: Easy firmware updates transferrable via PC or USB Stick. System should be able to allow for easy firmware diagnosis through load cells. Software should be able to provide details on the most recent version and update easily.• Test Modes: Single Cycle, Multiple Cycles, Hold Until Time, Fracturability, Spring Back Test, Tensile Test, and Adhesiveness.• User should be able to calibrate the instrument at site for force, distance and frame shift. Software Features:• The software should be able to measure area, gradient, mean, time difference, ratio, travel, count positive peak, count negative peak, dispersion, average drop of, volumic mass, force maxima and force minima and mark events like fracture, first peak, maximum force etc. or any other point of interest while the test is under progress.• Graph overlaying should be possible• Software should be informative. It should be loaded with standard methods of testing, information about loading and calibration of accessories, auto project loading, help guide, explanation and interpretation of curves generated, auto result calculations etc.• Software should have pre designed report templates to include graphs, settings on which the test is run.Upgradability Options:• It should be possible to upgrade the force range from 10Kg using another load cell. • It should be possible to upgrade the speed to 0.01 to 30 mm/sec.• The instrument should be adaptable/ upgradable to test temperature sensitive products using temperature controlling devices in the form of plates or cabinets.• The instrument should be upgradable to capture sound produced while chewing for crunchy products.• The instrument should be upgradable to test Dough and Gluten in uni and bi axial extension.Accessories required with the instrument:a. Load cell of 10 kg – 1 No.b. Compression plate for general compression test – 1 Nos.c. Cylindrical and needle probes for penetration test on gels, skin puncture of fruits – 1 Nos.eachd. Spherical probe for firmness test on products like cheese, khoya, Indian sweets – 1 Nos. e. Standard AACC compression probe for performing bread firmness test – 1 Nos.f. Knife blade for general cutting force assessment – 1 Nos.g. Spreadability Rig for products such as jams, jelly, honey, butter – 1 Nos.h. Accessories such as blade, rotational Load cell and other necessary items for testing powders for caking tendency and cohesive index– 1 No.sMinimum Computer Configuration:• Operating System: Windows 7 or Windows 10• CPU: 2Ghz• RAM: 8GB• Hard Disk: 5GB• USB port, Mouse • Printer, optionalIn case where the quoted instrument and accessories are manufactured outside India, the complete set should be imported and no part or accessory should be fabricated in India and integrated with the imported components of the instrument. All the parts of the instrument and the accessories, as per the order should be mentioned/ included item-wise in the customs’ bill of entry. |
