Conceptual Study and Manufacturing of a Configurable and Weld-Free Lattice Base for Automatic Food Machines

The study is aimed at developing a modular lattice base for automatic food machines, starting with a solution already patented by some of the authors. In this case, welded carpentry modules were interlocked with a system of profiles and metal inserts, also in welded carpentry, and the union was stabilized by structural adhesive bonding. Since welding involves long processing times and thermal distortions to be restored later, the driver of this study is to limit the use of welding as much as possible while increasing the modularity of the construction. For this purpose, various solution concepts have been generated where a common feature is the presence of rods of the same geometry and section to be joined together in configurable structural nodes. The concepts are qualitatively evaluated in light of the requirements, and the selected concept is digitally and physically prototyped. The prototype has been in service from over 5 years without showing any problems whatsoever.