Abstract
I decided to write about a food processor for the Technical Description assignment since I was interested in the topic. The article discusses the background of the innovation, the many components that are required and how they work, as well as how the innovation interacts with the various components. My professor has conducted a peer review of this initial draft in order to allow for revisions before submitting the whole version.
Technical Description
Maria De la Cruz
The City College of New York
Writing for Engineering: ENGL 21007
Professor Sara Jacobson
March 29, 2023
Content
- Introduction
- History of the Innovation
- The Need for Innovation
- Cuisinart® Prep 11 Plus™ 11 Features
- Work bowl
- Work bowl cover
- Large and small pushers
- Metal chopping/mixing blade
- Slicing disc
- Shredding disc
- Detachable disc stem
- Spatula
- Motor
- Conclusion
- Reference Page
Introduction
Developed in the late 20th century, the food processor is an electric device used for food preparation tasks, such as kneading, chopping, mixing, and pulverizing. Consumers didn’t fully grasp the potential of the new device for a few years, but once they did, the food processor quickly rose to popularity (Lewis). The innovation transformed food preparation in domestic kitchens all around the world because the food processor was viewed as a quick and simple way to prepare delicious meals and nutritious cuisine.
The food processor was built by Pierre Verdon, whose Le Magi-Mix, a little domestic version of his previous restaurant-scaled Robot-Coupe, debuted in Paris in 1971. The Cuisinart was created by Carl Sontheimer, an American inventor, and engineer who improved on Verdon’s equipment (Encyclopædia Britannica). After the huge success of the Cuisinart after its debut in Chicago in 1973, a number of other manufacturers built competing models, and hundreds of thousands of food processors were sold in the late 1970s.
Throughout the years, food processors have proven to be a tremendous time saver for cooks of all types. Pierre Verdun was a French catering services salesperson in the late 1950s. Food specialists, according to Verdun, spend a large amount of time just slicing, chopping, and grating food goods in preparation for cooking. As a result, he reasoned that this technique may be automated for the sake of convenience and productivity, as well as the prospect of developing a revenue-generating product (Recent blog entries). By 1963, he had developed a prototype that combined a bowl with a motorized spinning blade at its base and a tube for inserting the food item to be processed into a single device. He branded the gadget a Robot-Coupe and established a company to sell the first units to the catering business.
Cuisinart® Prep 11 Plus™ Features
A tool for food preparation is the Cuisinart® Premier Series 11-Cup Food Processor. This multipurpose kitchen tool can swiftly and effectively chop, slice, shred, grind, and puree practically any item. To use this food processor, it must first be correctly assembled and engaged. After that, pour the ingredients through the feed tube, remove the pusher, and fill the feed tube. After that, engage the pusher and press the ON button. The button light will turn on, and the motor will start. Press the pusher down firmly until all of the components are in the work basin. Remove the pusher and restock the ingredients as necessary. When you engage the pusher again, the device will switch on automatically. Finally, when completed, push the OFF button.
The main materials that make up the Cuisinart® Premier Series 11-Cup are metal and hard plastic. The Chopping/Mixing/Dough Blade features white plastic and metal. The slicing disc and medium shredding disc are made entirely of metal, while the housing base, shaft, work bow, spatula, touchpad control pane, and cord wrap are made of white plastic on the outside. On the other hand, covered with Cuisinart® Supreme® wide mouth feed tube and pusher assembly (large and small pushers) are made of clear hard plastic and metal.
The Cuisinart® Premier Series 11-Cup Food Processor is comprised of a work bowl, work bowl cover, large and small pushers, metal chopping/mixing blade, slicing disc, shredding disc, detachable disc stem, and spatula. The appliance’s motor, which is housed in the base, is the heaviest part. Larger, more potent motors are frequently found in full-size machines, which can weigh more than 20 lbs (9 kg). Its weight has a practical advantage in that it keeps the appliance steady and prevents it from moving while the engine is running (Lewis). Early food processor bases were constructed entirely of hard, white plastic, but current versions come in a wide range of stylish colors and have both metal and plastic finishes. To power the attachments, a shaft extends upward from the motor.
The bowl, which is normally made of tough, transparent plastic, fits onto the shaft and locks into position. The lid, which is generally made of the same material as the bowl, locks onto the top of it; engaging the locking mechanism activates the motor, although later models usually include an on/off switch or button. A feed tube with a plunger is installed in the lid. Food may be inserted into the gadget through this feed line and pushed down with the plunger. Also, simple food processor attachments are designed to fit over the shaft within the bowl. Standard attachments for a food processor include a blade, often known as an S-shaped blade, as well as shredding and slicing discs (Lewis). The blade is located at the bowl’s base. It consists of two small, curved blades that are attached to the bowl’s shaft by a single, central plastic pillar. The blades are often constructed of metal, however, they can occasionally be made of hard plastic. As metal blades keep their edge for a longer time, they could be preferable.
Discs for shredding and cutting metal are placed above the shaft at the top of the bowl. Food is put into the bowl through the feed tube, contacts the disc, and is subsequently grated or chopped (Lewis). The shredding and slicing discs can generate food pieces that are fine, medium, or coarse. Also, the spatula is used to scrape food off the bowl’s sides as needed. Dough blades are often constructed of plastic and have dull edges designed to spin and pull dough rather than cut into it. The metal chopping blade is ideal for cutting fresh and cooked fruits and vegetables. It minces nuts, creates nut butter, mayonnaise, and sauces, and whips up soft, flaky pastry. The metal cutting blade also kneads yeast dough and mixes cakes, frostings, cookies, quick bread, muffins, and biscuits.
The slicing disk, like the shredding disc, rests on top of the food processor bowl and slices foods that are fed through the feed tube. The slicing disc cuts complete slices with no ripped edges. It can cut full fruits and vegetables, cooked meat, semi-frozen raw meat, and bread loaves. The shredding disc, also known as the grating disc, is placed on top of the bowl rather than inside it. As you feed food via the feed tube on the lid of the food processor, it shreds before dropping into the bowl of the food processor. Most solid and hard cheeses are ripped into long, graceful shreds by the shredding disc. It can also grate almonds and chocolate and shred potatoes, carrots, and zucchini. The retractable stem accommodates two discs, allowing compact disc storage in confined spaces.
A food pusher is a plastic tube with a solid bottom that is used to push food down the chute of a food processor. The pusher assembly consists of two parts: A little, detachable, clear pusher that fits into a small feed tube in the center. This tube is used for narrow meals like carrots, fluid addition, and continuous feeding of small foods like garlic. A large pusher that easily fits into and passes through the Cuisinart® Supreme® feed tube hole (Walter). The motor begins when the massive pusher makes contact with an activation rod in the center of the work bowl handle.
The bowl is then fitted with a top that includes a “feed tube.” The feed tube enables the addition of ingredients while chopping, grinding, or pureeing. It also functions as a funnel for introducing objects to shredding or slicing disks. A “pusher” is supplied to protect fingers by sliding through the feed tube. The wide-mouth feed tube allows you to slice entire fruits and veggies without having to precut them.
Touchpad Control Panel improves processing speed, allowing the dough to be made in seconds. Once the food is roughly chopped, press the pulse button at intervals of 1 second on, and 1 second off. For results that are more finely chopped, hold the pulse button and let the machine run continuously until the required consistency is attained. Pulse and purée are among the fundamental settings for the base housing (Walter). By adding huge chunks of food to the processor, pulsing enables you to quickly chop the items into smaller, more manageable pieces.
Finally, a food processor enables users to prepare many store-bought staples or create new recipes at home using fresh, whole ingredients devoid of chemicals and preservatives. Foods that are freshly prepared taste better and retain more of their nutritious content. Market share, income, and customer satisfaction all increase when new ideas are added to existing product lines or business operations. With innovation, new automation technologies are developed or business operating systems are modernized.
References
Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Food Processor. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://www.britannica.com/technology/food-processor
Lewis, N. (2003, April 4). How food processors work. HowStuffWorks. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://home.howstuffworks.com/food-processor.htm
Recent blog entries -. (n.d.). Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://www.keyelco.com/blog-details.cfm/keyelco-blog/A-Kitchen-Wonder-The-Invention-of-the-Food-Processor/blog_id/43
Walter, A. (2017, March 3). Cuisinart Prep 11 plus – the all-rounder Food Processor. Food Processor. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://www.foodprocessr.com/cuisinart/cuisinart-prep-11-plus
