Cashew Plant for Sale

A complete PLC-operated cashew plant for sale from TTQ Co. Ltd. is a turnkey processing system that covers every single stage of cashew nut processing under one automated control architecture. Here is a detailed walkthrough of every stage and the machines involved:

Stage 1 — Raw Cashew Nut (RCN) Receiving, Cleaning & Pre-Grading

1a. RCN Destoner & Cleaning Unit

The first station in any cashew processing plant is the receiving and cleaning system. Raw cashew nuts arrive from farms containing stones, dust, sand, sticks, and other foreign matter. Our PLC-controlled RCN cleaning system uses a combination of vibratory screens, air jets, and magnetic separators to remove all foreign material before any further processing.

• Capacity range: 500 kg/hr to 5,000 kg/hr
• PLC function: Automatically regulates vibration frequency based on feed rate to optimize separation efficiency
• Output: Clean, de-stoned raw cashew nuts ready for grading
• Stainless steel contact surfaces — food-grade compliant

1b. Automatic Raw Cashew Nut Grading Machine (RCN Grader)

Before steam cooking, raw cashew nuts must be graded by size. Uniform nut sizes ensure that cooking time and shelling blade settings are optimized for each batch — dramatically reducing kernel breakage and improving outturn. Our PLC-controlled RCN grader separates raw nuts into 3–5 size categories simultaneously using rotating drum screens or oscillating mesh screens.

• Grades typically: Below 18mm, 18–22mm, 22–26mm, 26–30mm, Above 30mm
• Capacity: 500 kg/hr to 3,000 kg/hr depending on model
• PLC function: Monitors screen speed and automatically adjusts to feed volume changes
• Each grade is conveyed separately to its corresponding cooking and shelling line
• Significantly improves shelling efficiency and reduces whole kernel breakage rate to below 15%

Stage 2 — Steam Cooking / Boiling System

2a. PLC-Controlled Steam Boiler System

Steam cooking is one of the most critical and sensitive stages of cashew processing. Under-cooking causes hard shells that damage kernels during shelling. Over-cooking causes over-softening and increases CNSL (Cashew Nut Shell Liquid) seepage, which contaminates the kernel. Our PLC-managed steam cooking system eliminates this variability completely.

TTQ supplies cooking systems, both with full PLC integration:

High-Pressure Steam Cooker (Batch Type)

• Suitable for smaller capacity plants (5 MT/day to 10 MT/day)
• Load, cook, and discharge cycle is fully automated via PLC timer sequences
• Pressure relief valves with PLC-monitored pressure transducers for safety compliance
• Integrated with steam boiler (wood chip, shell-fired, or gas) — PLC synchronises boiler output with cooker demand

2b. Cashew Shell Burner / Biomass Boiler Integration

The steam for cooking is generated by the plant’s boiler system. TTQ’s cashew processing plants are designed with an integrated cashew shell burner that uses the waste cashew shell — a by-product of shelling — as biomass fuel to generate steam, dramatically reducing external fuel costs. The PLC system manages the fuel feed rate, air-to-fuel ratio, and steam pressure to maintain optimal combustion efficiency.

• Shell calorific value: approximately 4,200–4,500 kcal/kg — an excellent solid fuel
• PLC monitors boiler steam pressure and auto-adjusts shell feed auger speed
• Excess shell can be pelletised, sold, or used for carbon credit schemes
• Optional integration with wood chip boiler for peak demand periods

Stage 3 — Cashew Nut Shelling System

3a. Automatic Cashew Nut Shelling Machine (Cutting Machine)

The cashew shelling machine — also called the cashew cutting machine — is the centrepiece of any cashew plant and the stage where PLC control delivers the greatest economic benefit. Achieving a high proportion of whole kernels (WW grade) rather than broken pieces (SW, LWP, Pieces) is the single biggest driver of profitability in cashew processing.

TTQ’s automatic PLC-controlled cashew shelling machines use precision-engineered blade mechanisms that cut the shell at exactly the correct depth — deep enough to crack the shell completely, but not so deep as to score the kernel inside. The PLC continuously monitors blade gap, cutting speed, and feed rate, making micro-adjustments in real time to maintain optimal performance as nut sizes vary.

Each shelling line is integrated with a scooping and separation unit that separates the shelled kernels from the shell pieces before the nuts proceed to the dryer.

3b. Automatic Shell & Kernel Separation (Scooping System)

After shelling, the output is a mixture of cracked shells, whole kernels, and partially shelled nuts. The scooping or separation system uses air aspiration, vibratory conveyors, and inclined screens — all PLC-controlled — to separate these fractions. Unshelled and partially shelled nuts are automatically returned to the shelling machine for re-processing.

• Separation efficiency: > 98% kernel recovery
• PLC controls aspiration fan speed to match shelling line output automatically
• Reject loop: Unscooped nuts are counted by sensor and re-fed — PLC tracks re-feed cycles to flag machine adjustment needs

Stage 4 — Kernel Drying (Borma Treatment)

4a. Cashew Kernel Dryer Machine

After shelling, cashew kernels still have the testa (a thin papery skin) clinging tightly to them. To remove this skin in the peeling stage, the kernel must first be dried to reduce its moisture content and loosen the bond between the testa and the kernel surface. This drying stage — often called the ‘Borma’ process — is critical: under-drying leaves the skin attached and causes peeling damage, while over-drying makes the kernel brittle and prone to breaking.

TTQ’s PLC-controlled cashew kernel dryers maintain precise temperature and air circulation settings throughout the drying cycle, ensuring perfectly consistent results across every batch.

Parameter	TTQ Kernel Dryer Specification
Dryer Type	Hot Air Tray Dryer (Batch)
Drying Temperature	60°C – 75°C (PLC-controlled, ±1°C accuracy)
Drying Duration	8 – 12 hours depending on moisture content
Moisture Target	< 5% after drying (international export standard)
Heat Source	Steam (from shell burner boiler) or LPG / Electric (optional)
PLC Control	Auto temperature ramp, hold, and cool-down profile per kernel grade
Capacity Range	200 kg/batch to 2,000 kg/batch | Continuous: 500 kg/hr to 3,000 kg/hr
Alarm System	Over-temperature, under-temperature, fan failure — all PLC-monitored

 

4b. Cashew Kernel Humidification Chamber

Before peeling, dried kernels often need to be slightly re-humidified to reduce brittleness. This is done in a PLC-controlled humidification chamber that exposes kernels to precise levels of steam or moisture for a carefully timed period, conditioning them for optimal peeling results. Too little humidity = kernel breakage during peeling. Too much = skin sticks back. PLC precision eliminates this guesswork entirely.

• Humidity control: ±2% relative humidity accuracy
• PLC-timed cycle: typically 4–8 hours at 35–45°C with controlled moisture injection
• Integrated with dryer — PLC sequences dryer-out to humidifier-in automatically

Stage 5 — Cashew Kernel Peeling System

5a. Automatic Cashew Peeling Machine

Removing the testa skin from the dried, conditioned cashew kernel without breaking the kernel is one of the most technically demanding stages of cashew processing. Manually, this process requires skilled workers and produces variable results. TTQ’s PLC-controlled automatic peeling machines use a combination of mechanical friction rollers and/or pneumatic airflows to strip the skin cleanly and consistently, producing the white, pristine cashew kernels that command premium export prices.

• Peeling method: Friction roller peeling (for whole kernels) + air aspiration skin removal
• PLC controls roller gap, speed, and pressure based on kernel grade selected via HMI
• Peeling efficiency: > 95% clean peeled kernels per pass
• Skin (testa) is separated by aspiration fan and collected separately
• Operator selects kernel grade on touchscreen HMI; PLC auto-configures machine parameters
• Capacity: 50 kg/hr (single head) to 500 kg/hr (multi-head automatic line)
• Stainless steel rollers and contact parts — food-grade, HACCP-compatible

Stage 6 — Kernel Grading, Colour Sorting & Quality Inspection

6a. Cashew Kernel Grading Machine

After peeling, kernels must be graded by size and shape according to international cashew trade standards. The primary commercial grades — W180, W210, W240, W320, W450, and Pieces grades (SW, LWP, SP, etc.) — command very different prices in the global market. Accurate grading directly determines the revenue you earn from every kilogram processed.

TTQ’s PLC-controlled grading machines use oscillating multi-deck screens with precisely sized apertures to separate kernels into the required commercial size grades simultaneously.

Grade	Size (kernels/lb)	Description	Typical Market Premium
W180	< 180	Jumbo — largest whole white	Highest (5–10% above W240)
W210	181–210	Super large whole white	Premium
W240	211–240	Large whole white	High demand, good premium
W320	241–320	Standard whole white (most traded)	Market benchmark
W450	321–450	Small whole white	Slight discount to W320
SW / LWP	Pieces	Splits, Large White Pieces	Lower — food ingredient use

 

6b. Cashew Kernel Colour Sorter (Optical Sorting Machine)

Even after mechanical grading, kernels may include discoloured, damaged, or off-spec pieces that are not detectable by size alone. TTQ’s PLC-integrated colour sorter uses high-resolution optical cameras and infrared sensors to scan every kernel at high speed, identifying and ejecting any kernel that deviates from the target colour profile (white, ivory, or light yellow for premium grades).

• Sorting speed: 300 kg/hr to 1,500 kg/hr depending on model
• Detection: Discoloured, black-spotted, shrivelled, broken, or contaminated kernels
• Accuracy: > 99.5% reject detection rate with < 0.5% good-kernel carry-over
• PLC integration: Colour parameters are set via HMI touchscreen; the sorter PLC communicates pass/fail data to the main plant control system
• Air ejector speed and sensitivity are adjustable via PLC without stopping the line
• Output data: Number of rejects, % rejection rate, and throughput — all logged for traceability

6c. Manual Quality Inspection Tables

Even in a fully automated cashew plant, a final manual inspection table is standard practice for premium export operations. Operators sit at ergonomically designed conveyor inspection tables and perform a final visual quality check before kernels proceed to packing. TTQ includes stainless steel inspection tables with LED under-lighting in all plant configurations.

Stage 7 — Cashew Kernel Roasting & Flavouring (Optional)

7a. Cashew Nut Roasting Machine

For cashew plants producing value-added roasted products — salted cashews, dry-roasted, honey-roasted, or spice-coated cashews — TTQ offers PLC-controlled rotary drum roasting machines and continuous belt roasters. Precise temperature control is critical for consistent flavour and colour in roasted cashews, and PLC management ensures every batch exits the roaster at exactly the right temperature and colour profile.

• Roasting temperatures: 150°C – 200°C (PLC-regulated, ±2°C accuracy)
• Roasting time: 8–20 minutes (PLC-timed, automatically adjusts based on batch weight)
• Drum roaster capacity: 50 kg/batch to 500 kg/batch
• Continuous belt roaster: 200 kg/hr to 1,500 kg/hr
• Heating source: LPG, electric, or steam — PLC-regulated heat input
• Integrated cooling conveyor — PLC controls cooling fan speed and duration

7b. Cashew Sugar Coating & Flavouring Machine

For premium retail products, TTQ’s PLC-operated coating pan and flavouring drum machines apply sugar glazes, spice mixes, honey coatings, or salt evenly across roasted cashew kernels. The PLC controls rotation speed, coating application rate, and drying temperature to ensure uniform coverage on every kernel.

Stage 8 — Cashew Kernel Packing System

8a. Cashew Nut Vacuum Packing Line

The final stage of the cashew processing plant is packing — and it is the stage that determines shelf life, presentation quality, and compliance with international food safety standards. TTQ’s complete packing line is fully integrated with the plant PLC and covers:

Automatic Weighing & Filling

• Multi-head combination weighers for high-speed accurate portioning
• Target weights: 250g, 500g, 1 kg retail pouches, or 11.34 kg (25 lb) bulk tins and bags
• PLC-controlled fill weight accuracy: ±1–2 grams
• Throughput: 20–60 packs per minute depending on pack size and model

Vacuum Sealing (Bulk Export Packing)

• Double-chamber vacuum sealers for 11.34 kg tins or vacuum pouches
• Vacuum level: < 50 mBar (PLC-monitored for each cycle)
• PLC logs seal cycle time, vacuum level achieved, and alarm on seal failure
• Compliant with HACCP, ISO 22000, and USDA/EU export requirements