Cooperatives like Amul, Parag, and Mother Dairy purchase the milk they sell to us from villagers. The villages are paid money on the basis of quantity and quality of milk. So how do we find out which quality of milk is good and which is not? This is done by a Milk Analyser. The Milk Analyser determines quality of the milk depending upon the fat content in the milk. Simply put – the more the fat content the better the quality and the higher the payment to the milkman. Thus, Milk Analyser is a very important machine as it determines the payment to milkmen for their milk.
The exsiting Milk Anaylser
This current milk analysis process comprises of three elements - weighing machine, milk anaylser and computer with printer. This process is carried out by four persons.
1. Staff A first weighs the milk at the weighing machine.
2. Then staff B checks the fat percentage using Milk Anaylser.
3. The weight and fat percentage is then sent to the computer where staff C prints out the receipt and gives it to the milkman.
4. The milkman then presents the receipt at the Cash Counter where Staff D gives him the money.
1. Staff A first weighs the milk at the weighing machine.
2. Then staff B checks the fat percentage using Milk Anaylser.
3. The weight and fat percentage is then sent to the computer where staff C prints out the receipt and gives it to the milkman.
4. The milkman then presents the receipt at the Cash Counter where Staff D gives him the money.
This milk analysis process is time consuming as it has separate counters for weighing, analysis, printing and payment and there are long queues at every counter. The existing milk analyser is very bulky and uses very old and inaccurate technology. Further, it does not work in case of power failure. Two separate milk anaylsers are used, one for cow and other for buffalo.
New Milk Anaylser Design - Milkameter
I have designed a new milk anaylser “Milkameter” which has all elements combined - printer, weighing machine and milk analyser – in one and operable by only one man. The new technology (laser light and milk sensor) has been used with the help of “Lambert Beer Law” which states that a linear equation that relates absorbance to concentration based on a constant coefficient that is defined for the given substance.
Milkameter has a card swipe, a touch screen interface, a printer and weighing machine connected to it. Card swipe were used to have an access to member’s information. A touchscreen interface has all different buttons – Home, Weigh, Laser and Print. Milkameter is battery operated and can be used for 3-4 hours without direct power. The new design thus, has reduced the time consumption, long queue, fat percentage accuracy and is very handy to use.
Interfaces for Milkameter - Customer Interface and User Interface
Scenario of Milkameter
