Shelling · Stage 02

Cashew Nut Shelling Machine

Q: What is the difference between a shelling machine and a cutting machine?

They are the same stage — "cutting" is the common term for the automatic shelling machine that splits the shell to release the kernel. Peeling, which removes the brown skin, is a later, separate stage.

Q: What capacity do I need?

Up to 560 kg/h on Size A you are buying one machine — a 4-knife bench machine at 230 kg/h for a small plant, a 10-knife at 400–500 kg/h, or the 16 Head at 560 kg/h, which is the ceiling for any individual machine. Above that you are buying a line with several cutters on it, running to 1,000–1,200 kg/h. We size it to your daily raw-nut target and grade mix.

Q: Can a shelling line run three shifts?

Yes — a shelling line can be run on three shifts. A complete cashew processing plant cannot: drying, humidification and peeling impose batch cycle times that make full three-shift operation impractical. Plant capacity is therefore quoted per 8-hour shift, with two-shift operation as the realistic upper case.

Q: How much breakage should I expect?

On properly graded and steamed nuts, broken kernels run under 3% and uncut nuts under 5%, with whole cutting at 85–90%. Grading upstream is the single biggest lever on yield.

Q: Is compressed air required?

Not at shelling. On a TTQ line compressed air is used by the peeling machine, in a small way by the automatic vacuum packing line, and by colour sorters — and colour sorters normally come with their own compressor. Size your air system around peeling, not around the shelling stage.

Crack the shell, keep the kernel

Automatic shelling that splits the hard cashew shell and releases the kernel whole — one machine reaches 560 kg/h on Size A, and multiple cutters on an automatic shelling line take that to 1,200 kg/h, with industry-low breakage.

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560kg/h, one machine

1,200kg/h, automatic line

<3%Broken kernels

Cashew Nut Shelling Machine — Crack the shell, keep the kernel

FIG.02 // SHELLING Ø 1,200 KG/H · A

Engineered & built by TTQ

What it does

The TTQ Cashew Nut Shelling Machine (also called a cutting machine) splits the hard outer shell of the steamed raw nut to release the kernel. Capacity is set by how many cutters you run rather than by the machine alone: an individual machine reaches a maximum of 560 kg/h on Size A, and multiple cutters on an automatic shelling line take that up to 1,200 kg/h. Within that, TTQ builds two families and it is worth keeping them apart, because the capacities do not map onto each other. Head lines are compact automatic lines: 4 Head at about 140 kg/h, 10 Head at 350 kg/h, 16 Head at 560 kg/h and 2 × 10 Head at 700 kg/h. Knife machines and lines run from a 4-knife bench machine at 230 kg/h through a 10-knife at 400–500 kg/h and a 16-knife line at 700 kg/h, up to a 4 × 10-knife line at 1,000–1,200 kg/h — the top of the TTQ range. Every figure is input kg/h on Size A, and capacity varies with raw-nut size. Automatic size-matched blades split the shell along its natural seam, holding whole cutting at 85–90%, uncut under 5% and broken kernels under 3% on well-graded nuts.

Spec sheet

Technical specifications

Function	Cracks in-shell nuts, releases whole kernel
Capacity	One machine max 560 kg/h; multiple cutters on an automatic line up to 1,200 kg/h (Size A)
Head lines	4 Head ~140 · 10 Head 350 · 16 Head 560 · 2 × 10 Head 700 kg/h (Size A)
Knife models & lines	4-knife 230 · 10-knife 400–500 · 16-knife line 700 · 2 × 10-knife 800–900 · 4 × 10-knife 1,000–1,200 kg/h (Size A)
Whole cutting rate	85–90% on graded nuts
Broken / uncut	Under 3% broken · under 5% uncut
Drive power	0.4 kW (4-knife bench) to 17.25 kW (4 × 10-knife line)
Build	Steel frame, hardened cutting blades

Figures are typical and configurable — we confirm exact specifications against your capacity and grade targets.

Why this machine

What separates a good cut from a cheap one

One machine, or several on a line

An individual machine tops out at 560 kg/h on Size A — that is the 16 Head. Past it you add cutters rather than buy a bigger machine: an automatic shelling line running several reaches 1,000–1,200 kg/h. Matching the configuration to your supply matters more than counting heads.

Low kernel breakage

Size-matched blades cut along the shell seam, protecting whole W-grade kernels.

Set once per size band

Blade depth and spacing are set for the size grade being run, from a standard machine-mounted control panel — no automation layer to learn or maintain.

Built to run for years

Hardened blades and a heavy steel frame stand up to continuous multi-shift duty at the shelling stage.

Choose your capacity

Model & capacity comparison

Every model TTQ builds for this stage, side by side. Pick by throughput and footprint — each links straight to a quote.

Head-machine lines — models

Compact automatic head lines on a common 9.0 × 2.2 × 2.2 m frame, 3-phase 380V, two operators. All capacities are input kg/h on Size A; capacity varies with raw-nut size.

Model	Capacity	Power	Footprint (L×W×H)	Crew	Ref	Quote
4 Head line	~140 kg/h (Size A)	To confirm	—	1–2	TTQ-SHL-04H	Quote →
16 Head machine	560 kg/h (Size A)	1 HP (0.75 kW), 1-phase 220V	1.1 × 0.85 × 1.55 m	—	TTQ-SHL-05	Quote →
10 Head line	350 kg/h (Size A) · 410 kg/h (Size A+)	12.25 HP (9.2 kW)	9.0 × 2.2 × 2.2 m	2	TTQ-SHL-15	Quote →
16 Head line	560 kg/h (Size A)	13.25 HP (9.94 kW)	9.0 × 2.2 × 2.2 m	2	TTQ-SHL-16	Quote →
2 × 10 Head line	700 kg/h (Size A)	To confirm	—	2–3	TTQ-SHL-2x10H	Quote →

Knife machines and knife lines — models

Knife-configured cutters, from a single-phase 4-knife bench machine to a 4 × 10-knife line. All capacities are input kg/h on Size A; capacity varies with raw-nut size.

Model	Capacity	Power	Footprint (L×W×H)	Crew	Ref	Quote
4-knife machine	230 kg/h (Size A)	0.5 HP (0.4 kW), 1-phase 220V	1.0 × 1.0 × 0.8 m	—	TTQ-SHL-01	Quote →
10-knife machine	400–500 kg/h (Size A)	1 HP (0.75 kW), 1-phase 220V	1.5 × 1.2 × 1.8 m	—	TTQ-SHL-04	Quote →
4-knife compact line	230 kg/h (Size A)	3.5 HP (2.6 kW), 3-phase 380V	4.0 × 1.5 × 1.8 m	—	TTQ-SHL-08	Quote →
4-knife line + conveyor	230 kg/h (Size A)	4 HP (3 kW), 3-phase 380V	4.0 × 4.0 × 1.8 m	—	TTQ-SHL-09	Quote →
10-knife line + sieving	400–500 kg/h (Size A)	8 HP (6 kW)	4 × 4 × 3 m	2	TTQ-SHL-10	Quote →
16-knife line	700 kg/h (Size A)	8 HP (6 kW)	4 × 4 × 3 m	2	TTQ-SHL-11	Quote →
2 × 10-knife line	800–900 kg/h (Size A)	8 HP (6 kW)	4 × 4 × 3 m	2	TTQ-SHL-12	Quote →
4 × 10-knife line	1,000–1,200 kg/h (Size A)	23 HP (17.25 kW)	12 × 5.5 × 3 m	4	TTQ-SHL-14	Quote →

Specifications are indicative and configurable; TTQ confirms exact figures against your capacity, grade targets and factory layout. Model codes shown are TTQ quotation references.

The three numbers that describe a cut

Performance metric	TTQ specification	What it means
Whole cutting rate	85–90%	The share of nuts opened with the kernel intact. This is the number that determines revenue, because whole white kernels carry the premium.
Broken nut rate	under 3%	Kernels damaged during cutting. They still sell, as brokens, at a substantially lower price.
Remain unshelled	under 5%	Nuts that came through unopened. These are recirculated rather than lost, so they cost throughput rather than product.

Rates hold across both families and every head or knife count — configuration buys throughput, not a better cut. All three depend on nut grading and steaming being right beforehand. Capacity varies with raw-nut size; every figure on this page is Size A input.

Read the three together. A machine quoting a high whole-cutting rate alongside a high unshelled rate is simply cutting shy, and the throughput you lose to recirculation offsets the gain. The combination above is the balance TTQ specifies to.

Controls and compressed air — what this machine does not need

Standard control panel, not PLC

the shelling machine runs from a machine-mounted control panel with speed and feed adjustment. PLC control belongs to the automatic integrated line — the one that cleans, calibrates, steams and cools the raw nuts and feeds them to the shelling line. Buying a PLC layer for the cutter alone buys nothing.

No compressed air at this stage

shelling does not use compressed air. On a TTQ line the air goes to the peeling machine, a small part of the automatic vacuum packing line, and the colour sorters — and the sorters normally arrive with their own compressor, though they can be plugged into the plant system instead.

What that means for your utilities

size the compressor around peeling head count (30 HP for one head up to 100 HP for four), not around the shelling line. It is a common way to over-specify the air system and pay for capacity that never gets used.

The head machines, photographed

TTQ 16 Head cashew cutting machine on its wheeled stand, cutting stations in two banks — The 16 Head machine — 560 kg/h of raw nuts, input, on Size A. The cutting stations sit in two banks above the blade line, and the whole machine rolls on castors so it can be re-positioned in the line.

TTQ 10 Head cashew cutting machine with geared motor and control box — The 10 Head at 350 kg/h on Size A. Same cutting principle in a single bank, with the geared motor and its own control box on the frame — not a PLC, an operator panel at the machine.

Head-on view of the TTQ 16 Head cutting machine showing the sprung nut holders — The 16 Head head-on. The sprung holders above the blade line are what grip each nut while the blades close on the seam — the reason the machine has to be matched to a nut size before it will hold breakage down.

Cashew cutting machines in build, each on a wheeled stand with its own electrical control box — Machines in build, each on its own wheeled stand and each with its own control box — start, stop and a speed selector at the machine itself. This is the standard control panel described above: an individual cutter carries no PLC layer.

Diagrams

The process, drawn

Process diagram

Two shelling families — compare within one, never across

Head machines and knife machines are separate ranges, not points on one scale. Reading a head-line capacity against a knife-line capacity is how "16 Head" ends up quoted at 700 kg/h.

Head-machine lines Compact automatic lines, 9.0 × 2.2 × 2.2 m, 3-phase 380V, 2 operators

4 Head line ~140 kg/h
10 Head line 350 kg/h
16 Head line 560 kg/h
2 × 10 Head line 700 kg/h

Knife machines and lines From a single-phase bench machine to a four-machine line

4-knife machine 230 kg/h
10-knife machine 400–500 kg/h
16-knife line 700 kg/h
4 × 10-knife line 1,000–1,200 kg/h

All capacities are Size A input, per 8-hour shift; capacity varies with raw-nut size. "16 Head" is 560 kg/h always. 700 kg/h belongs to the 16-knife line or the 2 × 10 Head line. 1,000–1,200 kg/h comes only from the 4 × 10-knife line.

Process diagram

What happens to 100 nuts at the cutter

Three numbers describe a cut, and they only mean anything read together.

Cut whole Kernel intact — this is the revenue 85–90%

Broken Still sells, as brokens, for much less under 3%

Uncut Recirculated, not lost — costs throughput under 5%

A machine quoting a high whole-cutting rate alongside a high uncut rate is simply cutting shy: the throughput lost to recirculation cancels the gain. All three depend on grading and steaming being right upstream.

Process diagram

What actually uses compressed air

Over-specifying the air system is a common and expensive mistake, because the shelling stage is widely assumed to need air. It does not.

Uses compressed air Size the compressor against these

Peeling machine Air lifts the loosened testa clear 30–100 HP by head count

Automatic vacuum packing line A small part of the line only

Colour sorter ejectors Normally ships with its own compressor

Uses none Mechanical stages

Shelling / cutting Blades and drives, no pneumatics

Borma dryer Fans and heat-transfer coils

Standalone vacuum packer Not the automatic line

Match the compressor to peeling head count: 30 HP for one head, 50 for two, 75 for three, 100 HP for four. Colour sorters can be plugged into the plant system instead of running their own compressor, but they do not have to be.

On the line

Where it fits in the process

Shelling sits at the heart of the line. Graded, steamed nuts feed in; shelled kernels move on to drying while the separated shell is routed to the shell burner for energy recovery.

← Previous stage Automatic Raw Cashew Nut Grading Machine You are hereCashew Nut Shelling Machine Next stage → Cashew Dryer Machine (Borma)

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