Introducing, the Automatic Pressure Cooker Machine by the Faculty of Engineering Team
Unesa.ac.id, SURABAYA—Foods processed using a pressure cooker are increasingly popular among the public, one familiar product being bandeng presto, which is commonly found in the market. Besides its tender meat, it also feels softer in the mouth.
This market opportunity is utilized by micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). However, most of them still use manual pressure cookers, which certainly affect the quality of the processed food.
Therefore, the Faculty of Engineering (FT) team at UNESA, consisting of lecturers and students, created an automatic pressure cooker machine that is claimed to be more effective and efficient. The head of the innovation team, Bellina Yunitasari, S.Si., M.Si., said that their machine is equipped with time, pressure, and temperature settings.
"This makes the cooking process more effective without worrying about the food being ruined. It's not easy to use a pressure cooker manually; sometimes the results are inconsistent, sometimes overcooked. This is a common complaint from MSMEs in Sidoarjo," she said.
She emphasized that this product innovation is part of the Kedaireka program by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology. In other words, it is the result of collaboration between the FT team and the business and industrial world, in this case, CV. Cipta Perdana Teknologi.
Bellina mentioned that six units of this automatic pressure cooker have been produced, with each unit having three different heights, namely 30, 40, and 50 cm. The machine can even accommodate up to 10 kg of ingredients in one cooking session.
The lecturer from Jombang revealed that the temperature selection does not exceed 100 degrees because the steam generated from boiling water will cause an increase in pressure in the pressure cooker. The pressure in the pressure cooker can also be adjusted up to 1.5 bar, so the level of doneness can be controlled.
"If the pressure and time are set, it becomes more practical, so the taste and nutrients of the pressure-cooked food are better preserved, and there is no overcooking," she explained.
Another innovation team member, Agung Prijo Budijono, S.T., M.T., added that if the pressure in the pot is insufficient, air can be added from outside, so users do not need to adjust it manually, saving time.
"Of course, we filter the air first, about 95%, to kill germs before it enters the pot. This process or technique also makes the resulting pressure-cooked food more hygienic," he said.
The team faced several challenges during the two-month machine-making process, including difficulty obtaining a hydraulic system to produce the correct dum or bend for the tool's lid.
"Packaging conditioning is also a special concern, but all obstacles have been overcome. This machine is already used by MSMEs. In the future, we will continue to develop it, such as adding features that may be needed," she concluded.
This automatic pressure cooker machine is the work of Bagas Wildan, Andrew Farrel A, Devano Indata, Muh. Farhan Hidayat, and Baihaqi Bintang Parikesit. They were supervised by Bellina Yunitasari, S.Si., M.Si., and Agung Prijo Budijono, S.T., M.T. It also involved Fendi Achmad, S.Pd., M.Pd., Dr. Yunus, M.Pd., and Ita Fakhtur Romadhoni, S.Pd., M.Pd. []
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Writer: Mohammad Dian Purnama
Editor: @zam Alasiah*
Photo: Documentation of the Automatic Pressure Cooker Innovation Team
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