Belt Technologies aids Cal State Long Beach engineering students
Time-honored tradition reimagined with the help of a custom metal conveyor belt.
Originating as early as 8000 to 5000 BC in Mesoamerica, and adopted by Aztec and Mayan civilizations and then Mexican and Guatemalan cultures, tamales are enjoyed for their portability and versatility. Made of masa or dough steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf, tamales can be stuffed with meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, chilies, or any combination thereof. For more than 10,000 years, their production has been tedious and time-consuming, until now, thanks to an inventive team of senior design engineers at California State University Long Beach and custom metal belt manufacturer, Belt Technologies, Inc.
Students were tasked with designing and manufacturing fully functional prototypes of their choosing to complete their Senior Design class. Alejandra Marroquin quickly settled on what to produce: a hand-crank tamale maker. The idea was to cut down on the amount of time necessary to produce each tamale, and moreover, cut down on the manual stretching and rolling required.