New technology allows bakers to cope with flair

Hygiene and accuracy are key issues when it comes to giving rolls and pastries a beautiful shine during the glazing process. Egg wash is often used, but many bakeries have turned to non-egg alternatives to give brioche that shine.

However, some of these alternatives require careful cleaning processes and mist control to prevent nearby devices from becoming sticky.

At the recent IBIE 2022 trade show, Burford Corp. announces its third generation of its spray applicator with a new modular FIP (Flush-in-Place) system, tanks for storing gray water and a Dosatron that injects chemicals and automatically provides timed turbulent flows to extend the lifetime between deep cleanings.

“We have options like mist collection – a vacuum system with filters that sits on the side and connects to the hood downstream that collects the atomized airborne particles that can get on surfaces around the system,” said Mr. Miller. “It’s pretty common for most bakeries because every time you atomize and spray through a nozzle, there’s a mist in the air.

“In addition, our optical system allows us to spray mist at a point, resulting in less mist, less product waste and fewer quality issues associated with empty bag spraying,” he added. “We use cone sprays that are targeted and don’t spray when product isn’t there.”

GOE/Amherst Stainless Fabrication introduced the next generation Variable Profile Liquid Spray (VPLS) system at the last Baking Expo. The VPLS sprayer offers greater accuracy, reliability and easy sanitation.

“GOE uses flow meters in critical applications to monitor, alert and control application levels on products,” said Norm Searle, Sales and Marketing, GOE/Amherst Stainless Fabrication. “With these devices, we can maintain exact delivery rates and compensate for changes in temperature and viscosity.”

Mr. Searle said a key goal is to accurately dispense the spray with a consistency across the line to ensure an acceptable finish, reduce ingredient usage and ensure the icing meets on-pack labeling requirements.

“In a perfect world, the delivery of every ingredient would be exact,” he said. “In reality, several factors limit absolute accuracy. As technology advances, there are opportunities to improve accuracy, either through material advances, electrical/electronic/software developments – or both.”

Bob Peck, Vice President of Engineering, ET Oakes, pointed out that PLCs combined with servomotors provide better accuracy, repeatability, and reliability over chain-driven systems that require lubrication and maintenance.

“Variable frequency drive motors or air cylinders do not produce highly repeatable deposits due to the fluctuations in their operation and air pressure,” he explained. “Servo motors provide closed-loop feedback. This means that if we instruct it from a PLC to deliver 1,000 pulses to this motor, we get feedback that it actually delivered 1,000 pulses. This is where accuracy comes in.”

Mr. Peck said PLC systems can include diagnostic screens to troubleshoot problem areas and test sensors, encoders and other key components. Maintenance logs can be included in the PLC program to schedule maintenance and track machine run times for routine maintenance needs. In addition, servos provide faster speeds.

“With the cake tray, we’ve increased the number of rows per minute,” said Mr. Peck. “We used to do about 60, and now we’re doing about 100 a minute.”

For decoration, Apex Motion Control uses vision and motion controls on its cobots. For example, the end effector on a robotic arm holding the decoration tip can move freely in any direction.

“It’s not static like a standard icing nozzle that you would typically see on an icing applicator,” said Jamie Bobyk, Marketing Manager, Apex Motion Control. “Once baked, no two cakes are generally the same. The tops of the baked cakes tend to have peaks and valleys, and even the cakes aren’t perfectly round. The vision system follows the cake or biscuit as it moves down the conveyor and knows exactly where to apply the frosting.”

This article is an excerpt from the November 2022 issue of Baking & Snack. Click here to read the entire article on Finishing/Icing/Topping.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *