Baking & Snack - April 2022 - 66

SHEETING & LAMINATING
of a gap on a gauging station, " Mr. Magistrelli recalled. " We
were trying to do right by the client by giving them all the
flexibility in the world to manage the line. It's not so much a
specific percentage on the overall line speed but designing a
control feature that simplifies how to run equipment from
an operator's perspective. "
Better digital tools dovetail nicely into effectively managModular
forming
units on sheeting
lines can be
added later to
provide production
versatility and adapt
to new product
innovation.
Rheon USA
ing a wholesale bakery.
" Reliability, uptime, productivity, overall equipment efficiency
(OEE) and output are the magic words for any
plant manager in the bakery industry, " Mr. Besems said.
" Our automated lines and systems take away these uncertainties
and promise productivity and throughput without
the need for a large team of operators. Even quality control,
individual product checks, efficiency checks and preventive
maintenance are new products based on data of the production
lines. "
Alexander Weissbach, head of technology, product management
and the Dough-how Center at Rondo, pointed out
how digital automation can regulate a laminating line.
" Digital controls can compensate for variations in the
dough to ensure a regular dough flow as well as reduce the
number of needed operators, " he said. " Bakers can use intuitive
control systems to learn quickly the way to handle
the laminating line. "
On semi-automated bakeries, he added, such controls
will reduce hand wheels and other manual settings.
" If all parameters for a dedicated product are saved in
the PLC, production startup and changeovers are faster and
easier to execute, " Mr. Weissbach said.
Meanwhile, the Fritsch operating system (FOS) is a selflearning
tool that drives production efficiency and provides
preventive maintenance, noted Randy Kelly, applications
specialist for Fritsch, a Multivac Group company.
With the performance-based control panel, numerous
parameters are set into the default program to adjust components
on the laminator. Only a few, such as the rolling
gap and number of laminated dough layers, need to be readjusted
to achieve the desired result.
" To further simplify operation, the programs for producing
dough bands are predefined for specific products, "
he explained. " This means that when a new recipe is created,
not all parameters have to be set again. "
The FOS software also validates the line's capabilities to
create new products.
" The drives coordinate with each other in terms of their
performance and, if necessary, regulate to that of the smallest
drive, " Mr. Kelly observed. " This ensures the highest and
most consistent product quality. "
Maintain a modular mentality
Another way to manage workforce woes involves using
automation to add versatility to a production line. All too
often, bakeries need additional labor to handle multiple
product changeovers during a single shift. Adding flexibility
to sheeting lines typically comes with increased costs and
requires more space. To optimize production with the least
amount of labor, Mr. Giacoio said, bakers must understand
the full range of products prior to designing the operation.
" A sheeting section for laminated dough is different than
a sheeting line for non-laminated dough, " he said. " With
lamination, you need turns in the line where you can add
the required layers. This means you need an 'L-' or 'C-'
shaped line, depending on the required number of layers.
As long as you have these turns, you can make almost any
type of dough sheet. "
For makeup lines, he added, forming options can be installed
to accommodate future products if the facility has
enough line length.
" Fortunately, many forming options are modular and
66 Baking & Snack April 2022 / www.bakingbusiness.com
http://www.bakingbusiness.com
Baking & Snack - April 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Baking & Snack - April 2022
