Conveyor systems work under demanding conditions in bakeries. Maintaining them in top condition is the first step to efficiency in production; upgrades will then guarantee optimum performance in handling processes for truly competitive-level manufacturing.
Conveying systems need to be improved to best ensure product transportation is optimized, according to the type of conveying system, the production steps of the line, and the type of products moved. The design of a reliable conveying system must consider the type of product, whether it’s pastry, bread, or patisserie, and its production process, which differs for raw frozen, pre-parbaked frozen, fresh-baked goods, for example, to preserve the product quality. “To meet this challenge, the conveying system must avoid shocks, vibrations, sudden mechanical movements that could cause the deterioration of the product (e.g., deflating dough) and impact on the quality,” François Retailleau, Line Product Manager at Mecatherm, underlines. The conveying system must handle the products/bakeware without affecting the products, keeping its alignment throughout processing steps. The conveying system also must be able to adapt itself to the cadence of the line (acceleration and deceleration management) and be flexible and robust.
To answer current market needs for flexibility and product diversity, the conveying system can be part of these trends as a vector of line flexibility, contributing to several processes, from frozen raw products to fresh-baked or frozen products. The challenge is in the industrial performance: if the conveying system is well designed, it is possible to implement solutions in a fairly compact area, for example, or, in any case, to adapt to the customer’s environment.
Mecatherm’s solutions are based on modular conveyors, with switches that allow trays to be routed in different directions and adapted automation management. Retailleau provides an overview: “The MECAFLEX Line is agile architecture served by flexible equipment and enriched by smart software tools, which provides optimized productivity and efficiency to production management.” This flexible line thus allows to run fresh baked products at the same time as raw frozen products, thanks to a smart conveying layout.
Systematic cleaning
Amounting to 100-200m on a complete line, the conveyors must have few or no retention areas where dough residues can deposit. Sanitation procedures will also be adjusted to manufacturing specifics. A ‘basic’ environment with a dedicated bread line will follow a simple but complete sanitary procedure, for example, while an ‘intermediate’ environment complexity-wise will require additional steps, depending on the rigors of the ingredients used. Eggs and meat are relevant examples in this case. In an industrial bakery environment, cleaning can be based on the following steps:
+ Cleaning dust
+ Minimizing/eliminating retention areas in the conveying system, to prevent the formation of dough residues
+ Periodic cleaning with a wet cloth while protecting sensors, motors and other electrical components that cannot be submerged in water
Retailleau also points out hygiene among important factors in the conveyor’s design: “To keep food safety all along the line, it is necessary to reduce the dough retention areas, which can lead to bacteria development, and have a conveying system that is easy to clean.”
Cleaning will be much more demanding for lines that
frequently produce goods with higher water content, with eggs or perishable and sensitive meat products because of the risk of bacteria development. Food safety and hygiene are therefore key issues to be addressed. In this case, not only the conveyor’s design should be adapted, but also cleaning procedures have to be reinforced:
+ Setting up a dedicated, full-time cleaning team
+ Thoroughly protecting the motors
+ Cleaning the conveyors with a combination of acid and basic detergents followed by a rinsing step
The conveyor system must therefore be reliable, adapted according to the types of production, and easy to clean
respecting the sanitary measures according to the customer’s environment.
The article is part of an extended feature, which was originally published in [BBI 4 – 2023]. Read the full article in the magazine:
