Albert Handtmann Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG,
Biberach/Riss, offers various solutions for the industrial production of toast-bread.
Diagrammatic illustration of the toast-bread manufacturing process using the VF 800 and
SE 442 in an overall process
The modularly constructed plant offered by Albert Handtmann Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach/Riss, Germany, offers various solutions for industrial toast-bread manufacture. The portfolio comprises dough dividing and portioning machines for the baking sector with various performance ratings. When combined with molding/cutting and metering attachments, these dough divider and portioning machines create flexibly usable machine solutions. The company also says all the systems are interfaceable and can be integrated into complex line solutions. Toast bread is produced industrially using a system solution consisting of a VF 800 portioning machine and a SE 442 cutting unit.
High weight accuracy is achievable. For example, deviations of 0.5% for a 600 g dough piece can be attained in continuous operation
Process steps
The industrial production of toast-bread is an intermeshing chain of various process steps. Handtmann technology is used for accurate weight dough division in the manufacturing process framework (monoline). In this respect, the interfaces can be described as feeding dough into the cone of the VF 800 portioning machine and transfer of the dough piece from the SE 442 conveyor belt to a conical rounder. According to the company, the main feature when using Handtmann technology in toast bread production is the high weight accuracy achievable in 24/7 operation. This allows deviation values of 0.5% for a 600 g dough piece in continuous operation. The precondition to attain such highly accurate weights over a long production period is the coordination and exact interplay of important details, e.g. the synchronized feeder curve and the conveyor vacuum in the VF 800, which guarantees a down-feed of dough into the conveyor. Uniform, continuous filling of the individual conveyor compartments with dough can thereby be ensured during the entire production process. In this respect, the sliding vane conveyor is the decisive component and is the basis of accurate portioning. Dough piece capacities of 6,000 portions/hour are achievable with a 600 g dough piece, with minimal overfilling (giveaway).
The toast-breads produced using this technology have a typical fine-pored, fluffy crumb structure. The oil-free portioning principle allows oil consumption in the production unit to be reduced, which can lead to financial savings in production costs, and improved crumb structure quality of the toast-breads. The company also says this reduces holes caused by oil inclusions and oil adhesions.
Hygienic Design
Changing the product and dough fill amount are possible in real time, due to the piston-free functioning principle, by entering them on the monitor controller of the VF 800 without any conversion or dismantling. After production has ended, all the parts and components in contact with the product can simply be removed from the machine and cleaned in a washing machine. The VF 800 and SE 442 are mobile, and can be moved quickly out of the production area and into the wet area. Due to its hygienic design, the machine body can be cleaned using a water jet, which contributes to a reduction in cleaning costs. As a result of its high level of interfaceability, Handtmann dough divider technology is usable in almost every existing toast-bread line.
The VF 800 portioning machine combined with a SE 442 cutting unit is a system solution for industrial toast-bread production
The toast-bread production process using a VF 800 dough divider-portioner machine and SE 442 cutting unit can be viewed via this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrvECM4Xf24
