Oven innovation at Reading Bakery Systems

For Reading Bakery Systems (RBS), innovation in oven design currently revolves around sustainability initiatives and reducing carbon footprint. New ovens need to be more efficient, flexible in baking and easy to operate. Different goals can be achieved with similar means: “The European market needs efficiency and alternative energy solutions now, given the price of natural gas and the use of carbon credits. In America, large food companies are leading the push for sustainable oven technologies because the government lacks a clear and concise plan,” Joseph Zaleski, President, RBS, tells us.
The company’s latest oven designs address all energy-consuming areas: “With the new, sustainable designs, we feature reclamation of exhaust heat, better insulation materials and lighter weight conveyor belts to help reduce wasted energy. We also offer alternative fuels and electric oven options,“ Zaleski explains. These features are not exclusive to the new ovens, either; existing equipment can also be upgraded to more sustainable options.

A standard build uses a combination of radiation, conduction and convective heat to create the desired texture, taste and moisture profiles for all types of biscuits, crackers, or snacks. The first third of an RBS oven manages the humidity and the type of heat to help develop the flavor profiles of the product. The remaining two-thirds help set the product shape and uses more convective heat to remove moisture. All these parameters are controlled via the user-friendly RBSConnect Controls Platform. Each product or recipe variation can be stored in the oven’s controls history for fast and easy start-up. “This level of automation and simplicity can eliminate a lot of the problems caused by high turnover and shortage of skilled operators,” Zaleski points out.

RBSConnect downtime software can also improve efficiency by automatically reducing the fuel consumption of an oven. The software works by automatically setting the exhaust dampers to a minimum, lowering the belt speed to the slowest setting, and forcing all burners to the minimum firing rate or turning off burners once the cutting system on the production line stops. When additional dough is loaded in the hopper after a shutdown period, the extrusion or sheeting process can trigger the restoration of all production settings. The smart software provides trend information on parameters such as gas usage, temperature and final product moisture to ensure the line is always running optimally.

Together with its ovens, RBS offers the SCORPION 2 Oven Profiling System, which allows bakeries to maximize operating efficiency by measuring the four key baking parameters – temperature, air velocity, heat flux, and humidity. “This allows you to benchmark your process for each product so you can optimize your baking process,” Zaleski highlights.

The future of the RBS baking oven
Ovens are undeniably headed into a sustainable future; but, this requirement is only the beginning of the features they need to incorporate. Zaleski explains: “Ovens need to have simpler control systems as we move into the future. As the labor force moves around more freely in the job market, oven controls need to be more intuitive so that new operators can understand how to produce great-tasting products more consistently.” This is valid for all processes, as consistency starts with mixing and forming the dough. The SCORPION tools support baking consistency, as they can quickly identify and solve any issues in the process.

Most RBS ovens currently operate with natural gas, propane, or butane. As countries move away from fossil fuels, ovens can too, and offer more sustainable processes in the future. “Electric heat is where we see oven technology moving into the future,” anticipates the company’s president.
Products can be tested on a fully electric oven at the RBS Innovation Center in Pennsylvania. The company is also working on the development of an electric cracker oven to replace DGF ovens. This involves modifying the Emithermic Oven Zone that will enable this zone to impart the higher heat required by crackers without a lot of air currents which would dry the product before allowing flavor and texture development.

The ovens’ road to carbon neutrality in 2050 starts today, given their lifespan that can be as long as 40 years. Zaleski shared how RBS envisions the future of oven technology: “RBS offers sustainable ovens that reduce energy, eliminate greenhouse gases and are easy to operate. We will continue to focus on improving our oven designs in each of these categories as we move forward.”