An entire fleet of iconic crackers built its consumer base on their open, flaky texture, which is produced by layering the dough. Reading Bakery Systems designed a new, 90-degree technology concept for the laminators manufacturing this dough.
Accuracy over time is essential to creating consistent sheets of dough that will then be cut and baked, to become enticing cracker products. The end result relies on stable processing and process efficiency. Technology needs to provide both. For cracker manufacturing, laminating dough is one of the key steps that immediately influences the end product characteristics. Lamination provides a slightly expanded structure, often characterized as a tender bite. Because most laminated crackers have a fat content of several percent, the crackers become softer in texture.
“Most laminated sheeted crackers will receive between four to eight laminations. Process speeds can vary from 10 to 50 meters per minute.”
Cameron Johnston, Senior Director of Innovation, RBS
Specializing in solutions for the automated, large-volume production of virtually any type of cracker product, Reading Bakery Systems (RBS) recently perfected a new laminator design that answers multiple processing needs. The latest design in the company’s Thomas L. Green equipment is a 90-degree laminator that is suitable for any traditional, wheat-based cracker dough, as well as non-traditional doughs. The straight-angle layout offers a shortened footprint, which is great news for saving valuable floor space.
The compact design is especially useful when plants already have tight room between processing lines, while also hand-ling the dough gently. Machine uptime and hygiene features were also improved: “Our frame design has a more open construction for ease of sanitation and maintenance. Most bearings have routine greasing services that can be completed while in operation, allowing for longer production runs between shutdown maintenance intervals,” explains Cameron Johnston, Senior Director of Innovation at RBS.
Key features
+ Precise, automatic, and synchronized control of dough sheet length, conveyor speed, and number of laminations
+ The rotary knife cut depth is adjustable as the knife passes through the dough sheet, providing a clean separation of individual sheets.
+ A dough sheeter may be installed to the side or directly above the laminator for a compact and efficient production layout
+ Multiple configuration options are available, depending on product ranges and available plant space
Uses and gratifications
Before arriving at the laminator, the dough sheet is first created, usually with a three- or four-roll sheeter. The initial sheet usually ranges between 4 mm to 10 mm in thickness. The dough sheet is transported onto a turning conveyor, which gently rotates the sheet to 90 degrees and then places it onto the laminator infeed conveyor.
Lamination speeds with the new machine can vary greatly, so the process always correctly matches the requirements coming from variations in the number of dough layers. If fat
flour is used, it is applied between dough sheets to impart distinct layers. “Most laminated sheeted crackers will receive between four to eight laminations. Process speeds can vary from 10 to 50 meters per minute,” the specialist says. Downstream equipment and related processes also influence laminating speeds: the oven’s length and baking times are among these factors.
For flexibility, the laminator can come with a bypass feature, so that it can allow the system to produce both laminated and non-laminated crackers. “This is extremely helpful for expanding the number of sheeted snacks capable of being produced on a single line,” Johnston highlights. The new laminator processes dough with precision, from receiving to stacking and delivering the sheeted dough to the discharge conveyor, for reduction and forming.
The new design also makes cleaning easier. Cleaning can be carried out by simply opening the guards and brushing or blowing off any debris. A damp cloth should be used to wipe down interior and exterior surfaces, belting and belt scrapers, RBS recommends. Common sanitation chemicals may be used on surfaces coming into contact with the product.
Crackers make up a creativity-filled segment of snacking options, with all signs pointing to further growth. Market figures already paint a vibrant picture: 75% of the people surveyed for the latest ‘State of Snacking’ report by Mondelēz International say they consume snacks during a special moment of the day, and 59% of them declare themselves to be ‘snacking adventurers’ who are open to new proposals. As people increasingly favor quality offerings, technology updates bring new features, leaner processes and more capabilities. Combined innovation on the side of the technology developer and the user is key.
