Artificial intelligence (AI) in manufacturing is no longer a fascinating idea – it is already here and accelerating quickly throughout many industries, especially in the baking industry. Several reasons are fueling this revolution.
Inviting with their diverse iterations, biscuits are, nevertheless, a delicate business to master. Following careful preparation, the fragile products are thoroughly inspected so that they may begin their journey to the consumer in great condition, and remain that way until snack time. The competition for attention matches their diversity, which is, at the same time, their unique selling point.
While recipe variations for baguettes and bread rolls are not only to be expected but also make for unique selling points, high hydration rates and long dough resting times are the calling card of more sophisticated, authentic premium products.
A new AI image-recognition service is unveiled at iba, which tracks in-store patisserie and bakery shelf performances in real-time. AI specialist MarketLab, in partnership with Puratos, developed Spotimize to help with shelf management, lower waste and improve the customer’s experience. During its current startup phase, the Spotimize service will be available to a limited number of customers in selected countries.
Automated Intelligent Direct Handling (IDH) increases efficiency in cookie and cracker packaging.
ECD will bring its thermal profiling technology to iba in October. The handheld M.O.L.E.™ EV6 sets a new benchmark for thermal data loggers, delivering instantaneous data access and intuitive control – now with a full-color touchscreen display. In addition to the six-channel M.O.L.E. EV6, the company’s BreadOMETER™, CakeOMETER™, and OvenBALANCER™ sensors will be demonstrated at the stand.
KPM Analytics showcases solutions that meet growing trends such as automated product inspection, process control achieved with vision inspection, processing whole wheat/high-fiber products, at-line dough quality analysis, and ingredient quality control.
ABI will exhibit its KATANA multi-purpose robot scoring solution, which now also offers a waterjet scoring tool. The Toronto-based company will also present Eye-Q, its new AI-enabled complete quality control system, providing product quality analysis across different stages of production.
‘Artisan’ and ‘premium’ are often used interchangeably when referring to bread. To Koenig, ‘premium’ products are crusty breads, with complex flavor and a chewy crumb.
The Dutch ‘silo to truck’ solutions manufacturer develops production lines for all kinds of freestanding bread, with a capacity of around 7,500 kg/h, depending on the production process, type of end products and available space.
In the spring of 2023, Ölz der Meisterbäcker put its expanded production into operation. When it came to raw material handling, the Austrian plant baker relied on Zeppelin Systems for solutions.
Every gram counts. This is especially true when raw materials become more expensive or even scarce. VEMAG takes weight accuracy very seriously with its portioning technology. The machine manufacturer also sets the bar high in terms of product quality and flexibility.
