The decoration achieved by scoring is a reflection of the breadmaker’s identity, branding and creativity.
Robotics helps bring this decorating method to industrial bakeries, with all its powerful attributes for both
the products and the brand.
Dragons, intricate flowers, cats and butterflies: breads scored in exciting patterns are an art form in their own right, and hold as much ‘viral’ potential as any other social media trend. A quick search for ‘bread scoring’ can quickly become a source of inspiration and craftsmanship admiration. Bread that is also a piece of edible art elevates the entire experience of the eating occasion, and with it, the creator’s brand – and business. Bread-art is a major part of baking competitions, attracting enthusiastic crowds.
For large-scale bakeries, the challenge is using their inspiration in applications while automating the process. The skilled, creative hand for pattern scoring might not be there for every shift, with a consistent skill level, day after day; and certainly scoring breads by hand would be an impossible challenge anyway, when the production volumes reach 10,000 breads per hour. Robotics can help in this case.
Robotic arms equipped with blades or water jet spraying units can be programmed to execute intricate patterns on a pre-defined area of the bread, at the exact depth and angle required for a pattern that bakes well while amplifying the intended shape.
The Tromp Decojet Robot by AMF Bakery Systems uses industrial robots for scoring to create water cuts in proofed dough. It can be used for scoring a wide number of products on the support each requires: from breads and buns to baguettes, placed in baking trays, peelboards, or directly on the belt.
To customize designs and adjust the scoring process to each type of dough, adjustments can be made to the water jet pressure, the speed, height and angle of the scoring action. For convenience, fully pre-programmed setting options can be used, which not only ensures consistent results but also makes changeovers instant. “The process accuracy is ensured and can always be monitored via the HMI,” AMF underlines. The water pressure varies with dough characteristics: “A soft, pre-proofed product only requires 3-4 bar cutting pressure while other, stiffer dough products require a higher pressure. The cutting depth is also controlled with the pressure, which is adjustable up to 10 bar,” the specialist explains.
To score products on different supports, or without any bakeware, “A predefined head is placed as end-of-arm tooling of the Decojet Robot. This head contains a certain number of nozzles on a fixed pitch that match the pitch of products, either placed directly on the belt or in trays,” AMF specialists explain. While performing the splitting action, the robot head takes into account the moving speed of the products on the belt or in trays, as they pass through the work station, and match their movement to execute the program in the designated area of each product. For the safety of the staff working in the facility, the robot’s station is fully enclosed in a protecting case/fencing. The Tromp system requires a total workspace of approximately 2 x 2 m to be added next to the line. For increased speed, volumes and design complexity, several units can be set up to share the workload.
Robots at work
Any pattern can be scored into the dough’s surface; a calculation tool is available to determine which end-of-arm tool is required for a product, at the required capacity. The capacity depends on the complexity of the cutting pattern, AMF highlights.
Three different end-of-arm tools are available and can be interchageably used with the Tromp Decojet Robot:
+ One with a single row of nozzles,
+ One with two rows, and
+ One with three rows of nozzles.
The number of nozzles and the exact pattern needed depend on the product and their position. The end-of-arm tool can be manually changed to another head, AMD specialists add.
The robot system can work without interruptions for any number of production hours, as needed. The technology provider recommends regularly running the cleaning cycle of the water supply, to avoid any bacteria formation in the hoses, nozzles and pump. The robot itself should go through a early check-up.