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As published in Baking Management, April
2009, Page 30-31. (Download
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JPEG-P1,
P2) |
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Technology that
makes sense |
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Sponsored by Hinds-Bock Corp. |
Q:
How has technology affected depositing and
filling equipment?)
A:
With respect to depositing and filling
equipment, the greatest impact technology has had is
with
the controls. Through the years, technological advancements
in controls have driven the cost down and greatly increased
the acceptance of programmable logic controllers (PLC),
operator interfaces, plant-wide interfaces and servo motors.
Through this technological leap, depositing and filling
machines run faster and are easier to troubleshoot, sequence
and control. This improvement in technology led to more
sophisticated depositing and filling machine integrations
than would have been practical years ago with outdated
mechanical and air pilot controls.
Q:
How can
depositors handle delicate filling operations, such as those
used for pie fillings?
A:
Depositors for
products containing
large, soft particulates must have
large product flow paths. The flow paths must be smooth with
gentle internal radii, and the product flow path must be as
short as possible with no reduction in diameter or area.
Q:
What
type of depositor is best used for filling products with
particulates?
A:
Through the decades,
piston depositors have been designed with the features
mentioned above.
Q:
Describe how different types of depositors can handle a
broad array of products from liquids to dry ingredients.
A:
Hinds-Bock depositors
are very versatile in that they can run
products
as thin as water or brine to as thick as fruitcake batter,
mashed potatoes or axel grease. Large
ports and other features already mentioned allow Hinds-Bock
depositors to accommodate large particulates, and all of
these features give the machines a great deal of
versatility. In addition, Hinds-Bock manufactures dry
ingredient depositors and high-fat streusel depositors.
Q:
How can
depositors and fillers be customized to accommodate lines
with multiple product changeovers?
A:
Most U.S. bakeries use
the same line to run |
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multiple pans and products. Several key features allow the
depositors to be rapidly changed over from one pan or product to the
next. Quite often, machines
are manufactured with
positive
shut-off spouts. The
centerline of these positive shut-off
spouts can be quickly adjusted without tools by simply moving a cam
lever and sliding the spout to the proper centerline. The automatic
cycling controls integrate within the depositor's control platform
and automatically adjust the pan pitch. This change is made by
simply accessing the SKU number with the operator interface panel.
The deposit weight can be adjusted manually by turning a hand wheel,
or automatically by pushing a button. Further automation is
integrated with an upstream or downstream check weigher.
Q:
How can
depositors address lines that run at variable speeds?
A:
Variable speed lines typically are
equipped with a shaft
encoder, which feeds pulses to the PLC
integrated within the depositor's control platform. As the
conveyor speeds up or slows down, the depositor
automatically adjusts its speed to match that of the
conveyor. This is quite common on depositing lines where the spouts or the entire
depositor travels with the pan or the target during the
deposit cycle, which increases the speed of the depositing
line and ensures clean deposits and proper deposit shapes.
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Page 30
Baking Management April 2009 |
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Q:
How has
automation of depositing and filling equipment improved
production efficiency for bakers?
A:
The automation of depositing
and filling equipment leads to a quantifiable improvement in
uptime, increasing efficiency in
yield for the bakeries that
operate these machines. This uptime is
typically tracked and documented. Modern
depositors incorporate features for rapid sanitizing, which
minimizes downtime between product changeovers. Modern
controls speed up the trouble shooting process as compared
to the older style of mechanical or pneumatic air pilot
controls.
Q:
Describe the
automated features that enable a muffin depositor to produce
18,000 lb. per hour.
A:
The largest muffin lines typically fill multiple
pockets in multiple pans simultaneously, and the conveying
and indexing of these pans is handled by a large,
substantial conveyor. This conveyor uses controls that
recognize each flight of the conveyor and sequences
additional automation, such as tray placers,
paper cup denesters, pan oiler, dry ingredient
depositors and streusel
depositors. These features include a PLC, pan sensors, shaft
encoder and operator interface.
Q:
How are
depositors and fillers meeting bakers' expectations for
sanitary equipment?
A:
Depositors and filling machines are usually
manufactured from high quality stainless steel and at times
use food approved plastic or metal alloy parts.
Institutional lines of bakery depositors include features
that allow even the largest bakery depositor to be quickly
disassembled for sanitizing in minutes without tools.
Hinds-Bock machines incorporate tilting hoppers, quick
remove piston strong backs, tool-free product valve removal
and tool-free rapid spout removal.
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ASK THE EXPERT
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Lance Aasness, vice president, sales and
marketing
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Hinds-Bock Corp.
Baking Management:
What types of depositors and fillers does Hinds-Bock
produce?
Lance Aasness:
Hinds-Bock manufactures a large family of both
standard and custom designed piston depositing
machines, as well as servo driven pump filling
machines. In addition, Hinds-Bock manufactures dry
ingredient depositors, streusel depositors, icing
machines and complete custom depositing lines.
BM:
What are some of the latest depositors Hinds-Bock
has developed?
LA:
Cupcake
and mini-muffin lines are in high demand right now.
We have developed customized equipment for these
industries as well as pancake and waffle depositing
lines.
1)
The cupcake depositing line also can be used for
muffins, smaller cheesecakes or small loaf cakes. It
features two depositors. The first deposits the
primary cupcake batter and the second depositor
deposits a second muffin or cupcake flavor to make a
two flavor cupcake or muffin. That second flavor
might be cream cheese, fruit, chocolate or a ganache
or it might be just a different flavored batter.
2)
The mini depositing line can produce mini-muffins
and mini-brownies, which are very popular right now.
They're popular when sold as bite-sized mini-muffins
and brownies, and also when sold in calorie-count
packs. Because of this line's accuracy, it can
consistently deliver the desired calorie count, for
those who label it.
Both of these lines offer batter depositing,
automatic papercup denesting, pan oiling, and dry
ingredient depositing, such as nut pieces,
sprinkles, oat flakes, sugar or corn meal.
3)
We
also build depositors for pancakes, waffles and
crapes, which integrate with griddle lines and can
deposit particulate batters, such as for blueberry
or chocolate chip waffles. The machine also moves
with the griddle to allow for proper coverage of
batter on the griddle. The depositors are high
speed, so there is the possibility for some
increased production.
BM:
What
are some of the latest Hinds-Bock technological
advances that benefit the baking industry?
LA:
Our new
line of moist, high fat streusel depositors allow
for the automatic depositing of high fat streusel,
which typically tends to pack or bridge. This
automatic depositor greatly reduces labor and
increases both accuracy and speed. With all of our
depositors we focus on the traditional, important
features, which are accuracy, reliability,
cleanliness, easy sanitation and up time.
BM:
How
can I learn more about Hinds-Bock and its depositors
and fillers?
LA:
Our
website is loaded with information, including
products, literature, videos and more. Please feel
free to contact Hinds-Bock. We'd love the
opportunity to speak with you. P: 877 292 5715 or
425 885 1183, F: 425 885 1492, E-mail:
info@hinds-bock.com, Web:
www.hinds-bock.com.
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For more information, contact Hinds-Bock.
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Page 31
Baking Management April 2009 |
(Download
PDF
JPEG-P1,
P2)
(BACK)
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For more information contact us at (877)
292-5715 (Toll Free),
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©2009 HINDS-BOCK
Corporation - All Rights Reserved
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