Bakeries world over are now opting to automate their operations due to shortage s in labour , to increase productivity , save time and safety .This trend is more pronounced in Europe , Middle eastern countries where labour is a problem.
But for many countries bakery manufacturers prefer manual operations as labour cost is low in comparison to their European counter part hence they prefer to have workers performing all the operations . Automation is also very cost intensive hence bakery owners avoid putting money in the automation projects plus the skills to operates these system has a cost .Spares and Inventory is also a problem for these small to medium plants .
Even with these disadvantage automation has benefits for large or big bakery plants which results in better productivity and cost savings
Areas in bakeries operation where Automation can be done
Material handling
Conveyors can be used to load or unload matrials from vehicles to the stores or production hall with minimum requirement of labor .
Pneumatic conveying for Bulk handling and storage of raw material . These can be done with PLC based pneumatic system.
Pre -Mixing and Mixing
Raw material addition and transfer of liquid s for mixing can be automated with help of Plc based system along with weighing and batching done with automated system . Weighing is done through load cells and electro pneumatic valves which then are integrated with plc s.Mixers with helps of timers and software can adjust mixing timing as per dough consistency .
Forming and Laminating
Tipping of dough can be done through tipping elevators .Change overs in Dividers for bread as well as Cutter and moulders can be done to reduce change over time s.
Speed of Webs for gauge roller can be increased or decreased as per requirement or baking time for biscuit , cookies and cracker lines in a group .( as speed of each web and gauge rollers are linked to each other ) .
Oven
Burner controls are now fully automated where burners starts and stop as per the requirement of heat inside the baking zones .These are done with installation automated system with help of temperature controllers .
Biscuit lines have multiple burners installed and can be controlled with one command through plc .
Tracking of wire bands in biscuit lines are done through sensors installed .
Loading of ovens in bread lines can be automated with mechanical conveyors with timing adjusted through plc based programs .Prooving and baking trays are loaded and loaded with help of automated mechanisms.
Baked breads are taken out from moulds by putting up Depanners hence eliminating manual labor to depan .
Packaging
Most of the automation which have been installed in bakeries is in the packaging section .
Feeding system - feeding of biscuits to packing machine or bread loaves to slicer are automated through chutes/ guidelines for biscuit lines or conveyors for bread plants.
Biscuit Packaging is than done through horizontal wrapping machine with operations like packs , prints and seals .
Automatic Bagger machine are used for bagging or packaging of bread slices .Horizontal flow wrap machines are also used in bread plants for packaging .
Here we can automate forming of cbbs by installing cbbs forming machine . Most the bakery manufacturers prefers preformed cartons to the automated forming of cbbs
Once the packets are placed then entire system of cartoning , palletizing can be done through robotics most of the western countries have installed robotics to handle post packing machine operations till loading .
Automation of any operation uses sensors , controllers , pressure switches , Ac based servodrives ,HMI , pneumatic s or hydraulic, photocells , scanners , AC Drives,PCB cards with their integration to PLC based software .Various companies gives complete package of plc systems such as Allen Bradley , Siemens , Telemechanique ,Schnieder ,Omron , Okuma , Mitsubishi,GEfanuc ,ABB .
But for many countries bakery manufacturers prefer manual operations as labour cost is low in comparison to their European counter part hence they prefer to have workers performing all the operations . Automation is also very cost intensive hence bakery owners avoid putting money in the automation projects plus the skills to operates these system has a cost .Spares and Inventory is also a problem for these small to medium plants .
Even with these disadvantage automation has benefits for large or big bakery plants which results in better productivity and cost savings
Areas in bakeries operation where Automation can be done
Material handling
Conveyors can be used to load or unload matrials from vehicles to the stores or production hall with minimum requirement of labor .
Pneumatic conveying for Bulk handling and storage of raw material . These can be done with PLC based pneumatic system.
Pre -Mixing and Mixing
Raw material addition and transfer of liquid s for mixing can be automated with help of Plc based system along with weighing and batching done with automated system . Weighing is done through load cells and electro pneumatic valves which then are integrated with plc s.Mixers with helps of timers and software can adjust mixing timing as per dough consistency .
Forming and Laminating
Tipping of dough can be done through tipping elevators .Change overs in Dividers for bread as well as Cutter and moulders can be done to reduce change over time s.
Speed of Webs for gauge roller can be increased or decreased as per requirement or baking time for biscuit , cookies and cracker lines in a group .( as speed of each web and gauge rollers are linked to each other ) .
Oven
Burner controls are now fully automated where burners starts and stop as per the requirement of heat inside the baking zones .These are done with installation automated system with help of temperature controllers .
Biscuit lines have multiple burners installed and can be controlled with one command through plc .
Tracking of wire bands in biscuit lines are done through sensors installed .
Loading of ovens in bread lines can be automated with mechanical conveyors with timing adjusted through plc based programs .Prooving and baking trays are loaded and loaded with help of automated mechanisms.
Baked breads are taken out from moulds by putting up Depanners hence eliminating manual labor to depan .
Packaging
Most of the automation which have been installed in bakeries is in the packaging section .
Feeding system - feeding of biscuits to packing machine or bread loaves to slicer are automated through chutes/ guidelines for biscuit lines or conveyors for bread plants.
Biscuit Packaging is than done through horizontal wrapping machine with operations like packs , prints and seals .
Automatic Bagger machine are used for bagging or packaging of bread slices .Horizontal flow wrap machines are also used in bread plants for packaging .
Here we can automate forming of cbbs by installing cbbs forming machine . Most the bakery manufacturers prefers preformed cartons to the automated forming of cbbs
Once the packets are placed then entire system of cartoning , palletizing can be done through robotics most of the western countries have installed robotics to handle post packing machine operations till loading .
Automation of any operation uses sensors , controllers , pressure switches , Ac based servodrives ,HMI , pneumatic s or hydraulic, photocells , scanners , AC Drives,PCB cards with their integration to PLC based software .Various companies gives complete package of plc systems such as Allen Bradley , Siemens , Telemechanique ,Schnieder ,Omron , Okuma , Mitsubishi,GEfanuc ,ABB .
Yes true automation engineering controls system benefits in every section it will speed up your every mixing,packaging,forming and laminating tasks.
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truly... few companies have also started introducing PLC and touch screen control systems into the ovens and bun dividing equipments. Also mini PLCs and micro PLCs have found their ways into very smaller and niche equipments.
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