Baking&Snack - October 2013 - 68

MIXERS

Bakers can select direct-drive motors with
either variable-frequency or two-speed options to
power open-frame three-roller-bar horizontal mixers
capable of preparing 400- to 800-lb batches.
Topos Mondial

Opening up horizontal mixers
Less is more. That theme characterizes horizontal mixers
with open-frame designs. They feature fewer steel panels
and more open areas to ease sanitation.
An open-frame roller bar mixer recently introduced
by AMF Bakery Systems includes a conventional drive
system and bowl tilt that does not need hydraulics. “The
result is an efficient, safe, stable, easy-to-operate and
clean mixer, said Bruce Campbell, executive product
”
manage, dough processing systems.
A hybrid of open-frame and enclosed-frame designs is
available from Shaffer Mixers. The mixer features a direct
drive that helps to keep the area under the bowl open.
The entire tilt system, including the hydraulic cylinder
and power unit, is protected by a water-tight enclosure.
“This means that bakeries do not have to perform sanitation on the hydraulic components and, in fact, should not
have to open the enclosure unless they are doing maintenance procedures, observed Terry Bartsh, the company’s
”
vice-president of sales.
Heavy-duty, open-framed three-roller-bar horizontal
mixers from Topos Mondial feature capacities ranging
from 400 to 800 lb per batch. The open-frame offers a
sanitary design for easy cleaning and maintenance, noted
Damian Morabito, the company’s president. The main agitator is driven by a hollow-shaft direct-drive gear motor
with variable-frequency or two-speed drive options.
“We also designed our open-frame mixer with a removable stainless steel cover over the main drive gear motor
and the hydraulic package on the side of the mixer, he
”
said. “The cover can be easily removed without the use
of tools to gain full access for cleaning and maintenance.
”

/ Baking & Snack / October 2013

“For example, a histogram of final dough temperatures for the third shift can be automatically displayed
for the production manager when he comes in at 8 in
the morning,” Mr. Campbell noted. “With one glance,
he can tell if his mixing process was under control the
previous night.”
Such recipe management systems make the operator’s
job much easier. For example, the Dough Guardian system displays in real time the conditions of the mix. “This
offers the operator insight into what is going on inside
the bowl without having to open it up and look at the
dough,” Mr. Campbell explained.
Computer-controlled systems are critical, according to Jim Warren, director of Exact Mixing, Reading
Bakery Systems, Robesonia, PA. Flow meters connected
to the closed-loop control system ensure liquid ingredients are accurately delivered to the mixer and properly coordinated with the dry materials. Each ingredient
stream is monitored in real time to confirm that the formula is correct. In effect, the computer-controlled mixer
guarantees the correct formula prior to mixing.
Computers detect any deviation from the target prior to the forming stage. “The mixing process is carefully monitored, and the operator is alerted if any issues
arise,” Mr. Warren added.
The Codos continuous mixing and kneading system
from Zeppelin Systems USA, Odessa, FL, includes a
complete dosing unit for the blending and homogenization of dry ingredients as well as liquids. This results
in gentle handling, energy savings, constant dough temperatures and increased line efficiencies, according to
Stephen Marquardt, the company’s food sales director.
These mixing systems can be used for a single line or
flexible production lines making a variety of products.
A well-functioning continuous mixing system relies on
the preparation, handling and continuous feeding of raw
materials — the focus on Zeppelin’s business for many
years, he noted.
PLCs play an integral role in automating the
Advanced Batch Mixer series, a line of high-speed, highintensity systems from Advanced Food Systems (AFS),
Columbus, OH, according to Denny Vincent, president.
The control systems manage the scaling of all dry and
liquid ingredients. The mixers’ controls also deliver
chilled water at exactly the right temperature to achieve
the desired final dough temperature, he noted, because
dough is not in the bowl long enough to be chilled by
a jacket.
Integration with the sponge, fermentation and pumping systems is critical to making sure operators kick out
dough at the correct time, temperature and development
level. AMF offers single-point controls to integrate the
entire mixing and makeup system to run fresh dough

Baking&Snack - October 2013

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