Baking & Snack - June 2021 - 66

BUN & ROLL TECHNOLOGY
Without proper training, operators cannot effectively
support the equipment with proper sanitation and
maintenance as well as operation. High-speed lines leave
little room for error, and that includes human error.
While operators may not be making adjustments manually,
they will be supervising production flow and need
to know how to spot problems.
" This operator must be well-trained and know exactly
how to rectify issues should they occur, " Ms. Kennedy
said. " This is quite challenging for the operator as any issues
that occur need to be dealt with very quickly. "
Because again, at high speeds problems escalate
quickly. When transitioning to a high-speed, highly automated
line, Mr. Kirkpatrick suggested reducing the
possibility of a bottleneck by planning for a learning
A well-trained
workforce
understands how
best to support
high-speed
equipment through
preventative
maintenance,
sanitation and
supervising
production flow.
Front Room Studios
product quality and waste, at the minimum, but could
go beyond those basics.
" The best practices to running a bun and roll line at
maximum capacity would include establishing key performance
targets and measurements and then managing
them, " said John Kirkpatrick, bakery specialist, Reiser.
" Those targets and the previous days' results compared
to those targets should be shared and discussed with at
least all line supervisors, preferably all line operators as
well, prior to each shift. "
With constant conversations around meeting these
targets, employees can have ownership over the production
line and what their role is in meeting those goals.
Well-trained human support
Automation may be the key to unlocking high-speed
production lines, but operators must be trained to keep
up with the technology in the facility. Establishing a
well-trained workforce will allow the equipment to meet
its full potential.
" While equipment, process and line configuration are
the most important aspects in getting the most out of the
production line, training and support of the personnel
running the lines is just as important, " Mr. Fernandez
said. " Manual interventions by operators should be
minimal. Understanding the equipment, learning its capabilities
along with care and maintenance will unlock
its full potential. "
This support looks different than on production lines
that need a lot of manual interference.
" High-speed lines involve a lot of automation, so
operators don't need to make as many adjustments,
but they need to fully understand the equipment, " Mr.
Campbell pointed out.
66 Baking & Snack June 2021 / www.bakingbusiness.com
curve among the workforce.
" If you have added new equipment, ideally start with
a 10% increase over your current rate and perform a
top-to-bottom line review to ensure there are no issues
that arise, " he said. " Once that condition has been satisfied,
continue at that increase until your new maximum
capacity is achieved. This can take several shifts or days,
depending on adjustments needed. "
IN THE ABSENCE OF A
CONTINUOUS PROCESS,
THE START AND STOP
OF A LINE CAN IMPACT
PRODUCT QUALITY AND
CREATE A LOT OF WASTE.
Continuous training must go hand-in-hand with continuous
production. AMF offers quarterly partnership
maintenance programs to ensure proper procedures are
in place to keep up the equipment, and the company also
offers its AMFMethod Documentation and Training
Tool to facilitate training and workforce development
that supports the company's equipment.
Maintained for speed
High-speed bun and roll production offers a bounty of
reward for bakers. The risk of high-speed production is
that any breakdown in the line is going to result in catastrophic
loss of product before the rest of the process
can be halted. Downtime to repair the line also becomes
costly, so maintenance becomes even more important
for production lines designed to run at high speeds.
" Dedication to preventative maintenance and training
is mandatory, " Mr. Campbell said.
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Baking & Snack - June 2021

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