Checkweighers Save Bagel Manufacturer Lots of Dough - METTLER TOLEDO
 

Checkweighers Save Bagel Manufacturer Lots of Dough

The production line begins with a hopper feeding dough down into a divider. The divider portions the dough; the dough pieces are dropped on four conveyor lines which spread apart as they run towards the bagel former, which then rolls the dough pieces into a bagel shape before they are frozen for shipment.


A multi-lane Hi-Speed XS-Series checkweigher was integrated into the line between the divider’s discharge conveyors and the bagel former. It was connected electronically to the divider using OMAC standards for real-time communications. Now the divider can adjust portions based on the checkweigher’s data. Overweight pieces on the checkweigher cause the divider to make the portions smaller and underweight portions cause the divider to make portions larger.

Checkweighers Save Bagel Manufacturer Lots of Dough

“The checkweigher’s feedback gives us the ability to maintain consistency throughout the entire batch regardless of fermentation and the control gives us the ability to control all four lanes from a single, touch screen operator interface. With this new system, we have been able to reduce giveaway, reduce rejected product, and increase our efficiency.”

The open design, all stainless construction, and conveyors with tool-free belt removal meets the Company’s need for easy inspection and maintenance, and exceeds USDA requirements and is built to IP-69K standard for high-pressure, high-temperature washdown. The entire system was installed with optimum product spacing, weighing, classification, rejecting, and discharge. “Multi-lane capacity allows us to lower production costs and increase production without adding new lines. Mettler-Toledo Hi-Speed was able to meet our needs and create a multi-lane checkweighing solution that fits our production line requirements.”

Request More Information Here


One wholesale bagel baker in the Pacific Northwest attributes its success to their willingness to go the extra mile to meet their customers’ quality standards. In this case, that extra mile was represented by over-apportioning dough to ensure that the finished bagels were at or above the specification weight. This policy was good for customer satisfaction, but not very good for profitability.

“The divider is a continuous process, but the dough that feeds the divider comes from a batch process,” the engineering manager said

Checkweighers Save Bagel Manufacturer Lots of Dough

“Generally, the individual batches are the same, but the beginning of the batch has little fermentation, thus we have very consistent dough pieces. But toward the end of the batch, more fermentation gives greater volume and less weight.” The operators were constantly monitoring weights and making adjustments to the dough divider – a very time-consuming process.

Still another challenge was moving the bagel pieces along the production line. Raw dough is soft and sticky and tends to leave residue behind, especially when it is being transferred from one conveyor to another. Also, standard rejection mechanisms such as air jets, pushers, flippers, or deflectors do not work well on bagel dough.