Biscuit sandwiching machine enhancements

Two new features added to the largest of Baker Perkins’ biscuit cream sandwiching machines reduce downtime and waste in high output operations. Six-lane high-speed sandwiching systems from Baker Perkins offer the world’s highest outputs, with up to 4,800 sandwiches per minute on some products. They offer a wide range of sizes, including the increasingly popular bite-size products. To achieve maximum levels of quality and efficiency at these speeds, a thorough understanding of the process and precision engineering of the equipment are necessary. Two problems that become more difficult to solve as the speed increases are accurately positioning the cream deposit on the bottom biscuit, and then reliably placing the second biscuit on top. These are addressed by the two new features and are typical of the attention to detail required at this level of performance. For the cream deposit to be accurately positioned, the bottom biscuit has to be located exactly in the middle of the lane. This can only be achieved if the pusher pins are aligned: this can be difficult to maintain as they are attached to separate chains that tend to stretch over time. These chains are now connected through a solid plastic block in which both pins are carried; the chain drive shaft and sprockets are machined from a solid billet, and the addition of the new feature makes pin misalignment virtually impossible. Stable support is crucial to ensure that biscuits remain flat during their passage through the creaming machine: disturbing this position can lead to costly system shutdowns. An additional stability feature on the six-lane creamer involves replacing a solid platform under the magazine holding the top biscuits, with a forked platform that sits outside the pins to give much broader and more stable support. These new attributes typify an attitude to the design of critical process areas that utilise the principles of OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness). OEE is calculated on three factors – availability, performance and quality. High OEE is characterised by minimal unplanned downtime, low scrap and excellent quality. By concentrating on aspects of design that make significant contributions to these areas, Baker Perkins sandwiching machines make a significant contribution to achieving world-class levels of OEE Baker Perkins high-speed cream sandwiching machines are available in two, three, four, five and six lane versions. They are a key module in complete systems that can accept biscuits from the oven, and feed to the wrapping machine. Two other units are vital to the success of a high-speed sandwiching system. An effective cream feed system is critical in achieving accurate weight control, and lane multiplication is often necessary. Biscuit makers apply sandwiching techniques to widen a range, add interest to the product, and improve financial performance. Baker Perkins provides three distinct systems covering a range of product, speed and presentation possibilities. As well as the high speed creamer, a pile pack creamer produces piles of two sandwiches, which are collated into pack lengths of one to six piles, and are ideal for snack and vend packs. Full width creaming is an in-line option where the number of creamer lanes equals the number of oven lanes. Further information: Keith Graham at Baker Perkins. Tel +44 1733 283000. Email keith.graham@bakerperkinsgroup.com www.bakerperkinsgroup.com or

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