Every bakery’s throughput depends on the machines they have installed online, but the ones that are available today are revolutionizing the industry. Their automation, flexibility and operation can affect a baker’s results significantly.

In the case of depositors, could they be any more commonplace? That was once the case, but modern systems have talents that can’t be taken for granted.

Examine the machines offered by Hinds-Bock Corp. of Redmond, Wash., for example.

“We offer a large family of stand-alone muffin-batter depositing machines and industrial muffin systems,” says Lance Aasness, Hinds-Bock’s vice president-sales and marketing. “Our versatile tabletop depositors are the most widely used muffin depositors in the industry.”

These machines feature the latest servo systems and operator-interface panels.

“That’s clearly a step-up in technology, production capacity, accuracy, and user-friendliness,” Aasness adds. “The servo element is also becoming less costly so it’s being added to more machines.”

Another innovation in depositing technology is the first ever “clever” piston depositors.

“This worldwide innovation is a major step forward in the depositing market,” says Luc Imberechts, president of Bakon Food Equipment of Van Nuys, Calif.

Equipped with a digital control panel, this new depositor can be pre-programmed to allow for full control of various parameters such as volume to deposit and speed.

“Now, it is easy for the operator to select a program/recipe on the convenient screen,” Imberechts says. “Changeovers are really a piece of cake.”

“One of Unifiller’s best-selling standard depositors, the Universal, is the fastest and most versatile single-piston depositor,” says Stewart Macpherson, vice president-sales and marketing for the Delta, B.C.-based company.

“The Universal is extremely accurate, dependable, and easy to use,” Macpherson adds. “Additionally, there are [more than] 100 standard depositor attachments to choose from. This enables us to find the best solution for our customers.”

Unifiller’s design strategy has always been to offer a depositor that outperforms based on fewer parts to clean, lose and maintain.

“To the baker, a machine with half the parts just makes sense, and simply put, is better,” he asserts.

DFE Meincke, the largest oven manufacturer in the world, launched new single- and triple-head depositors/extruders as part of a new system called the Model V50.

“The interest in the new V50 system has been beyond our expectations,” says Frank Müntzberg, chief executive officer of DFE Meincke.

“The great interest in the new depositing and extruding system confirms our belief that the market is mature for new and even more sophisticated, flexible, and hygienic machines,” Müntzberg adds.

Depositors are no longer run-of-the-mill machines. They boast innovation and technology in increasing amounts.

Bakon Equipment is a leading international company with headquarters in Goes, The Netherlands. The company focuses on the development, production and marketing of depositors for traditional and industrial bakeries. Bakon USA Food Equipment was created in 1991. Sales and customer service are handled from its Southern California office office and through a network of distributors. Technical service is provided nationwide through outside technical companies specialized in bakery equipment repair.

DFE Meincke is a global manufacturer of processing plants for the baking industry. It exports more than 94% of its equipment to producers within the baking and confectionery industry worldwide. The company offers everything from complete, turnkey processing plants and lines to machines and units for a long list of bakery products. Services range from the design of a plant for specific products through installation, commissioning, operator training, and service. In North America, Meincke supports this with a fast and efficient international parts supply, and its maintenance service ensures close support at all times.

Hinds-Bock Corp. is a privately held company dedicated to meeting the needs of food production, bakeries, cosmetics and specialty chemical companies for high-quality piston depositing/filling equipment and systems. Its engineering staff designs custom equipment and special modifications for Hinds-Bock standard machines to meet specific customer needs. The production department includes a fully equipped CNC machine shop, a welding shop, and experienced electrical and mechanical assemblers.

Unifiller Systems offers a range of volumetric piston depositors, which are a unique concept with an innovative design. These machines are known for their “user friendly” designs. They have fewer parts and can be disassembled in less than 30 seconds without the use of tools, and they are so reliable that each comes with the longest warranty in the business. The company’s Universal depositor is equipped for clean depositing of standard or low-carb products such as muffins, cake batter, fruit pie fillings, and more. The power-lift frame lowers the base to floor level for easy manual filling. The Universal can be fitted with a wide variety of attachments, including hand guns, depositing heads, and nozzles for almost all bakery depositing applications.