New Processing Equipment: May 2023
Slicing, cutting, and portioning equipment are vital components of many bakery and snack production environments. Producers are calling for a greater degree of flexibility, higher efficiency, and longer list of features than in the past, and equipment manufacturers are aiming to deliver.
Egan Food Technologies
Website: eganfoodtech.com
Egan Food Technologies has introduced an assortment of automation upgrades for manufacturing snack and nutrition bars and bites with its SLABFORM DUO. Available add-ons will now include a prefeeder, slitter/spreader, retract conveyor, and cooling capabilities. The new slitter/spreader creates the capability to produce “bites,” or smaller versions of snack and nutrition bars, a product category experiencing rapid growth.
The machine’s relatively low starting price of $100,000 and the company’s new “quick-ship” program (delivering to customers in less than four weeks) are intended to help producers deal with various production and supply-chain challenges.
“Our customers have been heavily impacted by labor shortages and supply chain issues,” says Mike Sherd, managing partner at Egan Food Technologies. “With the SLABFORM DUO’s new, shorter lead time and additional automation features, we’re directly addressing these major production concerns.”
FoodTools
Website: foodtools.com
The FoodTools 2100 Series round product portioning line has introduced a new sheet feed divider iInserts option. The 2100 Series uses one cutting station and two product platforms to slice up to 360 round cakes or pies per hour. The 2100RF versions use roll feed divider inserts to place a paper divider between each slice and the new 2100SF versions will deliver the same high-speed slicing technology but with bundles of sheet feed divider inserts for bakeries preferring to purchase boxes of pre-cut divider Inserts rather than roll stock. All 2100 Series machines are available with ACCUSONIC ultrasonic technology or ACCUSLICE mechanical cutting blades.
“Bakery equipment customers still value proven automation technology but are also looking for flexibility in options,” says Matt Wermund, general manager of FoodTools. “The 2100RF series was designed to use roll feed Divider Inserts because of the infinite possibilities of paper divider insert sizes being sliced in real-time, but some of our customers prefer buying boxes of pre-cut bundles of sheet feed divider inserts, and to meet their needs we've added the 2100FS with divider insert sheet feeders.”
Grote
Website: grotecompany.com
Grote Co. has introduced the Compact AC60, a mobile version of its AC60 sandwich cutter. The machine, according to the company, cuts through virtually any sandwich product, including bread, but can also cut meat, cheese, wet salads, and produce. This smaller model is easy to move as it can be put on wheels, allowing producers a high degree of flexibility. Additionally, the ability to thoroughly clean and sanitize the sandwich cutter is an important major consideration.
The Compact AC60 cuts up to 60 sandwiches per minute per lane, with an ultrasonic blade that cuts sandwiches in half straight or at a 45-degree angle. The recipe-driven touchscreen control system adjusts settings automatically, a feature intended to reduce changeover time while increasing efficiency and throughput. The sanitary design (with easily removable parts) allows for quick, thorough cleaning and maintenance.
Urschel
Website: urschel.com
With potato chip producers seeking cutting solutions that offer the ability to adapt to the needs of individual applications, and continuing to grow in the company's engineering and manufacturing expertise through each endeavor, Urschel has offered introduced its MicroAdjustable Slicing Head (SL-14). The SL-14 is offered in two styles:– one features micro-adjustability, while the other features micro-adjustability plus quick-clamping technology to expedite knife changeovers. This 14-station cutting head offers nearly double the capacity of an 8-shoe head. Also, the new design incorporates ideal, carefully crafted spacing of cutting stations to maximize slice engagement.
According to Alan Major, Urschel chief sales officer, “Processors are looking for increased knife life, simpler maintenance, and little to zero operator involvement. There is a niche trend to develop unique shaped cuts, so processors can readily stand out in the consumer marketplace. Urschel and the Model CC advantages deliver on every processor request.”