CHOCOLATE MOULDING
“Today’s moulding plants need to be flexible, with fast changeover times between batches”
this reason, our confectionery customers today want to have the ability to produce smaller batches to allow them to react quickly to changing demands.” .
Changing needs Raffaele Pellegrini, Sales Manager Process & Moulding Business Unit at Sacmi Packaging & Chocolate, agrees that chocolate moulding equipment has seen some big technological advances over the years. “The changes are significant, both on a technological level and in the approach to machine design,” he says. “This is because market needs have changed so radically. Historically, chocolate moulding production lines would be dedicated to producing a limited number of products. This has changed. Today, what is required of the moulding production line is, above all, versatility and flexibility to allow for a variety of different products and formats to be produced on the same line. Last, but not least, chocolate moulding lines now need to have the ability to be quickly and easily extending to respond to potential future needs.”
Raffaele goes on to explain that, to achieve all of the flexibility demanded of today’s moulding lines quick format
changeover features are important. “Other cornerstones are ease of management; features that can help reduce maintenance or make it an easier task; simplified cleaning operations; and the elimination of burdensome or repetitive operations for operators,” he tells me. Offering an example, he cited the addition of servomotors to give more accurate control of the dosing phases and in-line weighing systems. Further, the use of advanced instrumentation can accurately control where moulds are placed, helping to anticipate and avoid some of the most common problems faced during the chocolate moulding process. “In general, the sector has seen increases in process efficiency and real-time control of production flows, quality and performance,” says Raffaele. Indeed, he believes it is moving towards a maintenance solution that is as preventive as possible and proactive of programmable maintenance. The moulding process would appear to have benefitted greatly from the addition of modern technology which enables more flexible, adaptable and modular moulding lines. These technology advances can go a long way to helping confectioners keep ahead of the competition by allowing them to move from product development to production in much shorter timeframes which can help them keep ahead of the consumer demand curve. Modern technology has also made automated moulding solutions available for artisan and smaller producers helping them to grow their product range and target new markets. When looking at new moulding line options, do remember to take into account the huge benefits that modern technology has brought to the moulding process.
A one-shot moulding machine with four nozzles (image courtesy Hans Brunner).
26 Kennedy’s Confection October 2022
KennedysConfection.com
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