Divider advancements include increased flexibility, accuracy, sanitation, control and automation.

Advanced electric controls are being used to enhance divider scaling accuracy and the quality and consistency of products. “So many dividers still utilize mechanical drives and cams to provide their operating profile,” says Larry Gore, AMF Automation Technologies, Richmond, Va. “These operating designs lack accuracy, flexibility and durability.” Advancements have allowed mechanical controls to be replaced with electronic components, such as servos and high speed PLC controls. This provides more precise motion control and flexibility, which increases product consistency and production flexibility by allowing more products to be made on the same dividing equipment, Gore adds.

“All divider manufacturers are striving to make dividers that can run a wider range of products and absorptions,” agrees John McIsaac, vice president, strategic business development, Reiser, Canton, Mass. “Bakeries want a single machine to run all their products. They do not want to have to use a different divider on a hard roll and then require a different divider for hamburger rolls.”

In addition, bakers are interested in machines that are easy to use, service and repair, and that offer more sanitary designs, McIsaac says.

Increase accuracy, decrease downtime

The KX-T dough divider/rounder from AMF is ideal for tortillas, and frozen and hard roll doughs. Features include quick and easy product changeover, precision scaling accuracy on a range of products without variation from the beginning to the end of a run, a small footprint for easy replacement of old drum divider/rounders, a single auger for gentle handling at low pressure, and an available adjustable rounding system for a range of sizes. The divider's simple design with slow rotating parts requires very little maintenance. The machine can be run for weeks with no required maintenance downtime. The CIP system controlled by the PLC program efficiently cleans all internal product areas. A complete visual inspection of the entire dough path can be performed in minutes with no tools. A stainless-steel metering pump provides greater scaling accuracy than conventional volumetric dividers. Low-pressure manifold with individual port control valves provides an estimated ±1 percent accuracy.
AMF
800-225-3771
www.amfbakery.com

Add versatility and portion accuracy

The Vemag dough divider from Reiser is ideal for all types of breads, buns, rolls and English muffins. Easily adjustable, it produces a range of dough absorptions and crumb structures. It features a double-screw transport system, which ensures exact-weight portions and gentle, consistent handling of the dough without overworking it. The double-screw is available in a variety of configurations to handle virtually all types of dough. The Vemag can run a variety of absorption levels with only a change of the double-screws, which can be swapped out in seconds, so bakers can run everything from bread doughs to batters. The Vemag handles absorption rates from 45 percent to 95 percent — from stiff bagel doughs to soft English muffins. Because the portions are accurate from the start, you'll eliminate startup “tinkering” time, rework and waste. The Vemag is easily adjustable to produce a wide range of portion sizes — from 5 g to 20 kg. Fast and accurate, it does not require mineral oil, saving thousands of dollars while eliminating product air pockets and surface blisters.
Reiser
781-821-1290
www.reiser.com

Heavy-duty divider/rounder

Sottoriva offers the Athena, a heavy-duty, high-output divider/rounder available with five or six rows. The Athena divides and rounds dough to obtain round bread, and with further processing, stamped bread, hamburger buns, finger rolls, pita and pizza. The machine works with soft and semi-hard dough and has a stainless-steel, teflon-coated hopper of about 35-kg capacity. The dough is gently handled by a star dosing system and adjustment of the pressure in the portioning chambers. All this avoids stress to the dough because of the mechanical action of the machine producing the required weight of dough. The dough pieces are properly rounded by the rounding drum and are placed on the out-feed spreading belts for pickup or on the subsequent moulders.
Sottoriva
800-878-4070
www.sottoriva.com

American made, easy to use

Adamatic's divider/rounders are the industry standard for roll production. Each Adamatic divider/rounder is accurate to within 2 g and punishes dough as little as possible. Sophisticated controls and quick changeovers and adjustments make Adamatic machines easy to use with minimal training. Models exist for up to 30,000 pieces per hour-each one produced in the United States, with local parts availability. Adamatic also partners with Glimek Baking Systems to supply makeup lines for breads over 19 oz.
Adamatic
part of Belshaw Adamatic Bakery Group
800-578-2547
www.adamatic.com

Process soft doughs quickly

SOFTSTAR PLUS by Kemper offers a water absorption of 150 percent to 165 percent. Features include an adjustable main drive; frequency-controlled moulding amplitude and flour sprinkler; adjustable moulding belt tension; resting belt between part and moulding system; adjustable dough pressure; the option of a central lubrication for dough chamber and a pre-portioning hopper; volumetric flask oiling; a pressure roller on the moulding belt; and a touch-screen through which all important machine parameters can be adjusted. The divider offers six to 16 rows and can run a maximum of 48,000 pieces per hour. Piece sizes range from 30 g to 150 g.
Kemper Baking Systems Ltd.
203-929-6530
www.kemperusa.com