Pan care

Included among the benefits of vertical stacking is the improvement not only in the life of the glazing, but on the pan itself. The glazing “rub off” is minimized when pans are placed in an aligned vertical stack. With conventional stacking, pans are normally stacked directly on their bottoms, which over time causes crushing and damage from the weight of the pans, especially with roll pans. On the other hand, a robotic system is so precise, pans can be stacked on the bar band so no weight is on the actual pan, Achterberg notes.

Stacking robots and automated pan storage systems can not only extend pan life, but also reduce the frequency of pan glazing and straightening, Gales says. “The controlled, gentle motion of these units, along with equal usage of the entire pan inventory, maximizes the life of the pans,” he adds.

Keeping pans clean and free of foreign debris is critical to any baking operation. Capway Systems has received numerous patents on its mechanical gripper design, which as Achterberg suggests, has certain benefits over the more traditional magnets or even vacuums. “A vacuum can get clogged, or magnets can attract all kinds of metal particles, which could possibly get into the pan.”

Some bakeries request that their pans be stacked upside down to avoid the potential for contamination to exposed pans. Initially, this process seems beneficial for pan handling systems that use magnets to pick up pans because if the pans are stored upside down, the magnets will contact the outside of the pan versus the inside. But, technically, the outside of one pan becomes the inside of the pan on the next higher layer, which still has the potential for contamination, Achterberg notes.

Lids are used on pans going through the oven to achieve the “square” shape, as with sandwich breads. For lidded product, Weldon Solutions offers a lid-stacking robot that is designed to work alongside the lid return conveyor. “The robot picks up multiple lids at one time and gently stacks them next to the conveyor, putting them back onto the line as needed,” Gales says. “A single robot can often handle sufficient lids for changeover between lid types. This eliminates the need for two fixed path stacking units.”

Hands-free operation

Automated pan handling systems give line operators the freedom and flexibility to focus on other production-related tasks and product quality. For instance, “robots can be programmed to pick up different sized pans with no need for adjustment of conveyor side guides or other devices,” Gales says.

Robotic systems eliminate the risk of injury that could potentially result from the physical labor required to move pan trucks — a task necessitated by conventional units where pans must be stacked or unstacked manually. Computerized integrated controls also simplify maintenance issues that could otherwise negatively impact productivity.

“The robotic pan stacker, robotic pan unstacker and the automatic AS/RS all have been improved for speed and changeover ease with automatic pan setup features and interlocked controls so that an operator can initiate a pan changeover from a remote location, such as the divider,” Mentch explains. “Our latest pan system software packages were developed with maintenance issues in mind, so we provide an abundant amount of technical information at the system interface about the specific system fault to help reduce troubleshooting time for line operators.”

Integrated, easy-to-read screen prompts give operators the option to change system parameters with just the “touch of a button,” says Todd Frandsen, operations manager, Benda Mfg., Tinley Park, Ill. The company's system interface includes a user-friendly menu with options that enable operators to change conveyor speeds rapidly for faster product changeovers and increased throughput. Listed among Benda's system controls are options for maintenance and washdown modes, the latter of which controls certain conveyors for sanitation.

“Benda also has implemented the use of an Ethernet network in its pan system controls to provide multiple points of communication that can be gathered and displayed for operator information,” Frandsen adds. “If problems are detected, they can be instantly displayed at multiple locations indicating where and what the problem is, so it can be rectified quickly to reduce downtime.”

Although the cost of automated pan handling systems may be one challenge bakers need to overcome, the benefits associated with increased throughput, reduced downtime, less labor, fewer lost-time injuries and increased pan life certainly makes these robotic systems well worth consideration. Bakers also producing various types of bread products requiring multiple changeovers will appreciate the ease with which an operator can effect the transformation from one product to another.