Finding the ideal make-up equipment for bun production

A new bun line is a large investment for a bakery. There are various aspects which need to be considered when looking for the right equipment. The baking equipment manufacturer Koenig gives advice on what to consider when purchasing a new line.

Finding the right make-up system - these are the questions bakers should ask

First of all, it is very important to have a clear project structure with a proper time frame. Ideally, Koenig recommends starting the planning of a project for a new bun line, some 9 -12 months prior commencement of production.

When planning a bun line, one of the most important questions to be considered is: which kind of products are to be produced: hamburger/hot dog buns or pain au lait as well as deciding on the shapes and weights? It is also essential to predict which products are likely be in great demand in the future. Other critical factors to consider include the choosing of dough types and compatibility and process issues with the make-up line through to formulation, dough yield and resting time.

Most manufacturers provide make-up equipment in various sizes, therefore, bakeries need to know that the capacity of the line is more than sufficient to meet predicted throughput, such as the number of pieces required per hour/day.

Koenig recommends taking a holistic approach by analysing all process steps, such as dough batch sizes emanating from the mixing system, through to proving, cooling, packaging and baking capacities. When assessing the profitability of make-up equipment, bakery operators need to consider an additional list of issues including: the number of employees needed to run the line, the time taken to alter the line machinery when changing from one product to another to minimise down-time and the ease of control of the line; for example, can employees make easy changes in the programs or set a new one for a new product?

Aside from production, during planning, bakers should also incorporate decisions on cleaning and maintenance cycles, duration of the related machine downtimes in addition to quick access to the right service advice ideally on a 24/7 basis.

Consideration of available floor space is crucial to ensure the footprint of equipment such as proving cabinets that may need to be specially designed.

With more than 50 years of experience, Koenig is the specialist for advising bakeries on the right make-up equipment. Their lines can process various types of dough and enable efficient resource management with high weight accuracy of ±1,5% at 90% production volume. Koenig provides baking solutions ranging from artisan bun lines for 2,000 pieces per hour up to large-scale turn-key projects for 40,000 pieces and more.

Koenig line for sub rolls