Automation significantly increases efficiency if operators know how to keep wrappers running smoothly. Source: Cavanna
Simplifying sanitation
Safety and sanitation permeate every part of a bakery. Wrappers must follow many of the same regulations found upstream on the line.
“Sanitary design has become essential,” Mr. Gunnell said. “Whether it’s a U.S.D.A.-type facility or some other food product like bakery, everybody is looking for easier cleanup, easier changeover from allergen to non-¬allergen products and better food security.”
He added that manufacturers are designing equipment that’s more accessible and tool-free.
Easy-to-clean machines mean less downtime between runs and increased productivity. The SleekWrapper machines are built with stainless steel and cantilevered bodies and an infeed system designed to simplify cleaning and maintenance while ensuring high levels of hygiene. The infeed system comes with quick-release hinges, ¬allowing an operator to clean it within minutes and without tools.
Cavanna begins every installation with a blank sheet of paper to create a flowwrapping system that meets a baker’s needs yet follows the company’s established safety and sanitation requirements.
“To make it more user-friendly, we focus on keeping it tool-free,” Mr. Kehrli said. “No tools are required to remove parts of the machines or pull out bearing blocks. Because of this, it becomes very easy to clean. The whole concept of sanitary design is open, easy access, and less of everything.”
Keep it humming
Sanitary, ergonomic and technological advances on the drawing board are great, but put a machine in a plant for an extended period, and it’s bound to wear down and need repair. At that point, operators need to know not only how to run a machine but also how to fix it. For that, bakers need easy-to-understand direction from the equipment manufacturer.
Bosch recognizes the importance of communicating clearly with the operator through the HMI system.
“The operator really doesn’t care whose equipment it is,” Mr. Meer said. “They want the procedures, the instructions and the training for any piece of equipment on their line, and we’re building that infrastructure. There are limits to what icons can do even though they bring familiarity between machines or between languages. While trying to reduce text, we also understand that the written word is the most communicative.”
Through the HMI, Bosch directs the operator to the root cause of a problem and explains the solution. Other technology like remote service with live video that transports service technicians and engineers instantly into a bakery can also help.
Because operators are often the ones who call equipment manufacturers to address problems, those relationships are vital to creating a positive experience. And there are more ways than ever to improve those experiences and communicate with operators.
Cavanna offers “smart glasses” that bakers can lease. An operator puts them on, plugs in an earpiece and communicates to Cavanna’s technicians while showing them through video exactly what they are looking at in the plant. At interpack 2017, the company also introduced QR codes on its equipment that enable bakers to scan the part that they need to replace and purchase it immediately.
“This expedites the way in which people identify and order parts,” Mr. Kehlri said.
Cavanna also created an interactive manual for each piece of equipment by partnering with Solid Works. This program can be accessed through a tablet where the operator learns how to control settings and perform maintenance by interacting with the machine and manual on the screen.
Formost Fuji offers in-house training along with guidelines so customers can take what they’ve learned and share it with the rest of their team.
“It’s critical to get people as prepared as possible before they start running production,” Mr. Gunnell said. “Customers still want to get a machine, plug it in, push a button and go away. That’s just not reality with a horizontal wrapper. There are so many factors, so many variables, that it takes knowledgeable human interface to understand it all.”
Because much of today’s machinery is self-¬diagnostic, it’s easier for operators to troubleshoot problems that, in the past, may have required a phone call to a maintenance department halfway across the globe. For example, Formost Fuji’s horizontal wrappers now include temperature controls that warn operators if a closure’s sealing temperature range is off and provide time to make changes before problems occur.
With these advances in technology, operators can not only easily adjust, remove or replace components from a machine without tools, but they can also perform these actions before problems or jams occur. When the operation runs properly thanks to operator-friendly settings, food manufacturers are free to focus on other critical issues.
