Changing rotary cutters on a sheeting line enables flexibility for multiple crust types.
In a sheeted process, the shape of the crust plays an important role if for nothing more than geometry. For example, a round crust creates more trim — anywhere from 30 to 40% total — than a square one. No matter the shape, though, a baker should know how to take advantage of the process to keep the excess from eventually impacting product consistency.
“The challenge is getting the trim back into the mix without diminishing the quality of the dough,” said John Giacoio, vice-president of sales, Rheon.
To protect the formula and keep the dough consistent, especially when processing different pizza sizes, Rheon developed a flexible divider to adjust the width of the dough band at the head of the line.
“If you’re running the same band of dough down the machine, you’ll get a lot more trim with one size versus another,” Mr. Giacoio said. “But if you can reduce the overall side trim by adjusting the dough width at the head of the machine, you won’t end up with a huge variation. We can get that percentage down on all diameters of pizza, so you’re just dealing with the web and not the side trim.”
It’s impossible to eliminate all scrap, but it can go back either to the forming stage or all the way to the mixer. To streamline both options, Rademaker developed a simple system to remove and return the dough on conveyors.
“Rademaker’s unique system will automatically remove, return, weigh and load scrap back into the process,” Mr. Riggle said.
Despite the trim, one shape isn’t necessarily better than the other, especially when striving for an array of pizza offerings, regardless of the sheeting or pressed process.
“The beauty of a sheeting line is that you can change the rotary cutter,” Mr. Moline said. “When you change the rotary cutter, you can create an entirely new shape.”
