When depositing batter, bakers must get the timing and motion just right to avoid creating a “tail” caused by drips, spills or splashes when the nozzle closes or when batter clings to the edge. To address this challenge, many suppliers design their depositing equipment with adjustable piston heads and automatic shutoff features, such as Tromp Group’s up-and-down nozzle movement or pull-back features, which brake the filling action.

One feature of Hinds-Bock nozzles is a patented air suck-back.

“After it deposits, it actually draws the batter backward to prevent it from dripping or depositing more than you wanted,” said Lance Aasness, executive vice-president, Hinds-Bock.

The company also offers an MSVO spout that comes equipped with a cutting spool for blow-off and a positive shutoff.

Oftentimes, suppliers will custom-design their depositing equipment to address tailing based on a baker’s specific product types.

“We have a series of depositing valves and cutoffs that are tailored to different viscosities and levels of inclusions,” said John McIsaac, vice-president, strategic business development, Reiser.

Speed is also a factor to avoid tailing, and Handtmann takes this into consideration.

“Our depositors offer the possibility to ramp up or ramp down the depositing speed through the process,” said Cesar Zelaya, bakery sales and technology manager, Handtmann. “We have depositors with several drives with the ability to go fast and then slow. Through that whole process, you can adjust for whatever you need it to do, depending on the flow properties.”

Mr. Zelaya noted that these speeds can be controlled through the equipment’s HMI touchscreen at any point in the process.

Unifiller also offers an assortment of what Stewart MacPherson, owner and vice-president, sales and marketing, coined “off the shelf” equipment, including depositing, injecting, spreading and dripless nozzles.

“We can customize any of our machines to suit the customer’s product,” he said.