Pro Tip: Aligning and leveling conveyors, transfers and utilities can help maintain a smooth-running bakery operation.

Many production lines today have been in service for five, 10, 20 or more years. When these lines were drawn up on paper or on the screen, they were laid out on perfect right angles with straight lines between points. The designers had visions and expectations of level surface installations. These deals always look good on paper. Most of these designs were originally installed as planned.

However, as time goes on and these lines age, something strange happens. Conveyors that were once aligned are now canted. Transfers that were once level and smooth are now more like speed bumps. Utilities that once dropped from the ceiling on the vertical now look like a forest of leaning trees blown by a hurricane wind.

There are two main reasons that these conditions will remain out of kilter. The first is that veteran workers become blind to the changes over time. The second is that the new guys assume it’s how it should be.

What many don’t realize is that square, level and plumb matter to the performance of the production line. Conveyors that are misaligned can cause pans and boards to shimmy and shake and require too much guiding to get from point A to point B. This adds wear and tear to everything. Good alignment promotes smooth running. 

An unlevel transfer that manages pans or boards full of product can add an unsettling jostle that can leave products unusable, which fills the scrap bin. This can also add to the noise level in the bakery, especially when steel pans are in use.

An unlevel transfer that handles product tends to ruin the good work that was done up the line. Product chipping and shaving, crushing and rotating can be caused by a bad transfer. These quality issues will cause the end-of-line workers to spend even more time inspecting and culling. An altered product caused by these bad transfers that gets past final inspectors and to the end customer can result in complaints.

Piping and hangers in bakeries look unsightly even when they are straight. When these components lean and sway, especially electrical conduits, joints can come apart, which opens opportunities for dust and bugs to get into the piping. Let’s not forget the potential to cut wires inside the pipe. All of these can lead to a number of issues, some of which are hard to track down.

I encourage everyone to stop and look at their facilities to see where they stand. What can you improve if you correct one of these issues? What will you prevent if you fix it? What’s so wrong with square, level and plumb?

Jeff Dearduff is owner of JED Manufacturing Services who provides “Bakery Guy Tips” to those everyday people working in production, maintenance and engineering. Connect with him on LinkedIn.