Food portion and apply systems can be found throughout the food manufacturing industry thanks to their ability to quickly and accurately deposit product.
Food manufacturing equipment can help revolutionize the way companies produce food ranging from frozen pizzas, prepared foods, to baked goods. But not all equipment is made the same, and the best food portion and apply systems need to hit key metrics to ensure you are getting the best value. What features do you need when you’re looking for food portion and apply systems?
4 Features to Look for in Food Portion and Apply Systems
Increased Productivity
While this may seem like a no-brainer, the number one reason people look towards new food portion and apply systems is for enhanced productivity. Food manufacturing depends on the ability to quickly and efficiently assemble the final product.
The latest food production systems are able to perform at a much higher rate than previous technology, or manual labor. Consider the waterfall applicator. By adding this type of automation to your production line, you can easily apply a consistent layer of ingredients onto whatever is being manufactured. Whether that is sauce, cheese, pepperoni, nuts, or other toppings, you can expect reliability and speed from these systems.
Before purchasing portion and apply systems consider your manufacturing line setup. Where are bottlenecks forming? Your purchasing decisions need to be made around the areas where productivity is backing up the rest of your process. Waterfall applicators are a particularly useful machine as these do not stall the production line in any way.
Increased Quality
Just because a system does something faster doesn’t mean it does something better. With increases in efficiency, quality can also be an area where new food production systems shine. A machine that doesn’t deliver perfectly consistent results can lead to angry customers – all it takes is one negative experience to lose a customer forever.
Consider a target sauce depositor in frozen pizza manufacturing. Unlike waterfall applicators, which rely on a consistent flow of ingredients, these rely on accuracy to deposit perfectly sized pattern of sauce onto pizza crust. If the application is not accurate, it produces results that are neither visually appealing nor cost effective.
Diminished Waste
The food manufacturing industry measures waste in many forms – lost time, lost efficiency, and lost material. Making your manufacturing line as efficient as possible goes beyond workflows and depends on systems that keep wasted ingredients to a minimum.
Many of our food portion and apply systems use measures to recycle ingredients that do not make it onto the product. Not only does this make the cleanup process much easier, but it also diminishes the wasted ingredients. Our waterfall topping applicators with reclaims distribute even amounts of ingredients to whatever food is being produced. Excess product is returned into the system, applying toppings at up to 80 feet per minute.
Diminished Cleanup and Maintenance
Food production is a marathon, not a sprint. Machines can operate at much greater efficiency and with better results than human workers, but also require downtime for sanitation and maintenance.
The food manufacturing industry is particularly sensitive to issues around bacterial contamination. Machines need to be cleaned regularly to prevent contamination. While surface-level cleaning is critical for day-to-day operations, deeper cleaning is required to reach parts of the machinery where bacteria grows and thrives. This means that the best food portion and apply systems need to be easy to disassemble.
This is just as important for regular maintenance. A machine that is difficult to take apart can add to both planned and unplanned downtime. Quick disassembly is a must for reducing wasted time.
Food Portion and Apply Systems at Quantum
Are you looking for portion and apply systems that deliver greater efficiencies and less waste? Quantum specializes in creating high-quality food manufacturing systems. Our machines provide an excellent return on investment, which has made us the most trusted name in the business. Contact us today to learn more about the Quantum difference.