Case Study: Australian Bakels

Precision fluid control and process automation is helping one of Australia's leading bakery ingredient manufacturers to increase production while maintaining the quality levels required for Standards, ISO and HACCP compliance. Australian Bakels has worked with Bürkert to develop a new automated mixing and blending system for the 'Frozens Division' factory. The machinery is designed to prepare a wide selection of muffin and cake mixtures from wet and dry ingredients. The batters are packaged in ready-to-bake form, frozen for distribution to the retail customer. Bakels Frozens Division works to demand, producing numerous muffin and cake products daily. The frozen ready-to-bake range is a major contributor to Australian Bakels' continuing success in the retail bakery market, showing double figure annual growth every year. Customers of Australian Bakels include the largest retailers in the country.		HMI touch-screen controls panel.
The new Frozens Division mixing machine, which delivers a throughput of approximately 750 kg per batch with the ability to make thirty to forty batches per shift, incorporates Bürkert's high quality fluid control components as well as customised process automation hardware and programming systems, engineered directly to Bakels' unique needs. "Our problem was how to significantly increase production volumes within the existing factory space, with no increase in staffing levels and while maintaining compliance with ISO and HACCP," said project engineer Ian Agnew. "While the job was challenging in areas, what was really important was finding a partner organisation that could handle the entire job, taking the concept and P&ID drawings we had prepared and turning them into a reality," said Mr Agnew. The solution involved design, build and commissioning of a unique Bürkert electro-pneumatic control system including comprehensive temperature, batch, level and flow control, as well as complete QA and HACCP documentation. Bürkert's own German engineered fluid control products were used on the project, including solenoid, ball and process valves - some in manifolds and others with position feedback switches. A wide range of hygienic instruments was also used, including analytical sensors for pH and conductivity, as well as temperature, level and pressure transmitters. A unique system of valve positioners controlling pneumatic cylinders was also devised and incorporated.		Networked electro-pneumatic control panel with modem for external login and process alarming.
An electro-pneumatic AirLINE process control system connects all devices and process points with an easy-to-use graphically-represented centralised HMI. The AirLINE control system manages the input of ingredient weights, mixing and blending times, agitation periods, media flow and the opening and closing of tanks, outputs and cleaning cycles. HACCP and ISO compliance is achieved with comprehensive reporting and documentation systems, as programmed to Bakels' needs by Bürkert's Project Team software engineer. System integrity is crucial to the Bakels mixing and blending infrastructure, with downstream production entirely dependent on continued throughput from this process. Robust systems layout and process design was consequently considered of vital importance. "We operate two 10 hour shifts daily, and consistently work at or near maximum capacity," said Mr Agnew. "The consequence of unplanned downtime for any area of the processing chain is lost man-hours, lost production and lost revenue. "We insist on the highest quality at Bakels - and Bürkert delivered." Bürkert offers a unique systems build package, comprising Bürkert's own comprehensive range of valves, instruments and controllers as well as the inhouse expertise to design, build and commission all aspects of the project. Third-party network IO products and software alliance partnerships additionally offer the flexibility of working with the customers' choice of network protocol. Managing Director of Bürkert, Chris Hoey said that the key benefit of working with Bürkert process automation systems is the assignment of a single Project Team, selected for individuals' experience and expertise for the job at hand. Bürkert Project Team members are specialists in each stage of systems development. "The designation of a Project Team for each unique system development offers the peace of mind of working with one cohesive group of experts throughout the development of their unique system," said Mr Hoey.		AirLINE electro-pneumatic control panel (pneumatic valves integrated with Rockwell's Allen-Bradley IO) with batching controls, digital & analogue inputs and emergency stop controls seen on the panel door.