Problem:
A baked goods manufacturer needed to apply a light coating of potassium sorbate solution to the surface of cakes after they emerged from the oven. The solution acts as a preservative for the baked goods.
The preservative was previously applied using a hand-held spray bottle or by brushing it on. Both of these application methods presented problems. Both methods were messy and the amount of preservative applied to each cake varied by worker. In addition, these methods were labor intensive, requiring worker involvement the entire time the production line was running.
Solution:
To improve the process, Spraying Systems Co. used two AA22AUH automatic spray nozzles controlled by an AutoJet® Model 1550 Modular Spray System. The easy-to-use Modular Spray System is triggered by a photoelectric through-beam sensor. This ensures an accurate, intermittent spray of the coating only when cakes are present. UniJet® spray tips are used to deliver a very low flow of potassium sorbate to the cake surfaces without waste.
Results:
The AutoJet® Modular Spray System and AA22AUH automatic spray nozzles provide a consistent coating of potassium sorbate on each cake without any mess. In addition, workers are no longer required to apply the coating and are free for other tasks. The reduced labor cost saves the bakery more than US$1,200 per week, and the investment in the new spray system was recouped in less than two months.
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