Mecatherm presents flexible bakery line concept

Mecatherm, a producer of automatic industrial bakery and pastry production lines, is presenting its flexible production line concept, Mecaflex, at the IBIE show in Las Vegas.
Mecaflex offers the ability to produce a wide range of products from different process combinations, with diverse baking tray types and formats. In addition to the equipment, Mecaflex features simple and high performance simulation and control tools.
Mecaflex is Mecatherm’s response for the sector’s industrial companies who need to face changes in consumer tastes and manage the high demand for new products.
Olivier Sergent, CEO of France-based Mecatherm said: “Companies who work in the industrial bakery and pastry sector need to be extremely agile to keep up with market trends. While agility seems to be simple enough to achieve, it is actually the product of a considerable amount of work at all levels in the production chain, from management down to operators. We saw that our customers were dealing with this agility issue, and so we developed Mecaflex, a solution that enables industrial companies to invest without worrying about the future”.
Mecaflex is an innovative solution built on 3 basic principles:
- A flexible line architecture
At the start of the line, a deposit zone enables as many line heads to be connected as required, with the possibility to deposit individual products (trays, cartons, foils, etc.) into Mecaframe frames.
Along the line, production and processes can be customised in zones at each step, and at the end of the line, a smart supply of the multiple packaging lines enables a reduction in machine supply operations.
Next to the line, cleaning and storage solutions for the different baking supports used.
- Flexible equipment
The Mecaflex uses the new precise and efficient M-TA oven and is also composed of the new M-UB handling system that guarantees a homogeneous treatment of the products. Quick tool change processes are used when required: depanner head change, scoring tool change, etc.
- Agile management software
Mecaflex is a line management tool which assists operators as they plan their production, in order to reduce impact on line availability and to provide instant monitoring of the different products during production on the line (end of run, start of next run). This solution is part of the complete Digital offer which Mecatherm has developed for its lines’ users.
The unit is available in two versions: Mecaflex Essential and Mecaflex Advanced – the second version with a more advanced level of automation than the first. Gateways have been created between the two versions, with customers able to upgrade if they later decide to expand their processes.
François Retailleau, Mecatherm line product manager said: “Our Mecaflex flexible line concept has been designed to assist all industrial bakers regardless of their profile, their existing equipment and their current and future requirements.
“This gives them what they need to perform and achieve their objectives in a fast-changing market context where they must be agile to stand out”.
Visit Mecatherm at booth 6437 at IBIE.