Bühler unveils OmniCool Smart cooling tunnel for chocolate and product cooling
Buhler's latest confectionery cooling line has been designed for a range of products, including bars: PIc Buhler
Swiss equipment and systems business Bühler has moved to introduce its OmniCool Smart, a compact, next-generation cooling tunnel engineered for product and chocolate cooling, writes Neill Barston.
The company has delivered a strong track-record of delivering machinery for the confectionery and bakery sectors, including its recent high profile delivery of its advanced ChocoX industrial moulding series.
According to the company, its latest system targets demand for high-quality compact lines, with its new line assisting customers in cutting energy use and reduce energy costs – which have spiralled in many markets within recent years owing to geopolitical instability in many territories.
Another critical element of the design has been in terms of reportedly having easy maintenance, which is also high on the demand list of many businesses across the confectionery, snacks and bakery market.
András Somfai (pictured below), Head of Product Management & Process Engineering at Bühler, commented: “OmniCool Smart is the ideal compact cooling solution for today’s and future production needs. It ensures consistently high product quality, significantly reduces cleaning and maintenance requirements, and supports customers in reducing their carbon footprint.”
Moreover, as the company explained, unlike traditional cooling tunnels that rely on compressed air, the company’s latest system operates entirely on electricity.
Compressed air systems are energy-intensive and require regular maintenance. Fully electric systems offer a quieter, more efficient, and low-maintenance alternative, reducing energy use, cutting costs, and supporting more sustainable operations. Additionally, OmniCool Smart optimizes airflow, temperature control, and belt tracking to deliver perfectly cooled fruit, cereal, snack, and protein bars, as well as enrobed wafer and biscuit products, combining superior product quality with enhanced energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact.
Furthermore, the new line (pictured beneath) features a modular design with the cooling section positioned underneath, ensuring optimal cooling performance while minimizing overall height. Its innovative belt tracking system incorporates the latest sensor technology to deliver ideal operating conditions.
Notably, the business asserted that OmniCool Smart is designed for full integration into existing production lines. It can be operated either from the previous machine in the line or directly via its own control panel (human-machine interface, HMI). PlayOne HMI visualization software reflects Bühler’s user-centric design philosophy, enabling efficient, safe, and seamless interaction with the system. Operators benefit from intuitive controls that simplify configuration and monitoring, both at the equipment or via smart devices.
In terms of its energy saving, the company explained that it had been developed with efficient insulation and airtight seals that prevented energy loss, and its electric design eliminates the need for compressed air, lowering energy consumption. This translates into reduced operating costs and a smaller carbon footprint.
