Custom-made conveying systems before and after proofers and ovens

Alitech offers various solutions for product handling before and after proofers and ovens, depending on the Customer’s requirements and available space, to ensure an effective and smooth product circuit.

The following equipment is widely used in our projects:

Reciprocator: is typically used in free standing bread baking lines, to place the product on swings before the proofer and to transfer the baked product from the oven unloader outfeed to the next conveyor placed below. It features a polyurethane belt with a servodrive retraction movement (along side guides) and with a lowering nose.
The reciprocator has 2 motors: one for the belt to run, the other to enable the shifting of the movable head on the horizontal guides, alternately back and forth. During retraction, the excess belt is recovered. The reciprocator carries out, without interruption of continuity in the movement of the belt, the following steps:
- Nose lift;
- Advancement of the head above the destination conveyor (with products on the reciprocator belt);
- Lowering of the nose;
- Deposition of the products through quick retraction.
The nose has a small radius of curvature, specially designed to allow the best deposition of the products and to avoid their winding under the pen itself.
The double-belt reciprocator is constituted of 2 independently driven belt loops, so that during the reciprocating of one belt the other belt can still receive product.

Bar pusher: is used to transfer the trays with the product for proofer feeding and outfeeding and for oven feeding. On return to idle position, the pushing bar is lifted to clear the space, allowing the next row of trays to move into position on the cross conveyor. The motor is activated through frequency inverter allowing a gentle acceleration/deceleration curve.

Rollers cross-conveyor: is composed of motorized rollers that move the baking boards/trays.

Lug-chain conveyor: usually runs between the cross rollers and by moving forward pushes the line of boards towards the next conveyor.

Table-top conveyor: features a metal or plastic two/three-rows chain that transports the trays/boards with the product; it is used as a straight conveyor, a 90° or 180° curve conveyor and as a part of the 90° angular conveyor.

Stripping conveyor: belt nose conveyor that, by rotating, collects the product from the boards that are pushed against it and transfers it onto the following intermediate conveyor. Small diameter nose. Above the nose a motorized mesh chain loop helps to transfer the pieces.

Intermediate conveyor: stainless steel structure and metal mesh or PE belt; by changing its speed, it loads the next conveyor in the correct sequence. This conveyor is usually installed between stripping conveyor and oven infeed conveyor in the free standing bread baking lines.

Vacuum depanner: The blower creates a vacuum in the suction cups to allow withdrawing from the baking trays. The depanner head moves both vertically – to withdraw and deposit the product – and horizontally, on transversal lateral guides – to move the product on the conveyor for free-standing product. The intensity of the suction is adjustable.

Needle depanner: features a head with metal needles to withdraw the product from baking boards. The head moves both vertically – to withdraw and deposit the product – and horizontally, on transversal lateral guides – to move the product on the conveyor for free-standing product. The height of the head is adjustable.

Automatic elevators: are used to shift the proofing and baking trays between different levels within the production line. The trays are held on both sides by a couple of angular holders connected to 2 chains driven by motorized crown wheels. The system, actuated by the motor, moves the trays one step at a time one level upwards or downwards.