How does a bread line from Glimek work?

A bread line is a profitable investment for a bakery! The bread line is designed to enable a single person to deliver high-quality dough handling from start to finish. In other words, fewer staff need to be employed on the line than is usually the case. The time saved can instead be spent restocking goods on display in the store or dealing with purchases, etc.

A bread line always delivers perfect results, with the weight being the same regardless of volume and product. It is always accurate and the end result is always the same. This means there is also a cost saving to be made, as a few extra grams of dough here and there is a common issue with manual weighing. Too many extra grams can have a detrimental effect on a bakery’s bottom line.

Bread lines come in many different sizes. Their layout can be straight or angled and they can be configured for right-hand or left-hand operation. They are therefore relatively easy to adapt to the space available in existing premises. A bread line comprises a number of individual machines, each of which performs its particular task efficiently and effectively. Together they form a complete solution, but they can also be used separately.

Glimek Bread Lines, labour saving dough handling for bakeries
Dough Divider Dough Handling Equipment for bakeries - ensure uniform dough weight Glimek

The first step in a bread line is a Dough Divider

Dough dividers from Glimek are volumetric, which means that the dough is pulled down from the hopper into a dough chamber by suction. A measuring chamber is then filled with dough. This chamber contains a piston, the stroke length of which can be adjusted to determine the volume of dough. Meanwhile because the dough is already fermenting, the density of the dough is being reduced. This is compensated for in the two chambers, with the end result being a consistent and stable weight from the first to the last piece. Consequently, there’s no need to top up the dough during the process. This type of portioning is very gentle on the dough and unlike extrusion dividers, for example, where you risk damaging the structure of the dough, you do not need to use additives to achieve products with a good volume.

Dough dividers are often fed by hand, but if you want to be ergonomic for the sake of your staff, we can supply a bowl lift that lifts the entire bowl and tips it either straight into the divider’s hopper or into a bulk hopper with cutter that portions the dough to ensure a consistent level in the suction dough divider at all times. The system for Glimek’s bowl lift features two motors and chains, making it one of the safest and fastest systems in the industry!

 

How does a bread line work? Dough rounding with conical rounder - Glimek

Step two is the Conical Rounder

A conical rounder produces perfectly shaped dough balls with great elasticity, making it easier for the dough to retain its shape during proofing or resting. Our conical rounders are equipped with centrally adjustable tracks to ensure you always get a perfect result irrespective of the weight of the dough. This is especially important for the final shaping in the moulder. Various accessories are available for conical rounders, with one of the most important being the flour duster, which lightly dusts the surface of the dough with flour to prevent it sticking when it enters the IPP Intermediate pocket proofer.

 

How does a Glimek bread line for bakery production work - resting time intermediate proofer

Step three is the IPP Intermediate Pocket Proofer

This does exactly what its name suggests. Here, the dough gets its all-important resting time and the chance to relax, making it easier to mold the dough to the desired shape and size. A long resting time is especially important with recipes that contain only wheat flour, as this contains a lot of gluten, which makes the dough springy and elastic – properties that help to produce a light and airy crumb. Glimek’s IPP Intermediate pocket proofer is robust and made from stainless steel and plexiglas. It provides you with an excellent overview of the entire process as the dough rests in pockets. When calculating the size of an IPP Intermediate pocket proofer, it is best to start with the resting time required by the product and the number of pieces per hour you want to produce. For example, if you want a resting time of 9.5 minutes and your planned capacity is 1600 pieces per hour, you will need a proofer with 260 pockets. In this instance, we would recommend a model called IPP10/26, i.e. 26 swings with 10 pockets in each. You can increase or reduce the resting time by altering the speed of the suction dough divider. For instance, if using a dough with a higher proportion of rye, you do not need as long a resting time as for a dough based solely on wheat flour. This gives you the ability to adjust the resting time for all your various products: a long baguette, for example, requires a longer resting time than a regular loaf!

An alternative to an IPP Intermediate pocket proofer is Glimek’s intermediate conveyor proofer, which comprises a conveyor system on several levels that serves the same purpose as the IPP but may be the better choice if products do not need as long a resting time! An intermediate conveyor proofer is also space-saving and can be suspended from the ceiling, thereby freeing up floor space.

 

Glimek bread line with moulder for forming dough, how does a bread line work

Step four is the Moulder

Glimek moulders are incredibly flexible, thanks to their adjustable pressure boards and side guides. The dough can be rolled out to a width of up to 60 cm, and the moulder can handle different types of dough, weights and shapes. This allows you to easily bake a number of different types of product. In most cases, the bread is loaded manually on trays. However, there are numerous options available with a moulder, one of which is knives with a tin set (strap) conveyor. With the help of knives in the pressure board, you can cut the dough into four pieces, which are turned 90 degrees before being transferred automatically to the pan. This accessory has been specially designed for producing ‘pan loaves’ where you want a crumb with as fine a pore structure as possible. By dividing and turning the pieces, you change the structure of the dough, giving it a very dense, fine crumb. Once the pans have been filled, you can connect to a fully automatic conveyor system that transports the pans directly to the fermentation line and on into a tunnel oven for baking!

We have many satisfied customers, who can testify that their bakery operations are now more streamline, having been optimized ergonomically and economically by Glimek!

Dough Divider →

Flexible dough weight dough divider bread line glimek

Conical Rounder →

Long rounding length conical rounder glimek bread line

Intermediate Proofer →

Adjustable flexible design intermediate proofer glimek bread line

Moulder →

No banana shape with bread moulder glimek bread line