Pro Tip: Recording video with a cell phone improves the odds of finding and fixing problems on a bakery line.

We always talk about the tools in our pockets, but many times, we are only thinking about the adjustable wrench, channel-locks and screwdriver, or better yet, the fix-all hammer.

Sometimes we face an issue with equipment that comes and goes very quickly, and you just can’t see or catch it. We can stare at it and hope it corrects itself (sometimes that actually works… until you walk away). Things happen fast on a bakery line, and one little blip can shut you down or take product out of compliance on the quality front.

A tool I use regularly is slow-motion video. I have had this on my iPhone for several years (I’m sure it’s available on Android devices as well). When you remember that you have this tool in your pocket, it is amazing what it can do.

For example, suppose you are required to spray oil in the cavity of a baking pan with the pans running by at a high rate of speed. Your issue is that the products are not releasing after leaving the oven. 

You look at the oil sprayers, and it looks like you are getting oil delivered, but can you really see where it is going?

Take a few minutes, record some video in slow motion, then go back and look at it. You will see that either the aim of the sprayer is off, or it is not delivering the right spray in quantity and pattern. From this you can make the right adjustments and improve the performance of the system.

Another prominent place to use slow-motion video is with a bun or bread bagger where your issue might be the poor opening of the bag or knocking the bags off the wicket.

Slow-motion video will allow you to watch the most finite movements of the mechanical actions of the bagger and the performance of the bag itself as it inflates. What might have taken half a day to troubleshoot in the past can take just minutes when using video.

If you don’t have a slow-motion feature on your phone, just use the standard video and then dump the video file to Windows Media Player and use the speed function to slow down the actions right on your computer screen.

Jeff Dearduff is owner of JED Manufacturing Services who provides “Bakery Guy Tips” to those everyday people working in production, maintenance and engineering. Connect with him on LinkedIn.