Chain reactions top the list of “avoid at all costs” on a high-speed bread or bun line. It could be as simple as a single pan jam near an oven loader or in a stacker/unstacker that grinds production to a halt. 

“The primary causes of pan damage in bakeries are mechanical stress, improper storage and frequent jams or stoppages on the production line,” said Frank Achterberg, president, CBF Bakery. “For instance, manual or conventional pan stacking and unstacking equipment can cause pans to slide and rub against each other, leading to damage to bar bands, pan bottoms and coatings. Additionally, issues such as loose pan control, excessive clamping and stacking pans on the bottoms of the cups can further contribute to repeated damage.”

In addition to hearing the blaring alarms prompting operators to restore order on the line, bakers should listen for incessant clanging and other sounds that put unnecessary dents in hundreds of pans — and the bottom line. 

“One of the leading causes of damage to pans includes pans being dropped or banged against one another or other equipment, whether manually or automatically,” noted Scott Bieker, executive vice president of sales, North America, Bundy Baking Solutions. “To prevent this, bakers should check the calibration of pan stackers to minimize drop height and speed and look for ways to eliminate sharp edges, tight radius turns or situations where pans rub against the sidewalls of conveyors or each other while on the bakery line.” 

Incorrect stacking can cause all types of damage to pans.

“Pans that are stacked improperly, such as stacking too high or in a humid environment, can lead to warping or pan coating degradation,” Bieker added.

Overall, workforce gap concerns are sparking investments in automation from mid-sized companies seeking to take their operations to the next level.

“Small bakers with unique products that require many manual pan changeovers are looking for ways to automate areas of their production line to become more efficient and less reliant on finding and maintaining labor,” said Ken Johnson, president, Gemini Bakery Equipment. “Manual pan handling lends itself to injuries, especially when dealing with hot or heavy pans. Automated equipment, such as pan stacking/unstacking systems, inline pan buffer storage and automated rack loading and unloading systems reduce labor, provide for gentler handling of pans, reduce injuries and provide for higher operating efficiencies.”

During the past decade, pan handling technology has become more efficient, user-friendly and durable, enabling bakeries to streamline their operations, observed Bernardo Zermeno, marketing and customer development director, Rexfab.

“Bakeries are increasingly documenting their processes and adopting a holistic approach to identify hidden operational costs,” he explained. “This shift in focus has led them to seek out pan handling equipment that not only improves efficiency but also extends the lifespan of their pans, reducing the need for frequent replacements.”

Automation can be a double-edged sword. Solving one problem can lead to another. Fortunately, there’s often a better solution on the horizon when it comes to pan handling.

“Bakers are trying to increase throughput on their production lines, and that’s creating the use of larger pans, especially on bun lines,” said Ken Mentch, automation sales manager, Middleby Bakery. “These pans, due to rate and size, will not run on traditional stackers and unstackers. They are so large that it sometimes takes two people to move those pans. Some of them are the size of a car hood. The size of those pans is really driving the use of robots.”

Perhaps the biggest innovation has been the integration of automation and robotics into the process.

“This transformation has revolutionized how pans are handled in wholesale bakeries, significantly enhancing efficiency, safety and flexibility,” observed Dan Alper, product marketing manager, AMF Workhorse, a brand of AMF Bakery Systems. “Robotics, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and other advanced technologies have collectively reshaped pan handling, making it more automated and efficient. These technologies have transformed pan handling by automating key processes, improving operator safety, enhancing flexibility and significantly boosting efficiency.”

It’s easy to see how far pan handling has advanced since most bakeries used previous generations of stackers/unstackers, which handled one pan at a time, recalled Joakim Nordell, export sales manager, Middleby Bakery. Such systems, however, cannot keep up with rates on newer high-volume bun lines producing around 7,200 dozen an hour and possibly more in the future.

Today’s much larger pans, combined with robotic handling, bolster throughput while operating production lines at a slower rate that reduces the wear and tear on pans, conveyors and other equipment.

“The nice thing about robotics is that they can handle multiple pans at one time,” he pointed out. “There are fewer parts with robotics, and they’re easier to maintain than older systems. They now come with self-diagnostic features and can alert the maintenance staff about any need for attention.”

Achterberg mentioned that robotics and custom-designed end-of-arm tooling can be designed to simultaneously stack and unstack multiple pan types within the same system, which reduces system footprint, cycle time, pan rubbing and other types of pan damage.

“By incorporating these advanced systems, we can perform these tasks with minimal human intervention,” he said.

To reduce damage, robotic systems often feature soft-touch grippers that can adjust the pressure applied to pans based on their condition. Alper said this technology can prevent scratches, dents and other forms of mechanical damage.

In some cases, Mentch said, the robotic head uses magnetics in conjunction with a 1-mm wear material, avoiding metal-to-metal contact with them.

“With robotics, we can pick them up much more gently and handle them with better control,” he added.

Alexandre Goasmat, product manager, ABI Ltd., mentioned that robotics systems can easily handle multiple types of pans with different sizes, shapes and configurations. 

“Besides, using robots increases precision and repeatability, ensuring that each pan is placed exactly where it needs to be without a risk of misalignment,” he added.

Robotic technology provides various levels of versatility for pan handling, noted Thijs Meijnen, product sales manager, Royal Kaak. The company offers both six-axis and four-axis robotics for picking and placing pans.

“We can minimize the changeover times and offer our customers the highest efficiency regarding the innovations of these systems,” he said.

Meijnen pointed out robotics are not only for high-speed buns and panned breads. High-volume artisan bakeries rely on robotics to automatically stack/unstack peel boards for hearth products or trays that carry sourdough and other craft bread doughs for proofing in baskets.

For multifunctional bakeries that produce a wide variety of products, he added, Royal Kaak can design several different pan storage systems, depending on the size of the bakery and the number of pans used.

For cost-conscious bakeries, that means making sure everything stacks up correctly to lower overhead and maintain a competitive edge in the market.

This article is an excerpt from the October 2024 issue of Baking & Snack. To read the entire feature on Pan Coating & Handling, click here.