CKF have successfully completed their latest ingredients handling system for a
brand leading global confectioner. The new system utilises the latest
technology in measured, ingredient handling. It’s built on the CKF Engineering
team’s experience for accurately delivering and mixing ingredients for inclusion
within the confectionery sector and wider food industry.
CKF are leaders in automated and robotic solutions with more than 30 years’ experience supporting
different industries including Food & Beverage, Logistics, Pharmaceutical and Automotive. This is the
latest ingredient system to have been delivered and commissioned by the experienced engineering
team at CKF, aiding their clients drive for new product lines and automation of operations within
their UK manufacturing facility.
Competition drives innovation within the global confectionery sector and with a continued
consumer appetite for new products there is a necessity for manufacturers to deliver new products
to market. Often, more cost effectively, modification of existing brands with new variants has been
the route to market. CKF have developed ingredient inclusion systems for over three decades,
supporting the confectionery sector with flexible, hygienic and accurate automation.
The accurate inclusion of additional ingredients into parent product bars of confectionery creates
very specific and bespoke system challenges to overcome. From the very start of the inclusion
process, the inclusion materials can be a mixture of natural and / or manufactured, refined
ingredients. CKF have developed the material handling equipment and systems for the variety of
transportation packaging formats that typically contain the ingredients. These include bin tipping,
bulk bag hoist systems, hopper storage and vacuum handling.
The quality of ingredient, once input into the system, has to be guaranteed to meet the final product
specification. Whilst production refined ingredients are more likely to be of a regular specification
and quality, i.e. size, moisture content, more natural products, often used for inclusion, will be
sourced globally and seasonally, which can result in the irregular quality of the ingredient. CKF
screening systems are used to remove unwanted inclusions in the form of oversize, undersize, skin,
shell, broken and stalks. With the use of refiners, clump forming ingredients (formed within
packaging and transportation) will be separated, providing a regular quality and precise particle size
of the ingredient into the system.
Our experience in material handling has developed transfer and conveying mediums to suit a range
of ingredient specifications. Systems incorporate, vibratory feeders, vacuum transfer, trough, flat
and flighted belt conveying. The system layout and specific transfers are designed by the CKF
engineering team to suit the customers manufacturing facility, ingredient and line specification.
Focus areas for spillage prevention, transfer speeds, dust extraction, air conditioning and product
damage are of prime importance for all the transfer systems.
Accuracy of the ingredient mix is essential to the performance of the inclusion delivery system. CKF
have developed and successfully delivered systems with dynamic belt weigh feeders, screw feeders
and weigh mixers. Each element is integrated and controlled to optimise ingredient volumes,
matching production recipes and delivering on specification. Continual measurement and feedback
of the flow of each ingredient is a key feature of the CKF systems, providing clear information, data
and alarm if the correct flow of ingredients for a specific recipe is not within tolerance.
Customer specification and recipes determines the layout of the Inclusion system and is specific to
each system. Flexibility within our ingredient systems provides the opportunity for any number of
ingredients to be introduced to a specific recipe. The CKF inclusion systems are designed to manage
the stoppage, buffering and start-up of ingredients during interruptions within the main production
line. Our systems are mobile and flexible providing for disengaging of equipment and providing easy
access or removal to washrooms. Both the mechanical and control interfaces allow the flexibility to
extend to being able to hygiene one ingredient line whilst still producing another ingredient recipe.
All CKF ingredient inclusion systems are designed with food contact parts in 316 stainless steel,
product covers throughout, hygienic conveyor and equipment design.
The CKF turnkey Inclusion systems provide for handling and management of the initial bulk
ingredients through to delivering the correct ingredient mix / molten chocolate ratio to the main production line. This delivery is via a bespoke servo-driven oscillating system which provides an even
supply of mix across the full width of the mix supply hopper to the main moulding plant.
Installed and commissioned by the CKF engineering team, our latest ingredient inclusions plant is
now in production. With accuracy, efficiency and flexibility, the ingredient feed system is providing
the customer with the ability to manufacture their product range to the world class standards
expected from one of the leading global confectionery brands.
CKF Systems Ltd website www.ckf.co.uk
