Rödermark, September 12, 2018. Testing confirms that factors relating to the addition of raw materials to the kneading process – for example feed location, quantity, solid or liquid form, etc. – significantly impact the end product, especially the baking results.It was in light of this that Zeppelin Plant Engineering launched the CODOS® continuous kneading system onto the market many years ago.The system has a key role to play in efficient processing, as it combines raw material preparation with a kneading system. The system has been installed over 100 times and has become a fixture in the baking industry. It has now been completely overhauled and appears in a new design and with a new name: CODOS® NT.
“Various optimizations have been made, including a new drive system that has resulted in considerable performance improvement while also reducing the size of the system,” explains Michael Piepenbrock, Food Processing Plants BU Manager at Zeppelin Plant Engineering, based at the Rödermark site.
Not only is the new drive system lighter, it also features the latest generation of servo motors for optimum control;the result is a system featuring reduced power consumption and a smaller size. “These changes mean the new CODOS® NT brings operating costs down, is easier to maintain and also offers impressive, extremely high availability,” adds Piepenbrock.
To look at the adjustments more closely, the system’s 25% weight reduction and 15% shorter installation length represent real advantages given that space is often at a premium in food industry production halls. Several other structural changes have also been made,such as a lighter, smaller hood that can easily be opened for maintenance work such as replacing seals. WIP cleaning is also available as an additional option,meaning that the CODOS® NT no longer needs to be manually cleaned separately outside. This system is already being successfully used in practice.
The CODOS® NT system has been developed based on the latest research in the hygienic design sector, and is protected against powerful water jets (IP66).
The new system was unveiled for the first time to an industry audience at the IBA, presented in combination with the revamped DymoMix dough production system – a pairing that attracted particular interest. “It used to be that a two-step process was required, but now 80% of cases can employ a single-step process, making dough production more cost-effective overall,” notes Michael Piepenbrock in describing the benefits of the arrangement. The DymoMix has also had new features added: Last year, a heated double casing was fitted to allow concentrated butter or palm fat to be processed at the right temperature. Now solid and liquid substances, such as icing sugar and oils or fats, can be processed fully hydrated, clean, and dust-free.