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Integrated Industrial Automation in Confectionery and Extrusion Systems
Bühler Group and industry partners implement AI-driven processing and digital infrastructure to enhance yield and energy efficiency in food production.
www.buhlergroup.com
Bühler Group has deployed a series of technical upgrades for cocoa, chocolate, and extrusion processing focused on industrial automation and hygienic design. These systems, showcased at Interpack 2026 in Düsseldorf, address the technical requirements of high-volume food production through integrated digital solutions.
Context of Technical Cooperation
The deployment of these systems results from collaborative engineering between Bühler’s specialized business units and industrial partners to address volatility in raw-material processing. The cooperation was necessitated by the increasing complexity of food safety standards and the need for precision in industrial automation. By integrating cross-disciplinary expertise in mechanical engineering and data science, the partners addressed the operational challenge of reducing energy consumption while maintaining high throughput in volatile market conditions.
Technical Solution and System Architecture
The core of the updated technical architecture includes the Lucent cocoa roaster and the Nutrex 7 Series extruder. These systems utilize specific technical parameters to optimize performance:
- Lucent Cocoa Roaster: Employs predictive, self-learning control algorithms to standardize roasting profiles. It achieves a 20% reduction in energy per batch and a 20% increase in throughput compared to legacy Tornado models through a fully sealed product flow.
- Nutrex 7 Series: This twin-screw extrusion system integrates digital infrastructure to monitor Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE). The architecture features an elevated base frame and relocated hydraulic components to provide 50% faster access for sanitation protocols.
- OptiBake Inductive Oven: Utilizes electromagnetic induction rather than gas combustion, reducing energy consumption by 50% and allowing for precise temperature regulation across variable wafer thicknesses.
Implementation and Operational Logic
Implementation focuses on modularity and existing infrastructure integration. The ChocoX moulding line utilizes a modular "plug-and-produce" logic where sub-assemblies can be exchanged within 30 minutes. The automation system automatically detects new physical configurations, reducing the technical lead time for product changeovers by 4–5 months.
In the bakery sector, the RotaMold Max Smart system implements a 390 mm die roller to maintain a coefficient of variation of 1% or less at line speeds of 40 meters per minute. This precision is managed via a standardized Human-Machine Interface (HMI) that simplifies the control logic for operators.
Industrial Applications and Impact
The target application areas include industrial-scale chocolate mass production, cereal extrusion, and biscuit manufacturing.
Implementation focuses on modularity and existing infrastructure integration. The ChocoX moulding line utilizes a modular "plug-and-produce" logic where sub-assemblies can be exchanged within 30 minutes. The automation system automatically detects new physical configurations, reducing the technical lead time for product changeovers by 4–5 months.
In the bakery sector, the RotaMold Max Smart system implements a 390 mm die roller to maintain a coefficient of variation of 1% or less at line speeds of 40 meters per minute. This precision is managed via a standardized Human-Machine Interface (HMI) that simplifies the control logic for operators.
Industrial Applications and Impact
The target application areas include industrial-scale chocolate mass production, cereal extrusion, and biscuit manufacturing.
- Process Stability: Predictive AI controls minimize human error in roasting and refining.
- Efficiency: The CompactMix system combines mixing and grinding into a single stage, utilizing 30% less energy than conventional separate units while achieving particle sizes below 20 microns.
- Maintainability: Redesigned hygiene interfaces, such as the lightweight pumphouse in the SoftDrop depositor, reduce cleaning downtime by up to 70% in specific confectionery applications.
