For most members of the public, the thought of their local bakery calls to mind the smell of freshly baked bread and a delicious choice of pastries – sweet and savory. Yet behind the scenes, industry insiders know that the process of getting baked goods to the consumer is full of engineering challenges. Hygiene standards, packaging challenges, sticky dough and hot ovens mean that a lot of expertise and investment goes into delivering these treats.
Daniel Nussbaum, Manager Powertrain and Inside Sales at Regal Rexnord, explains how plug-and-play conveyor solutions can reduce cost and add simplicity for processing and packaging solutions.
In the fast-paced world of bakeries, the production line is always under pressure to keep up with the demand for freshly baked goods. There is no opportunity to store up a reserve of product to mitigate unexpected downtime, so reliable operation and ease of maintenance is essential to remain competitive. Conveyor systems are essential infrastructure for mass production, from the initial proving stages, through to baking, packing and sorting, so it makes sense to make sure they are as efficient and reliable as possible.
System integration vs. commodity procurement
For some operators, the components that make up conveyor systems - such as bearings, chains, belts and motors – are viewed as ‘commodity products’. Parts that need to be bought and replaced fairly frequently to avoid costly downtime, but that can’t really add any specific value to the overall productivity of the system. As such, they instruct their procurement managers to simply source products based on considerations such as price and availability.
However, this is rarely the ideal process. Regal Rexnord brought a multitude of brands together, each with specialized products designed specifically for food processing and baked goods, which can each be integrated into a single, engineered package.
Whether a customer is investing in a brand-new production line, or is looking to upgrade their existing facility, engineers are able to approach the challenge as a true systems integrator should; building a solution that is specified and designed with each unique challenge in mind.
For example, engineers can specify bearings from various brands depending on the specific needs of the client’s application. For systems that would be hard to access, Regal Rexnord can supply sealed for life bearings that require little to no maintenance; for mixing applications with high levels of flour dust there are the IP69K-rated Sealmaster™ bearings; or for systems that are subjected to daily washdowns there are stainless steel solutions.
With a single engineering team specifying all the components within the conveyor system, the end-user can rest assured that all the parts will be fit for purpose and integrate seamlessly.
Single source supply – the proof is in the pudding
Procurement specialists and maintenance engineers can also benefit from the single source solution on offer from Regal Rexnord. While the components can be specified across multiple brands, end-users can specify all products and engineering services from a single entity, using the most convenient sales center depending on the client’s locations.
All brands within the Regal Rexnord family can offer expert advice and systems integration across the whole powertrain. For procurement teams this guarantees that pricing is direct from the manufacturer whilst only a single supplier needs to be onboarded. By managing its global supply chain to maximum effect, the company makes your logistics a lot simpler.
The benefits here extend to aftersales support, where maintenance teams can access spare parts and service engineers from local Regal Rexnord facilities. These teams can support with condition monitoring and preventative maintenance plans which means that they work to prevent costly, unplanned downtime.
