Machine of the Month: Caotech's re-engineering doubles line’s capacity

Wormerveer, Netherlands-based Caotech recently optimized its chocolate/compound batch processing equipment.

Wormerveer, Netherlands-based Caotech recently optimized its chocolate/compound batch processing equipment. The company’s successful CAO B3000 and CAO B3000-CHOC chocolate/compound mixing and uniform refining lines were re-engineered to develop the newly introduced CAO B3000-CHOC DUO system. This system is specially designed for the weighing, mixing and batching of finely ground chocolate, coatings, compounds and bread spreads.

By adding a second ball mill and using an intelligent filling and discharge process, Caotech was able to increase the line’s capacity by more than 50 percent. The temperature control management plays a key role, giving the possibility to process temperature-sensitive recipes, such as sugar-free chocolate.

Debuted at this year’s interpack, the CAO B3000-CHOC DUO was well accepted at the exhibition, as potential clients clearly saw the processing advantages. The line consists of a weighing vessel, specially designed to provide automatic (PLC-controlled) weighing and mixing of basic ingredients, a jacketed buffer tank and two CAO C3000 ball mills, which are circulating over the mixer.

The ball mills are low-speed, agitated types, developed for heat- and wear-sensitive masses. Their design features a unique configuration between the grinding shaft, the grinding tank and the grinding media, which increases grinding efficiency.

With a batch capacity of 500 kg, the CAO B3000-CHOC DUO takes about 30 minutes to grind if granulated sugar is used as an ingredient. When powdered sugar is used, the total grinding time can be reduced considerably.

Thanks to the newly engineered features, the unit provides the following:

Precise management of product temperature
Low maintenance costs
Constant product quality
Good particle size distribution
Minimal labor
End-fineness up to 18 microns

The CAO B3000-CHOC DUO can be supplied with an automatic feeding system, such as feeding screws, lecithin dosing, etc. as pictured in the diagram.

For additional information, visit www.caotech.com.

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With more than 30 years experience in B-to-B reporting, writing and editing — the bulk of which was dedicated to covering the bakery, confectionery and snack industries — Pacyniak has chronicled changes within the food industry since the early 1980s. A Boston University journalism degree graduate, he worked for a variety of publications before joining BNP Media in 1994 as editor of Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery magazine. In 2001, he took over as editor-in-chief of Candy Industry until 2018.