Visit the IPCO stand at interpack to witness High productivity chocolate forming with IPCO Rotoform chip production
IPCO is a major supplier of chocolate forming/moulding equipment, with systems designed for the production of industrial ingredients – chips, chunks, drops and blocks – and decorative products such as shavings, rolls, pencils, blossoms and many more.
A wide range of production components means the company can tailor systems to suit different needs, with solutions for everything from low cost, rapid deployment start-ups to high-capacity multi-layer systems.
Rotoform HP – High Performance chip forming
At the heart of all IPCO’s high-capacity solutions is the Rotoform rotary drop depositor, and the latest model in this series is the Rotoform HP (High Performance). Specifically designed for chocolate processing, the RF HP opens the door to new levels of productivity in chocolate chip forming and will be demonstrated at Interpack.
A pump delivers the molten chocolate to the Rotoform via heated piping. The Rotoform consists of a heated stator – which is supplied with liquid chocolate or compound – and a perforated rotating shell that turns concentrically around the stator to deposit drops of chocolate onto a continuously running steel belt.
A system of baffles and internal nozzles provides uniform pressure across the whole belt width, delivering chips of uniform shape and size. This is important for two reasons. Firstly, it means that the cooling profile of a product deposited at the centre of the belt is identical to that of those at the edges. And secondly, it ensures a high-quality product that meets the strict shape, size, and weight tolerances required in downstream applications like baking, molding and blending.
The speed of the Rotoform is synchronised with that of the belt to ensure that drops are deposited without deformation. The heat of the drops is transferred to cooling air blown onto the product and also to the belt itself. A short cooling time means that very little oxygen can penetrate the product.
Chips are free flowing for easy handling, storage and dosing. Chips of different sizes – from 80,000 to 300 pcs/kg – can be produced by simply exchanging the rotary shell and nozzle bar.
Triple pass chocolate cooling systems
IPCO has developed a range of triple pass cooling systems that enable high throughput rates while minimising floorspace requirements. The product is deposited on the first belt and adheres to the underside for the second pass. It is then removed on to a second conveyor for a third pass.
The speed and the height of the depositor is software-controlled to ensure precise synchronization with the moving belt, resulting in perfectly circular large – i.e. wide and/or thick – wafer products.
The piston depositor can be installed alongside existing Rotoform and extrusion equipment on IPCO CCM (Chip and Chunk Moulding) triple pass steel belt cooler lines. This enables three depositing systems to be integrated on a single line for maximum production flexibility.
