Baking & Snack - June 2010 - 71

BAGGERS & CLOSURES

Keeping
It

Baggers and closure systems feature new
designs that allow smoother operation,
less downtime and quicker changeovers.
BY SHANE WHITAKER
ess than a century ago, bread was sold unwrapped.
Not until the first slicer was introduced in the late
1920s did it become common to wrap bread to preserve its freshness and moisture. The first slicing
machine was introduced to the baking industry in 1928,
and it still stands today as a hallmark invention - we've
all heard the saying, "the greatest thing since sliced bread."
Bread was originally overwrapped with opaque waxed
paper, and then companies turned to transparent packaging such as cellulose film. One of the major problems
with overwrapping bread this way was that once the
packaging was open, it was difficult to close it again. Bags
have been used the last 50 years, and reclosable clips and
ties allow consumers to re-secure bags after use so that
product stays fresher longer.
Today, bags premade from low-density polyethylene
(LDPE) are the most common materials for packaging
bread and buns. LDPE is a lower-cost option compared
with cast polypropylene, which also is used for packaging bread. LDPE provides a good moisture barrier, but its
optics generally are not as clear as the cast polypropylene
nor its touch as crisp as cellophane.

BREAD BAGGERS. When it comes to bagging equipment, bakers desire reliable machinery and automation
systems to eliminate downtime, quick and easy changeover capability, and service and parts availability for
ongoing maintenance, according to Dennis Gunnell,
vice-president, sales and marketing, Formost Fuji Corp.,
▼ An easy-to-use touch screen panel helps operators with quick
changeovers on this top-of-the-line bread bagger that features a
servo overdrive option.
FORMOST FUJI

Woodinville, WA. Bakers are also looking for environmentally friendly systems that use minimal electricity,
compressed air and materials, he added.
Formost Fuji offers two models for bagging bread.
"The GTS is our top-of-the-line bagger model with a servo overhead option, easy-to-operate touch screen, gentle
product handling and the latest computer and electronic
systems," Mr. Gunnell. The second, the FFB model from
Formost Fuji, is widely used for tortillas as well as bread,
buns, rolls and other varieties of bakery products.
With the focus on sustainability, Formost Fuji has
worked to reduce the electrical and air consumption of
its machines, according to Mr. Gunnell. In addition, he
noted that the company continues to make improvements
to sanitation, adhering to BISSC with a 3A Diary-certified
model available.
Whereas Formost's baggers use a paddle that pushes
the loaf into the bag, AMF Bakery Systems' two highspeed automated bread baggers - the Mark 60 and the
Mark 75 - employ scoops that pull the bag over the
product, according to Larry Gore, director, sales and
marketing, AMF, Richmond, VA.
AMF redesigned its bread baggers during the past
couple years, and its scoops are now driven by a patented
pendulum scoop drive system. "The pendulum rotary system does not stop and start, greatly reducing maintenance
requirements and also increasing longevity of the machine
as well as the speeds at which it can operate versus the traditional cam-operated scoop drive," Mr. Gore observed.
As their names suggest, the Mark 60 can bag up to 60
1-lb loaves per minute but generally runs in the 50 to 55
bags per minute range, while the Mark 75 is designed to
sustain speeds of 60 to 65 bags per minute with capability
of up to 75 1-lb loaves per minute.
The two baggers operate using the same principles, with
the main difference being the robustness of the equipment, according to Mr. Gore. "The Mark 75 is built
heavy duty for the higher rotation speeds," he noted.
AMF also added a patented flusher discharge conveyor, eliminating the flusher bar on its baggers. The
flighted conveyor moves product away from the scoops

June 2010 / BAKING & SNACK

Baking & Snack - June 2010

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