When it comes to dough handling in the food processing and baking industries, consistency is key. As the dough travels through processing machinery to create the finished baked product, the metal surfaces must be smooth and free of sticky residue. Otherwise, product quality and consistency suffer, and extensive cleanings hinder productivity. However, simply coating metal dough-handling part surfaces is easier said than done.

For example, a manufacturer of baked goods was experiencing these effects when they approached us to help solve a stick-release issue. In the course of the customer’s baking process, dough is deposited into a hopper and transferred to a trough before being cut into various sizes. The dough often sticks to the side of the hopper and rotary knives as well as the spreader rollers, affecting portion sizes and adding to cleaning time and effort. Although the baker used a PTFE coating on the parts, it had limited success. In addition, vegetable oils that are also added to the product made the work area very slippery, making cleanup even more difficult.

We recommended a USDA- and FDA-compliant Plasmadize® surface treatment to help keep the equipment running clean. This enhanced thermal spray composite forms a mechanical bond to the substrate material, altering its surface properties to create a nonporous, moisture-proof composite barrier. Depending on the polymers used in the custom coating, Plasmadize delivers excellent non-stick properties and can achieve a very low coefficient of friction (COF). In fact, most Plasmadize coatings exhibit lower COF than typical tungsten carbide or ceramic thermal spray surfaces. Additional features and specifications include:

• Excellent wear resistance.
• Operating temperatures range from -200°F (129°C) to +1,300°F (704°C).
• Hardness beyond the Rc scale.
• Resistance to acids, alkalis, chlorides, most organic solvents, sulfites, thiosulfates and pulp bleaching chemicals.

After applying Plasmadize to two hoppers, rotary knives and spreader rolls, the customer reported a substantial decrease in cleanup and downtime. And, since much less flour goes to waste on equipment surfaces, the company is saving flour during production.

Gain Effective Protection From Sticking

Food processing and baking equipment must withstand a sticky residue posed by doughs, batters and other ingredients. Magnaplate coatings are modified with various polymers and other materials to solve sticking, wear and other application-specific issues. When your application calls for surface treatment to solve buildup, mold release or other problems with sticky materials, our specialists can help engineer the right coating for your needs.

For more information about Plasmadize thermal sprays, please visit our product page.