Flexibility on a continuous mixer

How flexible is a continuous mixer?

In today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving food industry, production flexibility is no longer optional—it’s essential. Industrial food manufacturers are increasingly required to produce a wide variety of SKUs to meet diverse consumer preferences. While continuous mixers have historically been perceived as less adaptable to such dynamic demands, this view is rapidly changing.

Sobatech defines flexibility in continuous mixing through two core dimensions:

• Flexibility in product variety (the ability to handle different product types)
• Flexibility in throughput (the ability to manage varying production volumes)

Flexibility in product variety

Sobatech engineers its mixing systems around the specific energy input (Wh/kg) needed for optimal product development. In batch mixing, development is typically controlled by time, whereas in Sobatech’s continuous systems, it is governed by the shaft speed (RPM) of the contra-rotating mixing tools.

By adjusting the RPM, operators can fine-tune dough development, enabling multiple recipes to be processed on a single mixer. This approach not only enhances product variety but also contributes to throughput flexibility within a defined operating range.

Flexibility in recipe changeovers

The frequency and complexity of recipe changeovers depend on the differences between products:

• Minor changeovers (e.g., adjusting premix compositions) can be handled automatically, allowing the new product to push out the previous one seamlessly—ideal for continuous production environments.
• Major changeovers (e.g., changes involving color or allergens) require more thorough cleaning. For such transitions, Sobatech recommends a minimum production run of four hours to ensure efficiency and hygiene.

Flexibility in dosing options

Another key element of Sobatech’s flexibility is the configurable placement of dosing inlets. The system allows for the precise, late-stage addition of sensitive inclusions—such as raisins, chocolate chips, or hazelnuts—without compromising their integrity.

This is made possible by a dedicated low-intensity mixing zone, designed specifically to preserve the shape, size, and texture of inclusions. The system is tailored to the rheological properties of the dough and the mechanical tolerance of the added ingredients

Efficient cleaning between changeovers

Sobatech’s continuous mixers are equipped with a fully automated Cleaning-In-Place (CIP) system. This functionality simplifies and accelerates cleaning between product changeovers, supporting efficient, uninterrupted production.

Continuous mixing designed for versatility

Sobatech’s continuous mixing solutions offer:

• Versatile recipe handling – run multiple product types on a single machine via RPM adjustment
• Scalable throughput – easily modify production volume within a flexible range
• Frequent, low-impact changeovers – switch premixes with minimal downtime
• Gentle inclusion handling – add delicate ingredients without compromising quality
• Automated CIP – streamline cleaning between production runs

With these features, Sobatech mixers are ideally suited for industrial manufacturers who require both high efficiency and maximum production flexibility.