Baking It Smart: How Oven Tech Is Heating Up the Industry
As the global demand for bakery products rises, industrial bakers are increasingly seeking solutions that combine efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability. In this context, equipment manufacturers are leading the charge in oven technology innovation, each offering unique solutions that address the needs of today’s baking industry.
Reading Bakery Systems (RBS) has long been at the forefront of innovation in the baking industry. Their latest hybrid tunnel ovens, which combine direct gas-fired (DGF) and convection technologies, are designed to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in modern baking.
One of the key challenges in traditional baking processes is maintaining consistency and product quality across large production runs. DGF ovens, while effective for certain stages of baking, often struggle with issues like moisture control and color consistency. RBS’s hybrid ovens solve this by integrating convection zones, allowing for better control over moisture, texture, and color.
According to RBS, their hybrid ovens offer improved efficiency by using DGF zones in the early stages of baking, where flavor and texture are developed. The convection zones in the latter stages ensure uniform drying and color, which is particularly crucial for snack foods like crackers.
“The DGF oven zone performs well in the first phases of the oven where flavor and texture development are the primary goal. However, in the final phase of the baking process where controlling product drying is the priority, a zone of multiple high-temperature burners with little airflow is not optimal for operators to achieve uniform product moisture and color. To optimize the baking process for snack foods, a combination of oven zones can be used to provide the most efficient and uniform process that ensures consistent product quality. It is now accepted technology to use a hybrid oven with DGF zones in the first 33-66% of the oven, with convection zones used for the rest of the oven,” the company explains.
RBS has also developed the Emithermic XE Zone, a DGF replacement technology that provides the necessary high heat without direct gas burners, reducing energy consumption and emissions.
Data-Driven Efficiency with SCORPION Technology
RBS’s SCORPION® Data Logging Measurement System is another critical innovation, playing a significant role in the design and optimization of their ovens. This technology provides detailed insights into the baking environment, such as heat transfer, air flow, and humidity levels, enabling RBS to fine-tune their oven designs for maximum efficiency.
“The Scorpion is used to validate the pre-build simulations and modelling before any steel gets cut for a new oven design. Later, validation via the Digital Air Velocity Sensor Array will produce a map of the air currents inside the process, telling the design team whether the air distribution inside the oven needs to be adjusted with permanently installed baffles inside the distribution plenums. The Scorpion tells our engineers immediately where interventions need to happen,” RBS points out.
The SCORPION® system is not just a tool for R&D; it’s also used in the field to help bakers optimize their processes. For instance, the system’s Digital Humidity Sensor allows for precise control of moisture levels, ensuring product consistency and reducing waste. This data-driven approach to oven design and operation is helping RBS’s customers achieve better product quality while lowering operational costs.
Sustainability in Baking
With sustainability becoming a key focus across industries, RBS has been actively developing technologies that reduce energy consumption and emissions. Their ovens now feature lighter-weight belts, exhaust heat recovery systems, and improved insulation—all designed to cut energy use and lower greenhouse gas emissions. RBS also offers fully electric baking solutions, which are gaining popularity as more bakeries look to transition away from gas-fired ovens.
“Most bakeries aren’t ready for all electric ovens, so RBS ovens can be installed as gas now, and easily converted to electric heat in the future,” company representatives told us.
Mecatherm’s M-VT Vertical Oven
Mecatherm, another leader in industrial baking equipment, has recently introduced the M-VT vertical oven, which represents a major leap forward in both flexibility and sustainability.
The M-VT oven is designed to bake a wide variety of products, from crusty breads to delicate pastries and soft brioche. Its versatility makes it an ideal solution for industrial bakers looking to diversify their product lines while maintaining high quality.
One of the key innovations in the M-VT oven is its shockless conveying system, which ensures smooth movement of products through the baking process. This system is particularly beneficial for delicate items that are prone to damage during baking. Additionally, the oven’s modular design allows for precise control over baking conditions, enabling bakers to fine-tune temperature, air flow, and moisture levels for each product.
Energy Efficiency
Mecatherm’s M-VT oven is also designed with sustainability in mind. Its compact vertical design reduces the oven’s surface area, resulting in up to 30% less energy consumption compared to traditional tunnel ovens. The oven’s convection heating system operates at lower temperatures, further reducing energy use.