AMF Tromp Launches AI-based Solution for Quality Control on Pizza Toppings
AMF Tromp, a business unit and brand of complete systems solutions supplier AMF Bakery Systems announced the launch of Smart Solutions. By facilitating automated quality and quantity control for pizza toppings such as cheese, this AI-based system will enable pizza producers to minimize product waste and giveaway, reduce labor requirements, and operate more efficiently, according to a company press release.
Smart Solutions will be offered in conjunction with AMF’s pizza production machines, starting with its Waterfall Applicator (a machine that deposits toppings such as cheese). A ‘smart applicator’ takes images of each item on the production line. Cloud-based software using artificial intelligence then collects and analyzes these images real-time to determine whether the amount and weight of cheese is correct. While analyzing, this software adjusts the applicator’s speed and volume settings to deliver the optimal cheese distribution.
Using machine-learning technology, the Smart Solutions system optimizes this process over time, detecting and indicating any anomalies. Its baseline settings can also be used for quick production recovery or to make subsequent runs more effective. In this way, Smart Solutions accelerates production speeds and improves topping application accuracy by at least 3%. This results in pizzas with standardized topping distributions regardless of external influences, human interaction, or the sophistication of the AI technology.
The automation enabled by the system can also reduce labor requirements and costs, since operators will not need to monitor cheese quantity or change the applicator machine’s settings. In this way, the solution drives efficiency, sustainability, and profitability for pizza producers.
Lex van Houten, Regional Marketing Manager EMEA: “I’m proud to launch Smart Solutions, a service that brings automation to pizza production and embraces digitalization. As well as delivering improved quality control and efficiency for our customers, this solution will also provide us with insights into their needs. We’re looking forward to further optimizing Smart Solutions in line with our customers’ feedback, and expanding the offering to more applications.”