Melting, Preparation, and Dosing of Chocolate
Customer
A global food manufacturer involved in producing a wide range of food products.
Project Overview
INOXPA engineered and assembled a complete system dedicated to the melting, preparation, and dosing of chocolate. The melted chocolate is delivered to a dipping vat for the production of energy bars, ensuring consistent quality, efficiency, and smooth operation. This complete system is built to handle large volumes while maintaining precise control over every stage of the production process.
INOXPA Solution
The chocolate processing starts with melting chocolate chips in a specially designed melting tank that comes with a heating jacket. The jacket is controlled by an adjusting valve that keeps the temperature stable. This prevents the chocolate from burning and makes sure it maintains its smooth texture. Temperature stability is important to maintaining the smoothness and viscosity required for subsequent production steps.
Once melted, the chocolate is transferred to a preparation tank. Load cells ensure the accurate addition of ingredients such as salt, almond paste, or other flavorings. After mixing, the chocolate is sent to a storage tank that continuously feeds the dipping vat. A circulation loop ensures that the chocolate maintains a consistent temperature and viscosity before reaching the vat.
To prevent cooling, the entire production line is jacketed and maintained with warm water circulation. This careful temperature management ensures the chocolate remains in optimal condition for dosing and downstream processing.
Automation and Process Control
Using a PLC and touch-screen HMI from Allen Bradley, the production line is completely automated. This system gives accurate control over heating, dosing, and material flow, supporting better and consistent chocolate quality and reducing the heavy reliance on operators.
Supporting Features
The installation also includes:
- Automated product recovery system (SilPig) – efficiently collects unused chocolate, reducing waste.
- Fully automated CIP (Cleaning-In-Place) unit – allows fast and hygienic cleaning of the tanks and pipelines.
- Integration with automated conveyor systems – chocolate moves seamlessly between tanks and processing points, reducing manual handling.
- Ready interface for bottle filling machine – the processed chocolate can be portioned for packaging using a bottle filling machine or automatic bottle filling machine in the next stage of production.
These features ensure a streamlined, hygienic, and efficient workflow while supporting large-scale chocolate production.
Enhanced Efficiency and Quality
By combining precise ingredient control, jacketed tanks, and a fully automated workflow, INOXPA ensures the chocolate maintains its texture, flavor, and consistency. The use of automated conveyor systems and integration with a bottle filling machine or automatic bottle filling machine allows the production line to operate continuously with minimal interruptions. This also supports faster production cycles and reduces the risk of human error.
Conclusion
INOXPA’s chocolate processing system demonstrates the value of automation, precise control, and engineering expertise in the food industry. The solution combines advanced control systems, jacketed tanks, and automated conveyor systems along with bottle filling machines to support consistent chocolate quality, lower waste, and improve efficiency. As an example of advanced chocolate production, this project allows food manufacturers to meet growing demand while upholding consistent quality and efficiency.
