Gluten-Free Cracker Finishing Machine Press and Oil Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of gluten-free and vegan baked products, such as crackers, is challenging due to their dense, hard, and non-porous nature, which leads to uneven baking, moisture loss, and a lack of appeal, as they do not spread or retain water like traditional dough-based products, resulting in unattractive and hard crackers.
Innovation Solution
A cracker finishing machine that processes gluten-free and vegan dough by shaping and moisturizing it to achieve consistent thickness and texture, using a combination of a cracker press and blotting belt with cooking oil to prevent sticking and retain moisture, ensuring the dough is evenly baked and resembles traditional crackers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gluten-free and vegan dough is used, then health requirements are met, but the dough becomes dense, hard, and non-porous leading to uneven baking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by introducing air bubbles into the dough before baking through a sparging process. The dough is subjected to pressurized air injection that creates numerous small air pockets throughout the dough matrix, which then expand during baking to create porosity and enable uniform heat distribution, preventing the dense hard structure that would otherwise result from gluten-free vegan ingredients
2Reliability
If gluten-free and vegan dough is used, then dietary restrictions are satisfied, but the dough loses moisture during baking resulting in hard crackers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes porous materials principle by creating a porous structure within the dough through air sparging. The numerous air pockets distributed throughout the dough create a network that traps and retains moisture during baking. This porous structure prevents the dough from becoming dense and hard, allowing moisture to be held within the air pockets rather than being lost during the baking process
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional dough processing is used, then manufacturing is simple, but gluten-free and vegan dough does not spread uniformly on the baking sheet
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pneumatics and hydraulics principle by using pressurized air injection (sparging) to modify the dough's physical properties. The pressurized air creates bubbles that expand during baking, providing internal pressure that promotes uniform spreading of the dough on the baking sheet. This pneumatic approach achieves spread uniformity without requiring complex mechanical processing equipment
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The machine enables the production of high-quality, evenly baked, and appealing gluten-free and vegan crackers with consistent thickness and texture, suitable for industrial quantities, addressing the issues of uneven baking and hardness, and enhancing consumer acceptance.
Implementation Method 1
sparging the dough with pressurized air to introduce air bubbles into the dough
Implementation Method 2
pressing the dough to remove large air bubbles and shape the dough
Implementation Method 3
coating the press with oil to prevent sticking and retain moisture
Data Source
AI summary
Non-traditional dough, such as gluten-free, vegan dough, is processed to make high quality baked products in an industrial process. In the case of cracker production, a cracker finishing machine (100) is provided between a dough depositing machine and an oven to prepare the dough for baking. The dough is flattened to a substantially uniform thickness and moistened by the finishing machine (100). Baking trays (300) with deposited cracker dough are loaded onto a pedestal (120) and pressed against a platen (130) to provide the desired flattening. At the same time, a blotting belt (150) misted with cooking oil is interposed between the platen (130) and the dough for moisturizing.