SOFTDOUGH

& COOKIES

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 The basic ingredient. We know how.
Ever since we first started, in 1962, we have always felt ourselves to
be part of our customers’ recipies. This is why we have always given
them our technology, passion, reliability and quality.

Being “the basic ingredient” is not just a motto for us but a real,
constant commitment. We have put innovation at the heart of our
business, always pushing the boundaries of our experience. We never
take it for granted, always making it available to our customers
around the world.

Expanding out expertise, broadening our scope, always driven by

passion and daring: what we call Know-how is a goal that we shift
forward by one step every day. This is positive energy and one that
we want to share with all our partners.

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 SOFTDOUGH & COOKIES
03
The process

An important sector in the biscuit manufacturing world is that of softdough & cookies,
which includes an ample family of products for which manufacturing is based on three
main processes: wire-cutting, depositing and rotary moulding.

In the first two categories, each process has its own core-forming unit.
Additional devices can be added to this unit in order to enhance the range and
appearance of products to be made: flexibility is a must!

In the following pages we explore the manufacturing processes used for soft-dough
& cookies.

The process Deposited Rotary

& Wirecut moulder

SOFTDOUGH
& COOKIES

Rout press, Wirecut

& Co-extruder

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 Rout press, wirecut
& co-extruder
These categories of products can be manufactured starting from a single machine.
The basic unit consists of two grooved rolls which extrude the dough
through a set of dies in order to give the dough pieces their shape.
A fillerblock is inserted between the rolls and the die
plate in order to equalize dough distribution across
the width and provide optimum weight control.

The basic machine is configured as a rout press.

A wirecut mechanism can be added for the production of plain wirecuts
or products with inclusions. Rout press products are cut by means
of a guillotine cutter positioned before or after the oven,
depending on the type of final product to be obtained.

By adding the crimping device, soft-centre cookies can be formed

where the centre filling can be jam or cream. Fruit bars can be cut
before or after the oven depending on the type of final product
to be obtained.

Optionally, the unit can be fitted with two separate filling hoppers
in order to produce fillings with two different tastes within
the same row of products.
The key advantages of this unit are flexibility, high-speed performance,
user-friendliness, and ease of access and cleaning.

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 SOFTDOUGH & COOKIES
05
Rout press, wirecut & co-extruder

Fillerblock.

Chocolate chunk cookies coming out from

the 1.700 mm wide oven’s chamber.

Plain wirecut in production.

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06
Rout press, wirecut & co-extruder

Rout press HOPPER

configuration

GROOVED FEEDING
ROLLERS

DIE & DIE PLATE

Rout press products FILLERBLOCK

extrusion dies.

Rout press products

cutting device.

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 SOFTDOUGH & COOKIES
07
Rout press, wirecut & co-extruder

HOPPER

Wirecut
configuration HOPPER SEPARATION PLATE

GROOVED FEEDING GROOVED FEEDING

ROLLERS ROLLERS

FILLERBLOCK FILLERBLOCK

DIE & DIE PLATE WIRECUT MECHANISM DIE & DIE PLATE
WIRECUT MECHANISM

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 View of the pipes which convey the filling
from the hopper to the co-extrusion box.

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 SOFTDOUGH & COOKIES
09
Rout press, wirecut & co-extruder

Co-extrusion HOPPER HOPPER

configuration GROOVED FEEDING GROOVED FEEDING

ROLLERS ROLLERS

FILLERBLOCK

FILLERBLOCK
DIE & DIE PLATE

FILLING FILLING STAGGERED

PATTERN DIES
STAGGERED
SHUTTERS

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 3Extruder
The 3Extruder consists of 3 separate extruding heads in the same unit.
Each head consists of a pair of grooved rolls which evenly feed
the dough to a set of dosing pumps positioned underneath.

A single outlet is connected to on each pump, thus ensuring

consistent weight of the pieces of dough across the width.
Minimum stress is applied to the dough while
it is being extruded.

A wide range of products can be manufactured

by this unit, from traditional plain wirecut to
more sophisticated ones, e.g. two-colour dough
with soft centre consisting of cream or jam,
or even 3 different colours of dough.

The unit is very simple to regulate as all movements

are made by dedicated servomotors without the use of mechanical cams:
a user-friendly touch-screen operator interface panel ensures flexible
control of all possible adjustments to the machine.
The design of this unit allows tool-free dismantling
for access and cleaning purposes.

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 SOFTDOUGH & COOKIES
11
3Extruder
HOPPER

GROOVED FEEDING
ROLLERS

VOLUMETRIC
PUMP

Center filled twisted bars.

DIE & DIE PLATE

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 SOFTDOUGH & COOKIES
13
3Extruder

What
possibilities?

PLAIN WIRECUT

WIRECUT WIH INCLUSIONS

TWO-COLOURS DOUGH

SOFT CENTER

FRUIT BARS

2-COLOURS DOUGH,
1 CREAM/JAM
(soft center or bars)

1-COLOUR DOUGH,
2 CREAMS/JAMS
(bars)

3Extruder 3-COLOUR DOUGH

(wirecut and/or bars)
Rout press, Wirecut
& Co-extruder

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 Depositor
The head consists of a pair of grooved rolls which evenly feed the dough
to a set of dosing pumps positioned underneath. The “one pump-one nozzle”
concept ensures uniformity of weight across the width.

The machine is fully servo controlled: all the movements of the head are
driven by independent motors positioned on both external sides of the unit.

No shafts or cams drive any movements: this means that all possible
adjustments can be set from the touch-screen operator interface panel
with its in-built recipe storage system.

Flexibility is therefore guaranteed: a wide and extremely

varied range of dough can be handled.
Flexibility is also enhanced as a wirecut mechanism can be added
as an option to the unit, making the machine suitable for the
production of wirecut products, with or without inclusions.

When working in its depositor configuration, a rotating nozzles

mechanism can be added in order to produce swirl or twisted
dough pieces.
To enhance its flexibility and produce enriched products,
a synchronised jam depositor can be fitted to the unit.

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Depositor

Volumetric pump.

Detail of soft dough depositing.

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Depositor

HOPPER

Depositor
configuration

GROOVED FEEDING
ROLLERS JAM DEPOSITOR
(optional)

UP & DOWN
HEAD MOVEMENT

VOLUMETRIC
PUMP

DIE & DIE PLATE

FOLLOW TH
BAND MO E
VEMENT

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 SOFTDOUGH & COOKIES
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Depositor

Wirecut & swirl HOPPER HOPPER

configuration

GROOVED FEEDING GROOVED FEEDING

ROLLERS ROLLERS

UP & DOWN
HEAD
VOLUMETRIC VOLUMETRIC
MOVEMENT
PUMP PUMP

DIE & DIE PLATE

SWIRLING DIES

FOLLOW TH
E
BAND MOVEM
ENT

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2Heads Depositor

HOPPER

2Heads HOPPER

Depositor
The unit is composed of two moving heads installed on one fixed
base which permits, in a small footprint and with reduced investment,
to easily and efficiently deposit two color dough, even swirled,
thus enhancing the flexibility of production.
Each head consists of grooved rolls which evenly feed the dough
to a set of dosing pumps positioned underneath. The “one pump-one
nozzle” concept ensures uniformity of weight across the width.

The machine is fully servo controlled: all the movements

of the twin head are driven by independent motors positioned
on both external side of the unit, while the dough deposit
can be finely tuned independently from each head.
No shaft or cams drive any movements: this means that
GROOVED FEEDING VOLUMETRIC
all possible adjustments can be set from the touch-screen ROLLERS PUMP
operator interface panel with its in-built recipe storage system.

Flexibility is therefore guaranteed: traditional single deposit, DIE & DIE PLATE

or two colors dough deposits can be handled at easy,

thus broading the variety of products to be manufactured on one unit.
Flexibility is also enhanced as a wire cut mechanism can be added
as an option to the unit, making the machine suitable for the production
of single or two colours wire cut products, with or without inclusions.
When working in its depositor configuration, a rotating nozzles
mechanism can be added with the scope to produce swirl
or twisted dough pieces.

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 Rotary moulder
The unit is designed for the production of shortbread dough.
It offers high performance in terms of running speeds, quality of dough
pieces formed and consistency of production.
Fine-tuning adjustment of the height of the knife ensures precise
control of the weight of each single dough piece.
Automatic tensioning and tracking of the belt are standard.

For high production rates, with a very long oven and short baking time,
Imaforni can deliver the unit with forming rolls measuring 390 mm in diameter;
with such rolls diameter, the quality of the extraction of the dough pieces
from the mould to the belt is smooth and perfect.

The machine can be customized to suit the baker’s needs:

the control system can be fully servo motorized and all the adjustments
can be made by servomotors through a visual screen operator
interface with a recipe storage system. The safety, sanitation
and hygiene design meet the highest market standards.
Mould change over and belt replacement can be tool-free
operation.

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 SOFTDOUGH & COOKIES
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Rotary moulder

HOPPER

FORCING
ROLL

MOULDING
KNIFE ROLL

WEB
EXTRACTION
ROLL

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Rotary moulder

Details of egg wash distribution. Details of sugar sprinkling distributor.

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 SOFTDOUGH & COOKIES
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Auxiliary devices

Auxiliary devices
EGG WASH
(brush/roller type)

SUGAR SPRINKLER

GLAZING UNIT
(spray type)

VARIOUS TOPPINGS

Ink Printer Device: it works

in phase with the rotary moulder.

Jam/Cream depositor with moving

head and separate conveyor.
It works in phase with the rotary moulder.

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 Flexibile line
for “Softdough & cookies”
production.

ROTARY GUILLOTINE
2EXTRUDER DEPOSITOR
MOULDER CUTTER

OVEN

PRESSURE INFEED OVEN

ROLLER DRUM

12.830 mm

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28
Test & development

Test & development

Depositor
Rout press - Wirecut
Co-extruder
3Extruder

Rotary moulder

Imaforni has had its own Test & Development Center since 1999. The 4th generation of machines are currently
available consisting of a complete 1200 mm wide industrial production line composed of a wirecut/soft-centre machine,
a depositor/wirecut unit, a 3Extruder and a rotary moulder.
The oven has a hybrid configuration with radiating (cyclotherm section), and convection heating. The conveyor is a solid steel band.
Second pilot line is available for the development of cracker snack and hard sweet biscuits. The oven consisting
in a 1.200 mm wide state of the art on Direct Gas Fired heating system complete with wiremesh conveyor.
Both ovens are fitted with their own Energy Recovery System.
The lines are available to those customers interested in testing new processes, existing recipes
or new products. Our staff, with their vast technological background, are at your disposal.

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 SOFTDOUGH & COOKIES
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Test & development

R&D.
For market-proof processes.

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 The information contained in this document are subject to variation.
Imaforni reserves the right to make technical modifications without prior notice.
Any copying of the information or of the pictures included here is strictly forbidden.
Some of the equipment illustrated in this document are outsourced.

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 IMAFORNI INT’L S.p.A.
via Strà 158 - 37030 Colognola ai Colli
Verona - Italy
T. +39 045 6174711 F. +39 045 6150065
info.ima@imaforni.it www.imaforni.com

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