A customer has different production lines for candy products, in various countries. That makes production flexible: the client can produce the same product in different countries, but he can also create specific candy products, matching the taste preferences of a specific geographic area.

The challenge

Although the production lines are a based on different technologies, they should deliver identical products if required. Then the client can decide where to make which product, absorb production demand peaks and optimize delivery logistics. Bodec was asked to define a production methodology for the candy production that ensures that two different plants deliver exactly the same candy products.

The approach

The specialists of Bodec compared both production lines and made an inventory of the product behaviour based on practical information, on-line measurements and literature. Then they wrote a knowledge document (process design book) with important process settings for  dough preparation, dough expansion, forming and drying. Finally, the information in the process design book was validated for each production line.

The result

The knowledge document contains extensive product and process descriptions and gives the client detailed insight in the differences and similarities of both production processes. This knowledge enables the client to create identical products on different production lines. The process design book is now also used to train (new) line operators.