Model the production flow
Build a 3D simulation to examine tray movement and dwell-time requirements.
Case Study 02 / FOOD MANUFACTURING & PROCESS FLOW
BAKERY COOLING AUTOMATION
MORE FLOW. LESS FLOOR SPACE.
A simulation-led overhead transport solution that delivered the required cooling and holding times while protecting valuable production floor space.
40 MINHot-bun cooling
20 MINIced-bun holding
3DFlow simulation
The challenge
ENGINEERING AROUND
THE CONSTRAINTS.
A high-volume bakery producing cakes, buns and pastries operated with limited automation and little spare floor space. It needed consistent cooling and holding times while maintaining dependable tray movement through the production process.
- Provide a 40-minute cooling cycle for trays of hot buns
- Hold trays of iced buns for 20 minutes
- Avoid taking up additional valuable floor area
- Work around an existing layout where spiral or carousel solutions were unsuitable
The engineering approach
FROM CHALLENGE
TO SOLUTION.
Rather than imposing a standard ground-level system, IO Systems designed an elevated tray transport arrangement using a suspended track. Conveyor speed and routing logic were used to manage product dwell times, turning the conveying route itself into a controlled buffer and cooling solution.
Test transfer geometry
Assess pushers, turntables, underbelt transfers, curve radii and roller taper.
Refine the routes
Adjust speed, tray orientation and transfers to reduce risks of jams or bottlenecks.
Validate dwell times
Use simulation to verify the required cooling and holding cycles before committing to the final design.
Project outcomes
BUILT TO
DELIVER.
Key outcomes described in the project case study:
- Precise 40-minute cooling cycle for hot buns
- Consistent 20-minute holding for iced products
- Valuable production floor space freed up
- Integration with existing processes and better certainty before implementation
The solution was not simply more equipment. It was a smarter flow design, tested in simulation before investment.