On the Cutting Edge: Blade Coatings in Bakery Production

 

 

On the Cutting Edge: Blade Coatings in Bakery Production: When to Use Them (And When Not To)

 

 

In bakery production, a clean cut is not always easy.

The real challenge?

Keeping that blade performing consistently in a world of sticky dough, sugars, fats, and high-speed lines.

If you’ve ever dealt with:

• Dough sticking mid-run
• Build-up affecting cut quality
• Increased cleaning time
• Blades losing performance faster than expected

…then coatings have probably come up as a solution.

And sometimes, they are.

 

But only when they’re used for the right reason. A well-chosen coating can help to reduce sticking and drag, improve cut consistency, reduce cleaning times and extend blade life.

“In bakery applications, coatings are often less about strength and more about controlling friction and product behaviour.” – Mikko Brunner

Common Coatings and Where They Work

Non-Stick (Teflon-Type) Coatings

Teflon Coating is a type of plastic, sprayed onto a blade, and then baked to form a nonstock and non-corrosive surface. (Think of your typical non-stick frying pan)

Advantages

• Low friction (non-stick surface)
• Relatively cheap
• Low coating temperature
• Can be applied to most materials

Disadvantages

• Soft, can easily come of during the cutting process so rarely recommended for blades.
• Deteriorates at application temperatures over 250°C.
• Coating thickness are often fairly thick, in the 0.1-0.2mm range.

Best used when sticking is the main issue affecting performance.

PVD Coatings

Thin, high-performance coatings for demanding environments. Physical Vapour Deposition Coatings (PVD) – parts are cleaned and placed inside a vacuum chamber filled with an inert gas. Solid metal plates called targets are sputtered or vaporised by high-energy ion bombardment or an electron beam. The particles travel in a plasma and are deposited in a thin film on the tool surface. Target materials range from metals, ceramics almost any other element. (Think of the gold-coloured coating common on drill bits (TiN coating)

Best suited for:

• High-speed slicing
• Continuous production lines

Advantages

• Extremely Hard.
• Can handle high application temperatures.
• Low friction.
• Thin, well controlled film thicknesses of around 0.003mm.

Disadvantages

• Expensive
• Should only be applied to blade materials which are stable over 500
• Vacuum chambers have size limitations.

Best used when blade life and consistency are critical in high-output environments.

Electroplated Coatings (Chrome, Nickel, Diamond)

Primarily used for surface protection. Electroplated coatings such as Chrome plating, Nickel plating and Diamond coatings. Are used in a range of cutting tools. The process generally involves the transfer of a desired metal from a positively charged anode to a negative cathode (the workpiece), through an electrolytic fluid.

Best suited for:

• Moist environments
• Applications requiring corrosion resistance

Advantages

• A large range of coatings are available.
• Can handle high application temperatures.
• Can impart high wear- and corrosion resistance.
• Can be used to build up worn components and subsequently ground to size.
• Low friction options are available.
• Coating thicknesses can be well controlled down to 0.003mm for some coatings.
• Low coating temperatures.

Disadvantages

• Expensive
• Mostly used to protect blade surfaces and not on cutting edges.

Best used to protect blade surfaces rather than on the cutting edge.

Thermal Spray Coatings

Used for heavy wear — but not for sharp cutting edges. Thermal spraying is a process where metallic or non-metallic powders are introduced into a high-pressure gas stream where they are heated or melted before being sprayed onto the surface of a tool. These coatings are primarily used on wear surfaces, not on sharp cutting tools.

Advantages

• Large range of coatings available.
• Can handle high application temperatures.
• Can impart high wear-resistance.
• Can be used to build up worn components and subsequently ground to size.

Disadvantages

• Expensive
• The high coating temperatures can cause the component to distort.
• Coating temperatures can affect the components hardness.
• The coating will damage cutting edges.
• The coatings vary in thickness and are porous.

Generally not recommended for bakery blades.

Hygiene & Efficiency: The Real Advantage

In bakery production, smooth surfaces achieved through coatings often deliver their biggest value through:

• Reduced product build-up
• Cleaner cuts over longer runs
• Less downtime for cleaning

In high-volume bakery operations, that adds up quickly.

Are Coatings Always Worth It?

Not always, and this is where many operations overspend.

If the underlying issue is:

• Incorrect blade material
• Poor machine setup
• Misalignment
• Incorrect hardness

…a coating won’t fix it. However in the right application, it can be worth it’s weight in gold.

Coatings can transform performance in bakery applications , but only when applied with intent.

For more info click here ….

By Mikko Brunner, MD – Renlaw Industrial Cutting Solutions