Bühler’s new ChocoX (Choco Cross) moulding line intends to combine flexibility and agility in production and hygienic design, resulting in significantly lower operational costs. Its completely modular design shall allow for unlimited crossovers of the process line and quick adaptation to different products.

Every function of the line is placed in an independent module, to be freely adapted for the production process customers need. In under 30 min, chocolate producers can change a module. “With the new ChocoX, customers are able to react quickly to changing consumer tastes and market trends – while reaching new heights in efficiency,” says Fritz Dorner, Head of Business Unit Confectionery.

Where refitting of a moulding line used to take more than a month on site, the ChocoX offers a significant time reduction. An entirely modular approach led to a line arrangement that can be used almost like a toolbox. Each module of the new system is built on wheels. This allows for easy reconfiguration of the sequence and, thus, more product variety. Arranging new processes only takes 30 to 120 min, depending on the sequence changes. Thereby, more individual recipes will see the light of day with just one production line.

The ChocoX can be set up and commissioned on site within one week. Line extensions are ready in half the time than other solutions. The delivery of standard modules is three to five months, with an implementation on site of just 24 h. The system comes with a reduced footprint thanks to integrated control boxes that replace all central switch cabinets. Optimized shaking modules shorten the shaking time, and the decreased cooling volume adds to the line’s lower energy consumption.