Control Systems: PLCs, Touch Panels, and Recipe Memory

From Hand-Turned Knobs to One-Touch Recipe Recall

On early encrusting machines, feed speed and shutter timing were adjusted with gears, cams, and knobs. Every product change meant an experienced operator had to readjust bit by bit based on experience; see Weight Control. Today, most encrusting machines manage each motor with a PLC (programmable logic controller) or a dedicated controller, and operators enter conditions on a touch panel.

This shift started early. According to RHEON's company history, the first-generation KASEIJIN (火星人) CN100, released in 1987, was equipped with a "product memory unit" (P.M.U.), making it a computerized encrusting machine based on an entirely new concept.

What the Control System Manages

An encrusting machine has many movements to coordinate:

• Dough feed speed
• Filling feed speed
• Shutter opening/closing rhythm and speed
• Lift height and timing of the receiving conveyor
• Speed of the transfer conveyor
• Operation of optional units (triple encrusting, solid-ingredient feeding, pleating machine)

These movements must be synchronized; if they are off even slightly, products come out lopsided or torn. RHEON's patent US6709256B2 uses servo motors, encoders, and memory that stores operating patterns to keep the shutter, cutting mechanism, and receiving table running in sync.

Can the Machine Store Recipes?

Most newer machines can. Taking the information published on RHEON's websites as examples:

• KASEIJIN CN700: Stores data for 100 products, recalled with the press of a button.
• CORNUCOPIA KN551 and AN551: Large color touchscreens that likewise store data for 100 products with one-touch recall.
• AN210: Uses "membrane keys + a touch panel" to register production conditions for each product and recall them quickly.

The CN700 also has an "easy setup" function: enter the number of pieces, the dough weight, and the filling weight, and the machine automatically calculates the extrusion rate, belt speed, and conveyor lift height, with weight correction added for greater accuracy.

Recipe memory is not just about convenience; it is about "reproducibility." For the same product, the conditions recalled are identical no matter which shift or which operator.

How Long Does It Take to Readjust for a Product Change?

There is no single answer; it depends on several things:

• Whether disassembly and cleaning are needed: When switching to a different filling (such as from meat to bean paste), the hopper, feeding system, and nozzle all need cleaning, which usually takes more time than the adjustment itself. RHEON's ultra-compact CN001 uses cartridge-type hopper cylinders, so you simply swap the cylinder when changing products, and spare cylinders already loaded with ingredients can be stored in the refrigerator.
• Whether nozzles or peripherals need changing: If the shapes differ greatly, parts must be changed; see Three Product Shapes.
• Whether there is recipe memory: If there is, only minor fine-tuning is needed after recalling the conditions.
• Ingredient condition: If the same recipe is softer today than yesterday, you still need to test a few pieces and fine-tune.

So when evaluating changeover time, it is best to ask the manufacturer to demonstrate one complete "cleaning + changeover + test run" using two of your actual products.

Are There Production Count Statistics?

This depends on the model. Some machines display the production count on the panel, some can export production records, and some have none at all. The settings screen on RHEON's CN700 requires entering a "number of pieces" as a calculation condition, but whether full statistics and export are provided depends on that model's specifications. When choosing a machine, you can ask directly:

• Does the panel display cumulative output?
• Can it record output separately by recipe?
• Can it export data or connect to the factory's management system?
• Does it display error codes and explanations when there is a fault?

Maintaining PLCs and Touch Panels

Electrical control systems are stable, but they have their own maintenance points:

• Keep the control box dry and prevent dust and moisture from getting in. Operating panels are usually not waterproof, so avoid them when washing the machine down. RHEON's panning machine documentation specifically notes that its operating panel is not waterproof.
• Back up or write down recipe data regularly.
• Do not press the touch panel with sharp objects.
• Before servicing electrical controls, always cut the power, apply lockout/tagout, and confirm that the capacitors have discharged.

Control Methods on Dong-Yih Models

One of Dong-Yih Machinery's lines of business is microcomputer-controlled fully automatic dividing machines. For each model's control method and whether it can store recipes, please refer to the specific model's documentation, or call 06-257-4644 or ask through our Contact page.

FAQ

Q: Can an encrusting machine store recipes?
A: Most newer machines can. For example, RHEON's CN700 and KN551 can both store data for 100 products with one-touch recall.

Q: How long does it take to readjust for a product change?
A: It depends on whether disassembly and cleaning are needed, whether nozzles must be changed, and whether there is recipe memory. Cleaning often takes longer than adjustment, so ask the manufacturer to demonstrate with your own products.

Q: Do encrusting machines have production count statistics?
A: It depends on the model. When choosing a machine, ask whether the panel displays cumulative output and whether it can record by recipe and export data.

Q: What is a PLC?
A: A programmable logic controller, the control core commonly used in industrial machinery, which coordinates motors, sensors, and each movement according to the settings.