Camera launched for bakery oven inspection
the inside of their oven using only the oven's own conveyor belt
and a camera, the manufacturer claims.
McQueen Cairns Technology, a UK-based company that specialises in high temperature sensors for the food industry, said that the OvenScope camera will allow bakery manufacturers to easily spot any defects or problems. "The huge advantage is that they can see what the condition of the oven is throughout its length without having to dismantle it or use inspection hatches," spokesperson Stephen Bailey told BakeryAndSnacks.com. "Typical defects to look out for would be rusting roofs or panels, burners that are clogged, blocked or broken, or dampers that have fallen off or are not working," he added. The OvenScope camera can pass through most bakery ovens, he explained, as it is only 28mm high. The camera is attached to the oven's conveyer belt that the products are normally placed on when the oven is in operation. "The belt operates in the usual way, but the oven is cold when the OvenScope is being used," Bailey added. Once moving, the camera takes up to four simultaneous recordings, which can later be viewed on a computer. They can also be archived onto DVD in MP4 format if the manufacturer wishes to make a permanent record, McQueen Cairns said. The company is primarily marketing the system at food production companies that make biscuits snacks, bread, cakes and frozen foods. However, it could also be used outside the baking industry where conveyers are used to pass products through any kind of furnace or dryer, the company said. According to the company, the OvenScope was developed specifically for United Biscuits, one of the largest bakery and snack companies in Western Europe. United Biscuits now uses a number of the OvenScope systems throughout its manufacturing plants in Europe, leading to savings for the company of over £100,000 (€130,400), Bailey claims. The system is now being rolled out on a global basis, he added, beginning with the Bakery Industry Exhibition due to take place in the UK this April. As well as the OvenScope, McQueen Cairns will also be exhibiting two other new technologies at the show: the total heat sensor and the oven profiling service. The sensor measures the interior temperature of an oven, detecting minor variations that other gauges may not pick up on, while the oven profiling service measures the heat and humidity of an oven and interprets the results for manufacturers, the company said.
