Power dough mixer

Types of power dough mixers

A power dough mixer is essential for baking businesses. Many commercial mixers are available for wholesale buyers. They come in varying sizes and powers and cover numerous products and applications.

• Planetary mixer

  The design of a planetary mixer for dough is intended for heavy-duty use. It predominately features a large, hinged bowl that stays still as the beater head moves around it. Due to its planetary mixing motion, this mixer can blend ingredients from various sides of the bowl. Bakery power dough mixers often come with different attachments for mixing, whipping, and kneading dough. The varied mixer speeds enable users to blend the ingredients at different levels correctly. A stand mixer for dough is a popular type of planetary mixer. It sits on a sturdy base and is used to knead dough in the bakery section.

• Spiral mixer

  Using a helical mixing action, the screw shaft turns, while the bowl rotates in the opposite direction. Spiral power dough mixers are specifically engineered to rapidly knead dough. They enjoy great popularity in bakeries because they maintain low friction heat during the mixing process. Low heat generation is good for gluten development, yielding dough with intricate structures and excellent fermentation properties. Furthermore, spiral mixers have a maximum mixing ability and minimal noise, which is ideal for blending large amounts of dough.

• Double arm mixer

  Due to the simultaneous mixing and kneading actions of the opposing arms, the dough is adequately developed in less time. The dough generated has a high kneading efficiency and is ideal for large-scale production.

• Heavy-duty power mixer

  Heavy-duty power mixers have higher capacities to meet commercial demands. They feature robust construction for continuous operation and may include specialized mixing technologies for optimal dough development.

Specification and Maintenance

Specifications vary based on usage and mixer type.

• Capacity

  Industrial-grade mixers have a higher capacity, while commercial-grade power mixers have a capacity of about 30 liters. Big mixers perform optimal with 75 percent of their total capacity. If a mixer has a 30-liter capacity, it will work optimally with a 22.5-liter dough volume.

• Motor Power

  Power mixers use sturdy motors to handle dense dough. Larger mixers have a 5 to 10-horsepower motor. Motors for smaller, commercial power mixers have 1 to 2 horsepower. Motors with higher horsepower generate more torque, allowing them to mix thicker dough faster. An industrial mixer with 10 horsepower will have a 5,000-rpm speed.

• Mixing Speed

  A power dough mixer typically has three speeds for different mixing purposes. The first speed, which is the fastest, is for incorporating flour into the mixer. It is 100 rpm. The second speed, which is 200 rpm, is for mixing and scraping flour around the mixer. The last speed, which is the slowest, is for the mixer to knead the dough. It is 40 rpm.

• Construction

  The housings of a power mixer are made of aluminum or stainless steel. Aluminum is lighter than stainless steel, making it easier to handle and operate the mixer. Stainless steel is stronger and durable. Stainless steel also resists corrosion. The mixer bowl is usually stainless steel. Stainless steel prevents bacteria from building up and is easy to clean.

• Tools

  A power mixer comes with mixing tools like the dough hook, flat beater, and whip. Each tool performs a special mixing process. The dough hook kneads and stretches dough. It mimics hand kneading, which allows the dough to develop gluten. The flat beater mixes batter and mash potatoes. It is shaped like a triangle with a flat bottom, which makes the beater effective for combining dry and wet ingredients. The whip incorporates air into cream and egg whites to achieve a fluffy consistency. The whip has curved rods that form a cup-like shape. It splashes the liquid around and mixes air to form bubbles.

Power dough mixer maintenance

Mixer manufacturers advise users to wash, disassemble, and clean the mixer after each use. Apply food-grade lubricant to the mixing parts occasionally. Before cleaning the mixer, they should first study the instruction manual.

Generally, after each use, following the cleaning procedure can keep the mixer in excellent working condition:

• Disconnect the power source.
• Remove the mixing part and bowl.
• Wash the parts with warm, soapy water. Take extra steps to ensure no dough gets stuck inside the mixing parts.
• Wipe the body of the mixer with a damp cloth.
• Reassemble the parts after everything dries.

Lubricate any moving parts of the mixer monthly. Call a repair technician if any components of the mixer need replacement or repair. Do not attempt to replace them without professional help.

Usage scenarios for industrial power dough mixers

Industrial power dough mixers are useful in various commercial settings that involve preparing large quantities of dough. Here are some typical usage scenarios for these machines.

• Shipping industry: The shipping sector uses industrial dough mixers to provide fresh bakery products for passengers and crew. Heavy-duty mixers are usually preferred to make large quantities of bread, rolls, pizza, pie crusts, and cookies. The mixer might be used in combination with a programmable control system to ensure that products meet the desired consistency and quality every time. This also allows for automated production, which can help reduce labor costs and streamline operations.
• Hotels: Hotels use power dough mixers to make fresh pastries, bread, and pizza for their restaurants or room service. Mixers are particularly useful when preparing large quantities of items like pizza dough, puff pastry, croissant dough, and batter for cakes and cookies. This allows hotels to offer a variety of freshly baked products to their guests.
• Malls: Malls with food courts or bakery stalls can benefit from having power dough mixers on-site. These machines allow tenants to prepare fresh dough for various baked goods, ensuring product quality and consistency. Mixing the dough in-house also cuts down on costs associated with purchasing pre-made dough from suppliers. This can help improve profit margins.
• Restaurants: Commercial mixer machines come in handy for fine dining and casual restaurants that serve bread, pastries, and pizza on the menu. A power dough mixer helps restaurant chefs to make dough efficiently and maintain product consistency. When combined with other food prep equipment, the dough mixer can help the restaurant improve efficiency and reduce labor costs during food preparation.
• Snack food companies: Snack food companies that produce pretzels or doughnuts rely on industrial-scale power dough mixers for their production needs. These companies require large amounts of dough to be mixed consistently to maintain the taste and texture of their products.

How to Choose Power Dough Mixer

Selecting the right industrial dough mixer is critical for productivity and product quality. When doing the mixer's power selection, buyers should match it with the kneading capacity. This is usually determined by the bowl size and the amount of flour used. An adequately powered mixer helps to produce consistent dough. It improves the taste and texture of the final bakery products.

Heavy-duty mixers are ideal for continuous three-shift operations. They come with robust motors that can handle large volumes of bakery products. Resistive gear transmission ensures they can work for long without breaking down.

When selecting the mixer, consider ease of operation, cleaning, and maintenance. Find out if it has customizable programmable settings. Also, consider whether it has detachable parts that can be cleaned easily. Regular cleaning and upkeep extend the life of the mixer and ensure hygiene.

Assess the safety features included in the mixer. Check for overload protection, security locks, and emergency stop buttons. Load protection prevents the mixer motor from getting overloaded. This can happen when mixing large quantities of dough. Lock systems ensure that the machine is locked when operating to prevent accidental opening. Emergency stop buttons allow operators to shut the machine down immediately in case of an emergency.

Consider the cost of getting the mixer and the long-term operating expenses. Power requirement, maintenance, and spare parts availability contribute to operating costs. Buying a mixer with high energy efficiency helps to reduce the operating expenses over time.

Power dough mixer Q&A

Q1. What are the differences between a horizontal dough mixer and a vertical mixer?

A1. The vertical power dough mixer makes use of gravity to hold the product down and use less power. The vertical mixer has a standing cylinder where the ingredients are added from the top, and a central axle with orbiting blades that scrape the bottom. This mixer is less common and is mostly used for small amounts of product. The mixers can be staggered or employed alone.

The horizontal mixer is used more commonly in bakeries because it can handle a large amount of product. It has a central axle that scrapes all the sides. Two scraped plates on the side help move the product around, creating a square. Power dough mixer machines create uniform batches of products and are versatile in the kind of dough they can process.

Q2. Can someone use a power dough mixer at home?

A2. Standard mixers with motors between 0.25 to 0.5 HP can be used to make bread dough, which requires around 0.25 HP. However, the industrial power dough mixer is better suited for large quantities, as it is more efficient in processing huge amounts of dough for pizza, bread, pasta, cookies, and pies. If looking for a commercial or industrial mixer, it is better to start with a small to large capacity and see what steps are needed to change the mixer into a more powerful machine.

Q3. How long does it take a power dough mixer to mix dough?

A3. The time required depends on the machine's speed, the dough's viscosity, the capacity of the mixer, and whether it is a small, medium, or large power dough mixer. Typically, mixing time ranges from 10 to 60 minutes.

Q4. What vibration-dampening pads should be used with a power dough mixer?

A4. These can be rubber or neoprene. They are used to absorb shock and prevent product damage. They provide a cushion between the mixer and the surface and can withstand high temperatures and loads.

Q5. Can companies custom order a power dough mixer?

A5. Yes, many kinds and capacities of mixers are available, from spiral to planetary, to name a few. Companies can custom order mixers with custom logos, custom sizes, custom colors, custom packaging, and more.