One Production Line for Soft and Hard Biscuits — Is It Feasible?

The concept of having one biscuit production line running soft and hard biscuit recipes is attractive: less spent on capital, a simpler shop floor layout, and easy training for operators. However, the reality in bakeries is not that tidy. Soft and hard biscuits are different in the rheology of dough, forming and baking, moisture targets, packaging needs, and even subsequent handling. 

Understanding the feasibility of a single production line can make the work of biscuit manufacturers quite easy. Here we will demonstrate how a single flexible line can work and when separate lines are a wiser way to invest. Let’s have a look. 

What “Soft” and “Hard” Biscuits Actually Mean for a Production Engineer

The distinction between the soft and hard biscuits is not only in texture, at the factory door. Engineering-wise, the differences are expressed in:

• Dough consistency and handling: Soft biscuit doughs are more extensible, sticky; hard biscuit doughs are drier and more sheetable.
• Forming equipment: Rotary cutters, wire-cutters, extruders, or depositional heads act differently on various dough behaviours.
• Baking profile: Soft biscuits are baked at lower temperatures with shorter times compared to hard biscuits, which are baked at high temperatures or in multi-zone ovens.
• Cooling and packaging: Soft biscuits can require the use of controlled cooling and humidity to prevent staling; hard biscuits are often packed after adequate cooling to prevent breakage.
• Yield and waste profile: Softer formulations can stick to conveyors, or create scrap at elevated rates- particularly on changeovers.
  

Understanding these differences is the first step to assessing whether one line can handle both and is profitable or not. As the UK biscuit market remains substantial, and generated revenue of USD 4,392.3 million in 2024. This necessitates the need for a proper understanding of the differences between soft and hard biscuit production lines.

Technical Approaches to Flexibility on the Biscuit Production Line

Assuming that you are resolute in having a single-line strategy, modern machine design can provide a number of strategies to bridge the soft-hard biscuit-producing gap:

1. Modular forming stations: Lines with an alternative design are the modular forming stations, designed with replaceable forming modules (rotary cutter, depositor, extruder). A rotary mold can be installed on the line producing thin crackers, and next, a depositor with soft, filled sandwich biscuits. 

Most modern systems focus on rapid exchange of tools and plug-and-play modules of control to minimise downtimes.

2. Multi-zone, variable-speed ovens: A continuous oven with independent zone control with variable belt speed can be used to get a soft-baked biscuit (low dwell, lower zone temperatures) and a crisp, hard biscuit (longer dwell, higher temperatures). 

Another level of control in the process is humidity control systems and steam injection.

3. Advanced dough technology: Prestige mixers and pre-conditioners that regulate hydration and rest can customize dough characteristics without significant revision in recipes. 

Other lines have in-line sheeters that have a variable gap control and rollers, which are adjusted as per the firmness of the dough.

4. Flexible downstream equipment: Flexible conveyors, adjustable settling tables, and variable speed coolers have the benefit that they place less mechanical strain on soft products yet can still be used with harder biscuits. 

Recipe-based packaging machine configurations change the parameters of vacuum/modified atmosphere and speed to product tolerance.

Operational Realities: Changeover Time, Waste, and Staffing

A versatile production line hits the operations of bakeries:

• Changeover time is not zero. With rapid tooling, you will still need cleaning (doughs will contaminate), changing tools, re-profiling of ovens, and testing. In the case of the high-mix, low-volume producers, changeovers can be the driver of cost.
  
• Increased scrap during ramp-up. Every changeover produces additional rejects with each run dialed in, and costs per unit of good run up with small batches.
  
• Skill requirements rise. There are several process windows that operators should be familiar with. Otherwise, plants will have to engage in cross-training and more robust process control systems to avoid variability creeping in.

One of the more practical methods that many businesses use to alleviate these problems is to cluster SKUs together based on process similarity (e.g., run all thin hard biscuits in long blocks, run soft biscuit SKUs one after another) and, to reduce changeovers, run production planning software to optimize the scheduling of SKUs.

Product Quality: Can a Single Line Keep both Textures Perfect?

A flexible line can meet both production lines if: 

• Recipe control is tight. Dough rheology can be reproduced with the help of accurate dosing of ingredients and control of water temperature.

• Instrumentation is present. In-line moisture sensors, oven profiling thermocouples, and vision systems for forming accuracy enable faster tuning.

• The handling after baking is flexible. Soft products may require humid settling areas or soft conveyors to prevent cracking of the surfaces.
  

In short, yes, there is only one line that will satisfy both quality goals; however, instrumentation and process management must be strong, and the production staff must be willing to practice the discipline that is needed.

Strategic Scenarios Where a Single Line Delivers Maximum Value

There are scenarios where one biscuit production line is not only feasible but advantageous:

• Small to medium enterprises (SME) that initiate several SKUs with low capital-flexible lines, lower initial capital, and permit testing of the market.

• Companies where the demand for one type of biscuit is seasonal: when hard and soft biscuits prevail for half of the year, a single line is planned properly.

• Innovation segments on products where high rates of R&D and pilot manufacturing are required, reconfigurable lines accelerate the manufacturing process without necessitating specially designated pilot plants.

• Manufacturers that focus on SKU rationalization: when the business is able to pull formulations together to have a shared window of process, flexibility is a shining star.
  

Dedicated lines tend to be more efficient when the demand is predictable and the batch sizes are large and continuous.

Practical checklist before choosing a one-line strategy

Before committing, evaluate:

1. SKU mix and forecast, average batch sizes, seasonality, and SKU proliferation.

2. Changeover cost includes cleaning, tooling, test-run scrap, and lost production time.

3. The capability of quality control, sensors, laboratory, and human skills.

4. Investment appetite: modular line vs. two dedicated lines, capital, and maintenance.

5. The packaging and logistics, is it possible to have both product lines without bottlenecks by downstream packaging?

Conduct sensitivity analyses: in case the demand changes by 10-20 percent in an unforeseen manner, what situation (single line or two lines) is more resilient?

Implementation Tips if you Choose the Single-line Route

• Architecture that is hygienic and quick to clean. Soft biscuit doughs raise microbial and sticking risks; hygienic design lowers the cleaning time.

• Invest in changeover tooling and storage. Swaps are accelerated by organized tooling racks, jigs, and checklists.

• Use digital recipe management. Automated set point changes and recipe recall of the PLC reduced human error.

• Prioritize instrumentation. Checks on moisture, colour, and dimensions reduce the time it takes to get to production quality.

• Train multi-skills proficiency. Train operators and equip them with certain SOPs on every product family.

Conclusion – Is It Feasible?

Yes – it is possible to have one production line of biscuits to produce both soft and hard, however, it will depend on your demand profile, willingness to invest, and operation. A single-line strategy is optimal with moderate batch sizes, when SKU mixing is not too much, or when capital is limited.

Hybrid modular systems that are supplied in modern equipment can offer a middle ground to their producers, allowing them to grow in the future. To get a particular vendor reference, New Era can be viewed as a company whose product families employ modular biscuit production lines, which are capable of quick changeover and multi-product production.

Looking for a feasible production line for your biscuit production? Contact now!

FAQs

1. Am I able to run soft and hard biscuits without cleaning?

No! The cleaning requirements are different depending on the formulation to avoid cross-contamination and sticking.

2. Will a flexible line lower the quality of the products?

Not inherently. With the line being accurately controlled in recipe, in-line sensors, and the downstream being handled, the line will be able to achieve both the soft and hard biscuit quality goals.

3. Would a modular single line be more cost-efficient than two dedicated lines?

One modular line typically has lower initial capital requirements compared to two fully dedicated lines; however, operating costs (changeovers, scrap, scheduling constraints) need to be modeled in order to see how cost-effective it is.

4. What is the average length of changeover of current flexible biscuit lines?

Changeovers can be less than an hour with quick-change tooling and trained personnel; otherwise, changeovers can be several hours, and you need to plan and measure your particular configuration.