In this guide, you’re going to learn everything about hard candy making equipment such as features, depositing techniques, benefits, and maintenance process, amongst others.
So, if you want to be an expert in candy making machine, read this guide.
What is Hard Candy Making Equipment?
Hard candy making equipment is a device that you will use to process and make hard candy confectionaries.
You will use the machine to make different shapes as well as colors of hard candy confectionaries.
Candy making machine
What are the Uses of the Hard Candy Making Equipment?
You will use hard candy making equipment to perform a number of functions leading to the molding of hard candy.
Here are the main activities that you can perform using hard candy making equipment.
- Mixing Hard Candy Making Ingredients
- Heating and Melting of the Hard Candy Making Ingredients
- Moulding of Hard Candy Making Ingredients
- Colling Hard Candy Slurry
- Cleaning and Sorting of Hard Candy
- Filling of hard Candy
- Packaging of Hard Candy
What are the Main Parts of a Hard Candy Making Equipment?
Having knowledge on the main parts of the hard candy making equipment will help you operate the equipment well.
Hard candy making equipment has different parts that work together in a bid to make hard candy.
Here are the main parts of the hard candy making equipment that you should pay close attention to.
Parts of candy making machine
· Sugar Melting Pot
Hard candy making equipment have the sugar melting pot that heats and melts sugar being one of the main ingredients.
Apart from that you will use the sugar melting port to maintain molten sugar at particular temperatures for production purposes.
· Syrup Storage Tank
You will use the syrup storage tank for the storage of syrup and also for filtration of syrup.
It come complete with sieves that will assist in getting rid of the debris from the syrup thus maintaining purity.
· Vacuum Micro-film Cooker
You will use the vacuum micro-film cooker to heat and mix all ingredient you need to make the candy making syrup.
It is responsible for heating and melting the ingredients thus resulting in the formation of hard candy.
· Depositing Machine
You can also refer to the depositing machine as the moulding machine as it is the part that mould the hard candy ingredients.
It comes in different shapes that the hard candy making ingredients or slurry will assume during the molding process.
· Cooling Cabinet
You will use the cooling cabinet to get rid of excess heat from the hard candy molds before packaging them.
It is capable of controlling different temperature levels in a bid to reach the right temperature condition for efficient cooling.
· PLC Control Panel
The control panel acts as the main unit which you will use to configure and program the hard candy making machine.
It has an HMI system and a touch screen which allows you to monitor the entire production process from one point.
· Transport System
You will also use the transport system of the hard candy making machine to move the hardy candy making ingredients.
It has servo drives that will aid in the movement of different hard candy making ingredients through different stations.
How many Types of Hard Candy Making Equipment Do You Supply?
We make different types of hard candy making equipment that you can use in small and mass production of hard candy.
Here are the main types of hard candy making equipment.
Small Scale Hard Candy Making Equipment
You will use the small-scale hard candy making machine to make a considerable amount of hard candy.
In many cases, this type of hard candy making equipment is either manual or semi-automatic in nature.
It often requires the help of human labor which is accurate but slow in comparison to the machine.
Large Scale Hard Candy making Equipment
Here, the large-scale hard candy making equipment comes in the fully automatic nature.
Implying that you will use the fully automatic hard candy making equipment to produce hard candy in large quantities.
It requires very minimal human labor assistance thus making it the most suitable equipment for making hard candy.
What is the Production Capacity of Hard Candy Making Equipment?
The production capacity of hard candy making equipment usually varies depending on the type of equipment.
For instance, the production capacity of the manual hard candy making equipment varies from that of semi-automatic hard candy making equipment.
Semi-automatic hard candy making equipment also has a lower production capacity in comparison fully automatic hard candy making equipment.
How Much Does a Hard Candy Making Machine Cost?
Hard candy making machine
The cost of hard candy making equipment will also vary according to the type of equipment you intend to purchase.
Fully automatic hard candy making machines will cost you a lot more than the manual hard candy making equipment.
Apart from that, you will also note that fully automatic hard candy making equipment comes in various versions.
Implying that the cost will also vary according to the version of the fully-automatic hard candy equipment you purchase.
Generally, the cost of hard candy making equipment ranges between 2500 to 90,000 US dollars.
What are the Benefits of Using the Hard Candy Making Equipment?
Hard candy making equipment will definitely make the process of making hard candy very simple.
Here are some of the benefits that you will enjoy by using hard candy making equipment.
· Produce High-Quality Hard Candy
It is capable of producing hard candy with high clarity, superior appearance, and rapid flavors smooth mouthfeel.
· Efficient Parts
Hard candy making equipment has different parts with high dimensional designs and weight accuracy.
It has very negligible scrap rates and efficient wrapping systems that maintain high hygienic levels.
· Easy to Clean and Maintain
The parts of the hard candy making equipment are very easy to clean and maintain.
It usually comes with a clean in place system which automatically gets rid of debris from the candy-making system.
· Versatile Process
You can use the hard candy making equipment to make different types of candy through different forms of candy making processes.
It is capable of combining different components into making one type of candy in quite a number of patterns.
· Easy to Operate
Operating the hard candy making equipment is very simple and requires minimal training and experience.
In many cases, all you have to do is control and monitor the production process from the control panel.
Which Features Must You Consider When Purchasing Hard Candy Making Equipment?
Well, shopping for hard candy making equipment will be a simpler process if you have information on the significant features.
Here are features of hard candy making equipment that you must pay very close attention to.
· Sanitary Construction
You should look for a machine with sanitary construction that you can easily clean and maintain effortlessly.
In addition to that, the materials for making hard candy making equipment must also exhibit the same features.
· Materials
The main material for making hard candy making equipment is stainless steel.
It is a very strong type of material that does not stain or corrode thus making it quite simple to clean.
· Speed of Production
The speed of production will determine the production capacity of hard candy making equipment.
Here, you will choose to have a fully automatic machine with high-speed candy making parts.
· Versatility
In this case, you will choose a hard candy making machine that has the capability of producing different types of candy.
It should have a quick changeover of parts capable of producing hard candy of various colors and shapes.
· Power Requirements
Your hard candy making machine must have the ability to control the power requirements for operating the machine.
· Safety Features
You should also look at how safe the hard candy making equipment is when choosing a good machine.
In other words, it must present no harm to the operators as well as the machine for durability purposes.
What are the Limitations of Using the Hard Candy Making Equipment?
You might come across a few challenges when using the hard candy making equipment.
One of the challenges you might experience is high cost of purchasing as well as installing hard candy making equipment.
You should have a proper budget with a surplus that will fund the purchase and installation of the machine.
How Do Hard Candy and Soft Candy Making Equipment Compare?
Figure 4 Hard candy making machine
The main difference between the hard and soft candy making equipment is the final product.
You will use the hard candy making equipment to make hard candy confectionaries.
On the other hand, you will use the soft candy making equipment to make soft candy confectionaries.
In addition to that, the production process might have a slight variation in terms of ingredient processing.
Hard and soft candy making equipment are available in manual, semi-automatic and fully automatic designs.
You will also integrate both hard and soft candy making equipment with support equipment to make complete production line.
Which is the Best Material for Making the Hard Candy Making Equipment?
The best material that you can use in the process of making hard candy making equipment is stainless steel.
Stainless steel has very high tensile strength and will maintain a stable presence during the entire production process.
In addition to that, stainless steel does not corrode easily thus making it one of the most hygienic materials.
You will also have a very easy time in the cleaning process of stainless steel due to ease of cleaning.
How Does a Hard Candy Making Equipment Work?
It is important to have a clear definition on the working principle of the hard candy making equipment.
In other words, you should know the step by step process on how the hard candy making equipment works
Here is a procedure that you can follow when operating the hard candy making equipment.
1. Preparation Stage
First, you need to prepare the hard candy-making equipment and ensure that is in proper working conditions.
You will also ensure that you have all the necessary ingredients in the right quantities by weighing them.
The preparation stage also involves proper programming of the machine on the relevant product specifications.
As soon as you pour all the ingredients in the machine hopper, the production process will commence.
2. Mixing and Heating Ingredients
Here, the machine will mix all the ingredients while heating them to a point where they melt.
It will employ the services of the vacuum micro-film cooker and the mixing tank to perform this function.
In the long run the machine will produce a homogenous mixture in form of molten ingredients known as syrup.
You will mix the syrup with sugar from the sugar melting pot to increase the sweetness of the candy.
After that, you will allow the syrup to flow into the syrup storage tank where the machine will draw it in bits.
The syrup storage tank has a heating system that will maintain the temperatures of syrup through the production process.
3. Moulding of Hard Candy
After that, the machine will draw the syrup from the syrup holding tank and deposit small amounts into the moulding machine.
The moulding station has several different parts with different shapes and sizes that make the hard candy.
You can also change the parts according to the production specifications through changeover parts mechanism.
4. Cooling Stage
After that, the machine will move the mould from the moulding station to the cooling cabinets.
While at the cooling cabinets, the moulds will solidify due to reduction in temperature thus forming hard candy.
The time it will take to form hard candy will depend on how hard you want the candy and the production specifications.
You can pass the hard candy through the cleaning and sorting machines before packaging and storage.
Can You Integrate the Hard Candy Making Equipment with Other Machines?
Yes, you can integrate the hard cany making machine with other types of machines.
Integrating the hard candy making machine with other machines will result into a complete production line.
Which Support Equipment Do You Need Alongside the Hard Candy Making Equipment?
The support equipment that you will use alongside the hard candy making equipment include:
Hard candy making equipment
· Mixing and Melting Tank
The mixing and melting tank is the most appropriate machine that will help in making homogenous candy making ingredients.
It is made up of different parts that will cut the ingredients into smaller pieces, stir and heat to form a syrup.
· Hard Candy Packaging Machine
You will use the hard candy packaging machine to package all the candy into different packages.
It has the capability of sealing the candy in the right conditions to maintain its high quality for a long period.
Apart from that, you can integrate it with a labeling machine that will label the packages accordingly.
· Ingredient Weighing Machine
You will need an ingredient weighing machine to get the right amount of ingredients for making hard candy.
· Hard Candy Cleaning Machine
You will use the hard candy cleaning machine to get rid of all the debris from the hard candy after the production process.
It has bushes in constant rotation mode that will clean and dust off all the debris from the hard candy.
· Hard Candy Sorting Machine
You will use the hard candy sorting machine to sort the candy into different shapes and sizes before packaging.
How Many Techniques Can You Perform with the Hard Candy Making Equipment?
Well, the techniques that you can perform with the hard candy making equipment include:
- Heating, Mixing and Melting Techniques
- Depositing or Moulding Techniques
- Decoration Techniques
- Cooling and Drying Techniques
Which Depositing Technique Does the Hard Candy Making Equipment have?
There are two main depositing techniques that the hard candy making equipment have.
The depositing techniques will depend on the number of depositing heads on the machine.
Here are the main types of depositing techniques for the hard candy making equipment
- Single Head Depositing Technique
- Double Head Depositing Technique
Do You Supply Semi-Automatic Hard Candy Making Equipment?
Yes, we do supply semi-automatic hard candy making equipment.
Semi-automatic hard candy making equipment require human labor support in the production process.
It is also capable of performing most of the important functions automatically.
How Do Semi-Automatic and Fully Automatic Hard Candy Making Equipment Compare?
Well, from the name you will note that both machines have automatic performance capabilities.
The main difference between the two is the level of automation.
Semi-automatic hard candy making machine is capable of performing its functions with help of human labor.
Implying that some of the operations are automated while others require human labor assistance.
On the other hand, fully automatic hard candy making machines require minimal human labor assistance.
It is capable of performing most of the hard candy production processes automatically.
In addition to that, the production capacities of both machines also vary considerably.
Fully automatic hard candy making machines have a higher production capacity than semi-automatic machines.
What is the Maintenance Process of the Hard Candy Making Equipment?
The maintenance process involves the operations that you will perform on the machine to increase its service life.
You must have a proper schedule for cleaning and lubricating the hard candy making machine.
Cleaning the hard candy making machine is quite simple especially with the clean in place mechanism.
This system is capable of automatically cleaning the hard candy making equipment after every use.
You should also ensure that you lubricate the moving parts on a regular basis to reduce damage from friction.
Perform inspection routines on the machine to identify broken parts and replace them immediately.
How Do You Ensure that the Hard Candy Making Equipment is of High Quality?
Well, the only way of ensuring that the hard candy making equipment is of high quality is to maintain a keen eye.
Implying that you have to be very careful in the production process straight from the acquisition of the materials.
You can support original equipment manufacturing business by sourcing the materials from the best suppliers.
Apart from that, you must also maintain a keen eye in the hard candy equipment fabrication or manufacturing process.
Here, you will adhere to the set international quality standards such as the current good manufacturing practices.
Other quality standards that you must adhere to include:
- International Standards Organization (ISO) Quality Standards
- Food and Drug Administration Quality Standards (FDA)
- CE Quality Standards
Finally, you should conduct tests on the machine to ensure that it is of high quality.
The tests that you will perform on the machine to ensure high quality include:
- Factory Assessment Test (FAT)
- Installation Qualification Test (IQ)
- Operation Qualification Test (OQ)
What Is the Significance of Having a User Requirement Specification Document?
Hard candy production line
You should have the user requirement specifications document to assist in communicating with the client.
It is the document that will detail all the product specifications that a client wants on the hard candy production equipment.
It simplifies the work of detailing the production needs of hard candy making equipment.
At SaintyCo, we design and manufacture a range of hard candy making equipment depending on your specific needs and requirements.
Contact us now for custom hard candy making equipment.