Made in VMI

Comfort and health are other key ingredients sought after by users of the twenty-first century mixers and beaters

In the first issue of our magazine «Made in VMI», we looked at the fundamental phenomena of energy transfer, mechanical and thermal actions brought into play in a mixer. We exposed, as well, the recent progress we've made in building our beaters (see also related article in this issue). Understanding these phenomena is crucial if one wants to design proficient mixers. However, we cannot be satisfied enough solely because of our mastery of such technicalities. These must quickly be coupled with much more practical factors which would enable the baker to fully enjoy the attributes of his machine. Indeed, we must also provide a comfortable and user-friendly environment while taking care of users' health. A manufacturer like VMI should primarily make every effort to turn the daily operations of pastry-cooks less arduous and less dangerous.

The comfortable usage of a mixer or a beater declines in many ways and is nested in a multitude of details that we end up ignoring, but which would be missed by VMI machine users if we decide to abandon them.

Successful ergonomics

Behind the somewhat pompous idea of ergonomics, lie things that are relatively so simple to the extent that we often don't pay attention to their existence any more. It is when such little extras disappear, on other equipment for instance, that we would admit, "but, good grief! Why they haven't thought about…

… applying bowls that are neither too high, nor too low,
… installing a control panel that's truly handy,
… providing an easily manipulated bowl gripping system,
… head ends that emerge well enough to reach the tools and dismount them easily.

These are specifically the few "little" details which ease down your everyday tasks that VMI thought about.

Cleaning made easy

Often, a day of work ends up with the tedious job of cleaning the bakery and its equipment. Good cleaning of the equipment not only ensures its longer life cycle, but also offers a friendly and respectful image of your business, especially when you decide to show your work tools to your clientele. It is hence important that we make this process easier:

• The use of easily cleanable material (well finished stainless steel or plastics),
• Shapes with no containment zones and allowing access to the tiniest recesses,
•  Enough elevation from the floor to allow easy access of brooms or other instruments under the machines,
• Rollers for moving mixers and beaters,
• The possibility of hosing down some machines.

Noiseless parts

How comfortable it is to keep listening to the radio or passing instructions to teammates without needing to raise one's voice even while the mixer or the beater is in full operation…

A good number of VMI designed machines offer a noise level below 67 dB; a level equivalent to that of a modern car's passenger compartment, a ringing phone or a usual conversation.

Assistance to repetitive functions

Planning all the various recipes, raising or lowering bowls and tools, emptying the production output are tasks that a baker or a pastry cook performs several times a day. For the sake of expediting such tasks that we have incorporated the following features into some of our kneading and mixing machines:

• Recipe recording programs with cycle times, rotation speeds and automatic stops,
• Hydraulically or electrically assisted lifting systems for bowls and tool head ends,
• Removable bowls mounted on trolleys,
• Bowl hoists for emptying on tables or feed hoppers.

Easier maintenance operations

The design of the latest VMI machines was undertaken with great attention to the ease of access to their vital parts. Hence, complying with our preventive maintenance recommendations became less burdensome and less costly. Moreover, anxious to keep up with the axiom stating that a machine that easily keeps a normal functioning is a machine that does not break down, we continue to select the most reliable components available and which we test in our workshops for thousands of hours before deciding on them.

Safeguarding his health and that of his staff is nowadays an important goal of any entrepreneur. The artisan baker of the XXIst century is a dependable craftsman who looks after the safety and health of his staff. Since many years already, VMI has worked accordingly and contributes significantly to achieving this goal by designing its machines in strict conformity with demanding standards.

Strict compliance with the applicable European security directives and standards.

The Labor Code requires every employer to ensure the protection of his employees. Our mixers and beaters comply with product standards EN 453 and 454. It is, hence, with complete peace of mind that you could install them in your bakery. Being members of the Committee for Standardization UNM which publishes these mechanical, electrical, thermal and acoustic standards, we, therefore, are fully aware of their philosophy and their tiniest details.

Accounting for rules relating to the hygiene and health of users

Product standards are presently focusing on the so-called health aspects which are the main concern of works aiming to define rules for protecting the health and ensuring a better hygiene to users.

 We are, for several years already, the forerunners in the struggle against the problem caused by the projection of flour in the bakery. Years of exposure to flour dust can indeed lead to incapacitating allergies to the baker. The vast majority of our machines have been awarded the "Safest Tools" label, granted by the CNAMTS which strongly encourages manufacturers for developing such machines and users through a purchase incentive for acquiring them. We significantly limit the projections of flour through:

• Soft-starting of  tools in the early mixing stages,
• All-round protective and transparent hoods to restrain dust within the bowl.

Taking care of your comfort and health is a proactive approach of VMI. We are indeed convinced that the time and resources that we spend, and consequently the additional manufacturing costs generated, have a real added value that meets your expectations. We cannot simply just knead well and mix well. This must be done as well with the users of our equipment in mind. This may not be our strongest point but with every new machine we design lies an additional fact which contributes to improving such compliance. You are responsible and concerned about your work environment? Well, we are too!

To read Editorial

To read Brand new and beautiful

To read Research & Development

To read A demanding distributor looking for quality 

To read A production line delivering 4 tones per hour, installed in ... 4 weeks only!