Case Histories > Baer Cheese Factory
Recipe Automation
Baer Cheese
In 1922 Edwin Baer established a soft-cheese dairy in Küssnacht am Rigi. Always an innovative business, Baer started as he meant to go on by taking the risk of producing Swiss soft cheese in a traditional hard-cheese country. In 1928 Production of the famous Camembert Suisse started and this speciality still epitomises Swiss soft cheese and is closely associated with the BAER enterprise.
Baer produces soft cheese for the European market, and is now one of
the biggest suppliers in its segment.
The Challenge
The soft cheese production process consists of four stages: coagulation, water extraction, salting and storage. In the second stage, the water extraction process, the coagulated milk is –after the first process- filled in forms called crates, which are later stacked into a frame that holds 15–20 crates. The coagulated milk produces heat during the fermentation process and gases that have to be extracted from the crates in a controlled manner. This process was done manually before the extraction system was implemented. The cooling room had a specific temperature curve and the personnel had to turn the crates manually after a certain elapsed time.
This manual process meant that different cheeses could not be cooled down individually, the turning process was time consuming, and the cheese quality was a function of the people - causing variations in cheese quality.
Szabo Software Solution
Szabo Software implemented a system which includes mechanisms for stacking, moving and turning cheeses in accordance with recipes stored in a database. Routing algorithms optimise transportation within the installation.
Szabo Software Benefits
- Quality - The new system eliminated quality problems ensured consistency of quality in cheeses produced.
- Reduction of cheese-waste.
- Elimination of error prone manual processes.
- Cost Saving - The system is controlled by one supervisor/ shift leader -- no manual workers are needed in the new process.
More Information - Baer Cheese Case History (pdf 85kb)
