SmartChocTM.

Production system for chocolate

and compound masses.
SmartChocTM – new production solution
from the market leader in chocolate processing.

When it comes to the production of chocolate masses, Bühler sets the benchmark for technology. More
than 100 years of experience allow Bühler to provide exceptionally cost-efficient processes for the manu-
facture of chocolate – from roasting the cocoa beans to producing the finished moulded product. With
company representatives in more than 140 countries, Bühler specialists are always within reach when
customers need help. Professional maintenance and spare parts service, training, laboratories, and their
own pilot plants round off the services for the global chocolate industry.

For small batch production, Bühler has developed a new
process solution with a bead mill, a mixer, and a conche:
the SmartChoc™ system. The combination of those ele-
ments allows manufacturing of a variety of chocolate and
compound masses.
SmartChoc™
With one or two ShearMix™ mixers and the Cenomic™
bead mill, the system is ideal for processing a wide range
of end products such as compound chocolate or fat-
based masses for coatings, fillings and creams, with a
throughput of 90 to 400 kg per hour.
SmartChoc™ Plus
By using an ELK TM -Light conche combined with a PLC
control unit, the equipment becomes a chocolate pro-
duction system with a throughput of 60 to 300 kg per
hour. Thanks to the light conching process, an individual
flavor can be developed for each recipe.

Benefits at a glance:
– – Smart and compact solution for chocolate and
compound production
– – Light conching flavor treatment, thanks to the
ELK TM -Light conche
– – For small scale production up to 400 kg per hour
– – Attractively priced solution from the market leader in
chocolate production facilities
– – E asily extendable due to the modular design of all
components
– – E nergy-efficient and flexible system, for a wide
range of product applications
– – S mart and easy to use control system
– – Bühler process know-how for chocolate production

2 BÜHLER Compound & Chocolate SmartChocTM

Available in mild steel or stainless steel: CenomicTM bead mill
ELK TM -Light and ShearMixTM
Light conching: designed for ball mill grinding
processes
The conching process is the key to producing real choc-
olate. As a variation to the classical conching process
where the conching follows the grinding step, the Bühler
light conching process is applied before grinding and is
specially designed for ball mill applications.
Light conching can be applied to recipes based on crys-
talline or powder sugar. This important process step in
the ELK TM -Light conche allows a flavor treatment of the
SmartChocTM Plus at a glance
(example: SmartChocTM Plus with CenomicTM , ELK TM -Light and ShearMixTM )
CenomicTM bead mill
with a process volume
from 30 to 150 liters
Pump and piping (delivered with the system)
Set of pipes and valves for standard layout
chocolate mass. Light conching generates the unique
taste of chocolate products by removing acids and hu-
midity from the mass. During the light conching process
the ingredients are mixed, aerated, kneaded and heated
to an individually adjustable temperature. As a result the
chocolate mass can develop various tastes, for example
a caramel taste at high temperatures or a natural, milky
taste at lower process temperatures. By reducing humid-
ity a lower viscosity of the end product can be achieved
through light conching.
ELK TM -Light
conche
with a capacity of
400 to 800 kg
and modern PLC
automation
ShearMixTM mixer
with a capacity of
400 to 800 kg
BÜHLER Compound & Chocolate SmartChocTM 3
SmartChocTM – modular production system for
compound masses up to 400 kg/h.

Compound chocolate Coatings for ice cream or sweets Fillings for different products

With its SmartChocTM system, Bühler offers a reliable and cost-efficient solution for producing compound
masses at a throughput of 90 to 400 kg per hour. Compounds are fat-based products that contain added non-
cocoa-based fats comprising more than 5 % of the finished product. The compound masses are suitable for
bars or drops, coatings for ice cream and wafers, or even fillings for different products.

Proven technology for compound production
SmartChocTM is a attractively priced system for mak-
ing compounds and fillings as well as specialty masses.
The application of this fat mass system will prove to be
extremely profitable.
In addition to one or two mixers, SmartChocTM includes a
compact bead mill that allows efficient grinding. Con-
sistent mass and high sanitation bear out this proven
technology.
SmartChocTM does more than merely fully satisfy the
most stringent flexibility requirements. In developing it,
Bühler paid just as much attention to cost-efficient pro-
duction processes.
Benefits:
– – Easy system to handle for compound production
– – Attractively priced solution from the market leader
– – For small-scale production up to 400 kg/h
– – Energy-efficient system
– – Flexible production system, easily extendable
– – Worldwide Bühler customer service
(represented in more than 140 countries)

System options: Automation:

– – Hot air ventilator for mixer to reduce product – – Standard:
humidity during recirculation grinding C omfort Vario: relay control with potentiometer
– – Frequency converter for mixer for higher for bead mill, agitator, pump, and mixer control
performance (on/off)
– – O ption:
Premium PLC control with 12’’ touchscreen, for
fully automated operation

4 BÜHLER Compound & Chocolate SmartChocTM

Single mode – one ShearMixTM and one CenomicTM

Recirculation is the easiest way to process compound masses. After mixing the ingredients, the operator starts
the grinding process. When the desired final fineness is reached, the operator stops the bead mill.

Process steps:
1 1 – D osing of all (pre-weighed) ingredients
into the mixer
2 – Mixing
3 – G rinding* of the mass with the bead mill
(recirculation)
3
4 – Emptying

* Minimum fat content 30 –32 %

4
2

Double mode – two ShearMixTM and one CenomicTM

Passage grinding offers better performance compared to recirculation, achieves a narrow particle size distri-
bution, and avoids “backmixing” of the ground particles with non-ground particles. After the mixing process in
mixer A, the ingredients are pre-ground in the bead mill and then fed into mixer B. The intermediate product is
pumped to the bead mill again, where the grinding process is repeated until the end fineness is achieved. With
this mode, throughput can be increased by more than 30%.

ShearMixTM A ShearMixTM B Process steps:

1 4
1 – D osing (mixer A,
pre-weighed ingredients)
2 – Mixing
3 – Grinding* (first passage)
3
4 – G rinding* (recirculation,
with mixer B)
5 – Emptying
5
2 * Minimum fat content 30 –32 %

System Batch Process Process Mill Throughput Throughput

type size solution time1) type at 22 μm1) at 22 μm 2)
SmartChocTM 400-S-C3 400 kg Single 5.8 h CenomicTM 3 70 kg/h 95 kg/h

SmartChocTM 400-D-C3 400 kg Double 4.8 h CenomicTM 3 85 kg/h 125 kg/h

SmartChocTM 400-S-C6 400 kg Single 3.5 h CenomicTM 6 110 kg/h 150 kg/h

SmartChocTM 800-S-C6 800 kg Single 7.0 h CenomicTM 6 115 kg/h 155 kg/h

SmartChocTM 400-D-C6 400 kg Double 2.8 h CenomicTM 6 145 kg/h 210 kg/h

SmartChocTM 800-S-C15 800 kg Single 4.0 h CenomicTM 15 200 kg/h 260 kg/h

SmartChocTM 800-D-C15 800 kg Double 3.1 h CenomicTM 15 260 kg/h 380 kg/h

1)
Capacity with crystal sugar < 1.2 mm, 2)
Capacity with powder sugar < 0.3 mm , subject to change.

BÜHLER Compound & Chocolate SmartChocTM 5

SmartChocTM Plus – modular production system
for real chocolate up to 300 kg/h.

Chocolate coatings Chocolate bars Artisan chocolates

For manufacturing chocolate masses in small batches, Bühler developed a system with a CenomicTM and an
ELK TM -Light. The system (which can be supplemented with an additional ShearMixTM for higher throughputs)
produces chocolate masses by using standard recipes. The process is suited for the production of real
chocolate with a throughput of 60 to 300 kg per hour and meets the needs of small- and medium-scale pro-
ducers: low investment costs for a reliable technology that is flexible, robust, and easy to handle.

New solution from the leading supplier
of chocolate production facilities
SmartChocTM Plus is a compact system for making
chocolate masses with minimal investment cost. In recir-
culation mode, one conche is combined with a bead mill,
which promotes efficient grinding. Consistent mass and
high sanitation bear out this technology. With an addi-
tional mixer the system is ready for passage mode, which
achieves higher throughput compared to the single mixer
system.
The specially developed conche serves as a mixer in the
first step. In the second step, a PLC control system is
used to apply the “Bühler light conching” process, where
the chocolate flavor of the mass is developed before final
fine-grinding in the bead mill.
Benefits:
– – Easy system for chocolate production
– – Attractively priced solution from the market leader
– – For small-scale production up to 300 kg/h
– – Bühler process know-how for industrial chocolate
production
– – Energy-efficient, flexible, easy extendable
– – Worldwide customer service by Bühler
(represented in more than 140 countries)

System options: Automation:

– – Aeration: hot air ventilator for conche (during the – – Standard:
light conching process) to promote reduction of Premium PLC control with 12’’ touchscreen for fully
product humidity automated operation

6 BÜHLER Compound & Chocolate SmartChocTM

Single mode – one ELK TM -Light and one CenomicTM

Recirculation mode is the easiest way to process chocolate masses using this system. After dosing and mix-
ing the ingredients in the conche, the operator starts the light conching process by selecting one of the pre-set
profiles at the PLC control. Once light conching is finished, the operator begins the grinding process. When the
desired final fineness is reached, the operator stops the bead mill.
1 Process steps:
1 – D osing (cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar,
milk powder, pre-weighed ingredients)
2 2 – Mixing
5 3 – Light conching
3
4 – Liquefaction (final fat addition, lecithin)
4 5 – Grinding* (recirculation)
6 – Emptying
6
* Minimum fat content 30 –32%

Double mode – one ELK TM -Light and one ShearMixTM plus one CenomicTM

Passage mode offers better performance compared to recirculation mode, achieves a narrow particle size dis-
tribution, and avoids “backmixing” of the ground particles with non-ground particles. After mixing, light conch-
ing and liquefying in the conche, the ingredients are pre-ground in the bead mill and then fed into the mixer.
The intermediate product is pumped back to the bead mill, where the grinding process is repeated until the end
fineness of the product is achieved. In parallel to the fine grinding process, the second batch is prepared in the
conche and the light conching process is started by the operator.
Process steps:
1–D  osing (cocoa, cocoa
Conche 1 Mixer
6 butter, sugar, milk powder,
pre-weighed ingredients)
2 2 – Mixing
3 – Light conching
3 5 4 – Liquefaction
(final fat addition, lecithin)
4
5 – Pre-grinding
6 – Grinding* in recirculation
7 7 – Emptying

* Minimum fat content 30 –32%

System Batch Process Process Mill Throughput* Throughput*

type size solution time1) type at ~22 μm1) at ~22 μm 2)
SmartChocTM Plus 400-S-C3 400 kg Single 7.8 h CenomicTM 3 50 kg/h 60 kg/h

SmartChocTM Plus 800-S-C6 800 kg Single 9.0 h CenomicTM 6 90 kg/h 110 kg/h
SmartChocTM Plus 400-D-C3 400 kg Double 4.8 h CenomicTM 3 80 kg/h 125 kg/h
SmartChocTM Plus 400-D-C6 400 kg Double 2.8 h CenomicTM 6 140 kg/h 145 kg/h
SmartChocTM Plus 800-S-C15 800 kg Single 6.0 h CenomicTM 15 130 kg/h 160 kg/h
SmartChocTM Plus 800-D-C6 800 kg Double 5.7 h CenomicTM 6 140 kg/h 210 kg/h
SmartChocTM Plus 800-D-C15 800 kg Double 2.9 h CenomicTM 15 260 kg/h 270 kg/h

1)
Capacity with crystal sugar < 1.2 mm, 2) Capacity with powder sugar < 0.3 mm, subject to change.
* Capacity indicated for 2 hours of light conching

BÜHLER Compound & Chocolate SmartChocTM 7

Bühler AG
CH-9240 Uzwil, Switzerland
T + 41 71 955 11 11
F + 41 71 955 35 82
sc.buz@buhlergroup.com
www.buhlergroup.com