(No)Step is a cutter-mixer vessel that could be used by chocolate manufacturers to produce pralines, marzipan or fruit centers. It uses hot water or steam at low pressures to cook at temperatures up to 95°C.
All-in-one
“The main advantage of the (No)Step is that it allows for a complete process without any additional steps being necessary, cutting, mixing, cooking and cooling the foodstuff from raw material to the finished product,” Victoria Touzel, marketing executive at Holmach, a distributor for RoboQbo, told ConfectioneryNews.
The equipment allows manufacturers to run multiple production processes such as cutting, mixing, crushing, refining and emulsifying using a single unit.
“(No)Step allows a manufacturer to make a product in one vessel, combining the processes previously achieved by using different machines, which reduces preparation, cooking and cleaning times,” said Touzel.
Speed and cost
She said that cleaning took only a few minutes by pouring water over the blades. The machine operates at variable speeds between 0-3000 rpm.
“(No)Step is an integrated system which is much faster in comparison to traditional methods. A good example of these rapid process times would be chocolate ganache, which can be produced in 10-15 minutes using the (No) Step, in comparison to 30-40 minutes when made by hand with a more limited batch size,” said Touzel.
RoboQbo launched the equipment as a cheaper offering to its Qbo series. “We consider the price relative to the machine’s performance, which all clients are invited to see for themselves at our free test facilities in Stamford and Italy,” said Touzel.
RoboQbo supplies smaller R&D versions and larger vessels for medium and large industrial manufacturers.