Bühler’s Edition 26 systems drive efficiency and automation
Finer S Edition 26: new IE5 motors reduce energy consumption by up to 3%.
Bühler has launched the next evolution of its chocolate mass processing solutions: the Finer S Edition 26 five-roll refiner and the ELK S Edition 26 single-shaft conche.
Built upon the company’s long-standing DoMiReCo (dosing, mixing, refining, and conching) framework, the upgraded systems run cleaner, smarter, and with greater efficiency. For chocolate and confectionery producers, these machinery developments offer a strategic toolkit to combat raw material volatility, reduce energy consumption, and automate production.
The launch introduces advanced processing technologies that target the most critical phases of chocolate mass manufacturing — refining and conching — where product mouthfeel, aroma, and material costs are determined.
Mitigating cocoa volatility through precision refining
Amid ongoing cocoa supply shortages and price volatility, the Finer S Edition 26 serves as a vital tool for raw material efficiency. The five-roll refiner retains Bühler’s capability to achieve a particle size distribution down to 12 micrometers. However, it layers this mechanical foundation with automated digital sensor technology.
The system monitors production parameters in real time, automatically fine-tuning: roll speeds; operating pressures; working temperatures.
By removing operator variables from the line, this automated optimisation ensures a stable, consistent product fineness. For manufacturers, maintaining strict particle uniformity prevents costly fat overdosing in the subsequent conching stage, protecting profitability. Additionally, the unit integrates high-efficiency IE5 motors that reduce overall energy consumption by up to 3%.
Enhanced conching for fat and energy savings
Complementing the refining process, the ELK S Edition 26 single-shaft conche regulates flavour development, moisture removal, and flow behaviour. While using the company’s traditional ELK conching tool geometry to ensure intense shearing and fat release, the machinery has been completely re-engineered around a modified frame.
The physical redesign introduces severe cost-saving mechanisms. When paired with advanced conching controls, the setup cuts energy consumption by up to 30% and expands throughput capacities without degrading chocolate quality. Furthermore, the optimised shearing tools facilitate enhanced fat release, allowing food manufacturers to achieve recipe fat savings of up to 2%.
A digitalised production floor
Central to both Edition 26 machines is the standard inclusion of Bühler’s Playone automation system. This web-based interface moves processing into a highly transparent digital environment.
“Our new automation system, powered by Bühler’s Playone, frees operators to focus on higher-value tasks such as quality control,” explained Skeljzen Nesimi, head of product management, chocolate & flavor creation at Bühler. “With its web-based design, it can be accessed via any authorised factory device, such as tablet, desktop, or smartphone, adding flexibility to the production setup”.
For producers managing high labour turnover, this automation simplifies day-to-day operation, speeds up worker onboarding, and tracks machine diagnostics remotely to prevent unplanned maintenance downtime.
Hygienic framework for 24/7 operations
To maximise uptime in continuous manufacturing plants, both systems feature streamlined hygiene layouts. The smoother component surfaces prevent material build-up and grant cleaning crews easier physical access. By accelerating washdown cycles and decreasing maintenance protocols, the hygienic designs actively reduce facility downtime while ensuring food safety compliance.
