The new soft mass depositor SoftDrop from Bühler Group combines accuracy, flexibility and ease of use to help industrial bakeries create high-quality products with greater efficiency
In industrial bakery production, innovation is measured not only by new product ideas, but by the ability to turn those ideas into consistent, efficient and scalable processes. For manufacturers working with soft masses, aerated masses, creams, jams, cake doughs or fillings, this balance can be particularly demanding. Products must be handled gently, deposited accurately and produced reliably across different formats and applications. With the soft mass depositor SoftDrop, Bühler introduces a flexible and cost-efficient solution designed to support the next generation of soft mass depositing.
Developed for depositing, wire-cutting and extruding, SoftDrop fills an important gap in industrial bakery production. It is engineered to handle a wide range of applications, including jam depositing and filling, creams, cake dough for muffins, compound pastes and aerated masses such as Jaffa, meringue, macaron and chiffon cake. This versatility gives producers the freedom to expand their product portfolios and respond quickly to market trends, whether through new shapes, textures, decorations or filled and topped products.
Accuracy and repeatability
At the heart of SoftDrop is a strong focus on accuracy and repeatability. With a weight accuracy expressed as a coefficient of variation of 1% or less, depending on configuration and product recipe, the system supports precise portioning and consistent product quality. For industrial bakeries, this level of control is essential. It helps reduce variation, supports efficient use of ingredients and contributes to the reliable appearance, texture and quality that customers expect from every product.
SoftDrop is also designed for flexibility in production. It can be configured with one or two heads and supports depositing before or after baking. Depending on the product and configuration, it can handle inclusions up to 4 mm and offers different inlet combinations, including hopper, manifold, scraper, feed roller and pumphouse options. Optional tempering further extends the application range, making the system suitable for heated jam, gel and chocolate fillings used as toppings, injections or standard deposits.
Operational simplicity is another defining feature. The lightweight pumphouse and practical roll-on/roll-off concept make handling easier and simplify changeovers, cleaning and maintenance. For manufacturers facing shorter production runs and increasing product variety, these details directly support higher uptime and productivity. Standardization also helps reduce complexity and total cost, making SoftDrop a practical investment as well as a technical innovation.
It is particularly attractive for customers with existing equipment. By exchanging two mounting brackets, it can be mounted onto existing Meincke V60 machines, including Meincke V60-1, Meincke V60-2 and Meincke V60-3 configurations. Compatibility with existing trolleys and iris-cutters enables producers to add new products to their portfolio without unnecessary disruption to established lines.
To support modern bakery operations, SoftDrop is equipped with a Siemens control system and Bühler’s Playone HMI (Human-Machine Interface). This harmonized web-based machine control system provides intuitive operation, efficient recipe management, real-time dashboards and centralized user management, helping reduce training time and simplify daily production.
Combining precision, flexibility and ease of use, SoftDrop reflects Bühler’s commitment to practical innovation. It gives bakery producers the confidence to explore new products, improve consistency and strengthen efficiency – deposit after deposit.
