Computers And Chocolate Manufacturing
The first things that come up in an Internet search of computers and chocolate are computer-shaped novelty chocolates, but the relationship between computers and chocolate is a lot more complicated than that! Computers are involved in almost every step of the chocolate manufacturing process.
All mass production in the chocolate manufacturing industry is done now on assembly lines. The role of computers in chocolate manufacturing begins well before the first drop of chocolate hits the mold.
Whenever a manufacturer wants to produce a new chocolate, they create computer models of the manufacturing process. By imputing the ingredients and the desired final shape of the chocolate, chocolate manufacturers can engineer the entire process of making the candy virtually before they start production. If they intend for the chocolate to have a filling like nuts or nougat, the manufacturer programs additional steps into the computer model. Through the computer models, chocolate manufacturers are able to accurately project both the cost and time it will take to produce a new chocolate.
When the chefs and computer programmers reach a final product virtually, they work together to create molds. If the manufacturer is creating an entirely new candy, they need to create a chocolate mold to produce the candy. Computers are exceptionally important in this process as candy manufacturers have specialized programs that allow them to predict how chocolate will react in molds of different shapes, sizes and configurations. Because cooling chocolate is an essential part of chocolate manufacturing, designing molds that allow for the fastest heat dispersion is critical. In recent years, computer models for chocolate manufacturers have made production faster and safer by accounting for more variables – like the heat generated by machines later in the day as opposed to when workers first switch them on.
After the manufacturer designs the chocolate molds, humans need to move equipment around in a chocolate plant. If the manufacturer produces a similar candy on the line, the workers may jump to the programming step, but if the chocolate is unlike anything currently manufactured in the plant, people need to move the heavy equipment around. There are some things even computers cannot do yet!
Once the workers physically lay out the machinery the way it needs to be to produce the new chocolate, the computer programmers must program the computers with the instructions on how to make the candy. A single computer program will time the release of each ingredient on a chocolate assembly line. While this used to be a process that involved extensive trial and error, now the models are so sophisticated that usually they require only minor tweaking to account for unforeseen variables. As well, new machines employ sensors that provide feedback to the computers to allow the program to adjust. Some of the programs even reset when very minor timing or spacing errors become more of an issue after multiple repetitions.
Computers are integral to every level of chocolate manufacturing, so if you love chocolate and computers, maybe a career in programming chocolate manufacturing computers is for you!
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