Bühler launches inductively heated wafer oven
Uzwil - The Bühler Group from Uzwil in the Swiss canton of St.Gallen is launching OptiBake, a new technology for wafer ovens. These induction ovens consume 50 per cent less energy than conventional gas-heated waffle ovens – without affecting product quality.
(CONNECT) The Bühler Group from the St.GallenBodenseeArea, is launching the world's first inductively heated waffle oven. According to a statement, OptiBake is set to achieve a breakthrough in industrial baking, reducing energy consumption by 50 per cent compared to conventional gas-fired ovens. It gives customers in the wafer industry the chance to optimize their operating processes while also contributing to sustainability, says Bühler Group. “Our electric induction heating technology responds to the global demand for higher quality and efficiency, reduced operational costs, and a significantly lower carbon footprint,” Sandra Lutz, Head of Business Unit Wafer at the Bühler Group, is quoted as saying.
As well as energy savings of 50 per cent compared to conventional gas-fired or electric wafer ovens, inductive heating offers precise control of the newly engineered baking plate design, according to the statement. The system uses electromagnetic fields that generate heat directly within the plates. This is distributed consistently throughout the baking process and can be precisely controlled, removing the need for open flames. Additionally, the new oven eliminates carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, and its operation has no fire hazard as there are no open flames in the baking chamber, writes Bühler Group. These emission reductions can also lead to tax and licensing advantages, it adds.
Bühler also has a site in Leobendorf in Austria, and won the Lower Austrian Innovation Award 2025 with OptiBake. ce/eb