BAKEWARES with ULTRASHIELD or AMEERICOAT or RHYNOCOAT coatings have excellent non-stick properties and resistance to corrosion. However, exposure to excessive heat or moisture and contact with plant equipment or practices that cause abrasion of the coating can shorten the life of your bakeware. Following these coating maintenance will minimize damage and maximize the life of your coated bakewares. Neglecting to follow these guidelines will reduce the life of your bakeware and, if the damage is sufficiently severe, may potentially void the warranty.
Handling
• Do not Scratch or Scrape Bakewares – Do not use metal utensils or other objects that could scratch the coating. Be extremely careful when handling bakewares to avoid scratches in the corners, main bake areas, or ends. Deep scratches may cause surface corrosion on the bakeware. Damage to the non-stick coating will cause the release mechanism in the coating to work improperly and cause unwanted sticking and, ultimately, premature failure of the coating.
Release Agents and Toppings
• Use of Oil – Oil or other release agents will not be necessary in most applications using AMEERICOAT or RHYNOCOAT coating. If a release agent is deemed necessary, please contact us in advance for advice. Release agents can build-up on bakewares and may require bakeware to be cleaned and re-coated to provide maximum life and release quality.
• Use of Toppings – Any debris or film left from liquid or dry toppings can affect the integrity and life of AMEERICOAT or RHYNOCOAT coatings. If the coating fails to release as required, the bakewares should be cleaned according to the guidelines found in this document.
Conveyors and Indexers
• Conveyor Friction – Bakewares should not be static on moving metal conveyors as this will cause wear on the bottom of the bakeware and potentially weaken the bakeware material.
• Bakeware Indexers – Adjust bakeware indexing fingers to prevent scratching the coated surface or causing damage to the sheet, both of which will result in early coating failure.
Proofer and Oven
• ULTRASHIELD Operating Temperatures – ULTRASHIELD coating is suitable for frozen products and is applicable at temperatures from -40°C through 240°C. The maximum recommended peak temperature is 260° Celsius.
• AMEERICOAT Operating Temperatures – AMEERICOAT coating is suitable for frozen products and is applicable at temperatures from -24°C through 360°C. The maximum recommended peak temperature is 400° Celsius.
• RHYNOCOAT Operating Temperatures – RHYNOCOAT coating is suitable for frozen products and is applicable at temperatures from -40°C through 280°C. The maximum recommended peak temperature is 320° Celsius.
• Moisture – Coated bakewares should not be allowed to sit wet or be exposed to high temperature water or steam for a prolonged length of time. Exposure to too much moisture can cause the release mechanism in the coating to work improperly and cause unwanted sticking and ultimately, premature failure of the coating.
• Empty Bakewares – Empty bakewares should not be allowed in the oven as this can lead to a deterioration of the coating surface. If possible, shut off heat during oven stoppages to prevent long exposure to elevated temperatures.
• Oven Heat – Oven experts should check to ensure that oven heat flow is consistent throughout the oven and that there are not areas where the oven reaches temperatures above the maximum suggested for our coatings.
Depanning
• Depan Products Quickly – Baked products should be depanned whilst still hot or warm. If baked products are allowed to cool in the coated bakeware, steam from the product will penetrate the coating and result in condensation and sweating of the baked item. Sweating may also cause the coating to lift, premature coating failure, and damage to the bakeware’s surface.
• Air Release – It is recommended that air nozzles or jets are used prior to the depanner with bun and roll type products. Air should be monitored to ensure it is strong enough to assist with depanning, but gentle enough not to damage the product or drive particulates into the coating.
• Vertical Depanning – For vertical depanning, adjust the depanner to lift the product out of the bakeware as straight as possible. Ensure that the depanner head and bakeware conveyor are traveling at the same speed.
• Sweep Depanning – For sweep depanning, make sure that the depanner has enough clearance from the bakeware to ensure that the coating is never touched. A minimum clearance of five millimetres is suggested.
Stacking
• Gentle Stacking – Plant personnel must ensure that automatic/manual stacking or manual handling operations do not damage the bakewares or coating. Careless stacking, dropping, or throwing of bakewares should be avoided. In general, always maintain slow drop speeds and minimize the drop height and angle when stacking pans.
• Magnetic Stackers – Check the adjustment of the magnetic pick up on un-stackers to ensure no force is applied to the bakeware as this could damage the bakeware material.
• Stack Heights – Bakewares must not be stacked too high or they could get damaged no matter if they are stacked automatically or manually. Tall bakeware stacks also create worker safety issues when moved on bakewares carrying trolly as the pans can become unstable and fall or cause other accidents. A common guide for proper bakeware stack height in the bakery is not more than 5 feet / 160 cm.
Cleaning
• Clean Before First Use – Wash and dry the coated bakewares thoroughly at a maximum temperature of 150°C in the oven. All coated bakewares are inspected before packaging and shipping; however, due to the time and typical manner of transit, it is recommended to clean them before first use.
• Thorough Cleaning – Incomplete cleaning allows ingredients and product to gather on the coated surface and will cause a degradation of the non-stick properties. Avoid washing whenever possible.
• Air Blowing – The safest cleaning method is “air blowing”. Make sure the air pressure is low and controlled so that it cleans the bakeware but does not blast seeds, crumbs, cornmeal or other particles into the bakeware surface.
• Brush Cleaning – If brushes are used to clean bakeware, soft brushes are required to avoid scratching the coating. Scratches in the coating can lead to permeation and subsequent corrosion of the substrate and loss of release properties.
• Steam Cleaning – Bakewares should not be washed with high pressure steam and/or chemical solutions when cleaning unless previously approved. NOTE: Coated bakewares should not sit wet or be exposed to steam for a prolonged period. Exposure to too much moisture can cause the release mechanism in the coating to work improperly and cause unwanted sticking, and ultimately, premature failure of the coating. Please contact us in advance to get approval of the process and/or chemical solutions.
• In-Line Washer – It is possible to use detergents in low concentration if they do not contain aggressive substances. If detergents are used, the bakewares must be rinsed thoroughly with clean water after washing and dried completely by running through an empty in oven for 10 minutes at 150°C (300°F). NOTE: Coated bakewares should not sit wet or be exposed to high temperature water a prolonged period. Exposure to too much moisture can cause the release mechanism in the coating to work improperly and result in unwanted sticking and premature failure of the coating. Please contact us in advance to get approval of the process and/or detergent.
Storage
• Clean Coated Items Before Storing – Long-term storage of items waiting to be put back into production should be avoided without prior cleaning as deposits are harder to remove over a long period of time.
• Store Coated Items Upside Down – Bakewares should be stored upside down unless they have been specifically designed for storage with baking surface up. Please contact us if you are unsure of the best way to store your bakewares.
• Environment – Coated bakewares should not be stored in a non-controlled environment and keep away from moist and humid storage environments. Never store bakewares that are still wet. Coated items that are washed or become wet should be thoroughly dried and stored in a dry location.
• Back to Production – Coated bakewares that have been stored in a cold environment should be allowed to warm to ambient temperature before being placed on the line. Condensation on cold metal can result in sticking due to excess moisture on the coated surface.