CASE STUDY
Automatic Vacuum System for Multi-Deck Ovens in Industrial Bakeries
Industrial bakeries must comply with strict quality and hygiene standards. Any crumbs, baking residues, or burnt flour left inside the ovens can contaminate the next batch, damage product appearance, and increase the risk of non-compliance during audits.
Multi-deck ovens are extremely productive, but they are also large and time-consuming to clean between baking cycles—especially when operators have to enter hot chambers to remove residues manually.
This case study shows how an automatic vacuum system with a high-temperature PUMA 15 P industrial vacuum helps an industrial bakery clean its multi-deck ovens quickly and safely, without interrupting production.
Customer Profile & Application
The customer is an industrial bakery operating high-capacity multi-deck ovens to produce large volumes of baked goods. The ovens run multiple batches per day, with short time windows between cycles.
Oven Cleaning Challenges
Each multi-deck oven has several baking chambers stacked vertically.
Crumbs, baking residues, and burnt flour accumulate on the baking surfaces and in the corners.
Manual cleaning requires operators to:
Enter or reach deep inside the decks.
Work in high temperatures.
Use hand tools or portable vacuums, slowing down changeovers.
The bakery needed a solution that could clean all oven decks automatically between batches, without exposing operators to heat and without extended downtime.
The Challenge: Quality, Hygiene, and Downtime
In this application, the key problems were:
Product quality at risk
Leftover crumbs and burnt flour can stick to new products, affecting taste, texture, and appearance.Hygiene and food safety
Residues inside the oven can increase the risk of contamination and non-compliance with hygiene regulations and customer audits.Long cleaning times between batches
Manual cleaning inside multi-deck ovens is slow, labor-intensive, and uncomfortable. Each minute spent cleaning is a minute of lost production.Operator safety and ergonomics
Cleaning hot ovens exposes staff to heat and awkward positions inside the chambers, increasing the risk of burns and injury.
The bakery was looking for an automatic vacuum system for multi-deck ovens that could:
Remove crumbs, baking residues, and burnt flour directly inside the oven decks.
Work with high temperatures safely.
Reduce or eliminate manual cleaning between baking cycles.
Protect product quality and hygiene while sustaining high production throughput.
Depureco Solution: Automatic Vacuum System for Multi-Deck Ovens
To solve these issues, Depureco designed an automatic vacuum cleaning system dedicated to the customer’s multi-deck ovens.
System Concept
The system is built around a central high-power industrial vacuum unit, the Depureco PUMA 15 P, connected to:
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Six suction arms with brushes that reach every corner of the oven decks.
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A metal structure that supports and moves the arms inside each chamber.
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A tiltable collection bin for easy emptying of crumbs, baking residues, and burnt flour.
The arms are positioned so they can access all decks of the multi-deck oven. During the cleaning cycle, they move back and forth across the baking surfaces, brushing and vacuuming residues automatically.
This arrangement transforms oven cleaning from a manual, operator-dependent task into a repeatable, automated process.
System Configuration & Features
Mechanical & Layout Features
Mechanical & Layout Features
- 1 central vacuum unit
- Depureco PUMA 15 P high-power industrial vacuum.
- 6 suction arms with brushes
- Connected to a single vacuum line.
- Designed to reach corners and edges of each oven deck.
- Provide both mechanical action (brushing) and suction.
- Metal support structure
- Lifts and guides the suction arms into each oven chamber.
- Allows the arms to travel back and forth across the baking surfaces.
- Tiltable collection bin kit
- Approx. 41-gallon container for crumbs, baking residues, and burnt flour.
- Tiltable frame for quick and ergonomic emptying.
Cleaning Process
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The system activates the cleaning cycle between baking batches.
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The metal structure raises the suction arms into the multi-deck oven chambers.
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The arms travel along the decks, brushing and vacuuming crumbs and burnt flour.
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All residues are conveyed to the PUMA 15 P unit and collected in the tiltable bin.
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When the level sensor detects a full bin, suction is stopped for safe and easy discharge.
This automatic cycle minimizes operator intervention and keeps the oven decks ready for the next batch more quickly and consistently.
High-Temperature Central Vacuum Unit: PUMA 15 P
At the heart of the system is the Depureco PUMA 15 P, a high-power industrial vacuum specifically configured for continuous duty and high-temperature oven cleaning.
Key Technical Features
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High-power side channel blower
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Approx. 17.5 HP three-phase side channel blower for continuous industrial duty.
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Engineered and treated for high-temperature applications common in oven cleaning.
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High-temperature filtration
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NOMEX primary filter, suitable for hot air and hot crumbs/baking residues.
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Designed to handle elevated temperatures typical of multi-deck ovens during cleaning.
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Automatic filter cleaning (PSC)
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Compressed-air pulse cleaning system (PSC) to maintain constant performance.
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Keeps the filter clean without stopping the vacuum, ideal for frequent cycles.
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Large collection capacity
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Steel collection bin with approx. 41-gallon capacity.
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Tiltable bin kit with handle and wheels for fast, ergonomic emptying.
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Level control & remote operation
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Rotary level sensor to stop suction automatically when the bin is full.
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Remote control capability to integrate with the oven’s cleaning sequence.
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These features make the PUMA 15 P a reliable central vacuum unit for demanding bakery environments, where continuous duty, high temperature, and frequent cleaning cycles are the norm.
Results & Benefits for the Bakery
By implementing the automatic vacuum system for multi-deck ovens, the bakery achieved:
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Faster cleaning between batches
Automatic cycles clean all oven decks more quickly than manual methods, supporting higher production throughput. -
Improved product quality
Crumbs, baking residues, and burnt flour are removed consistently, reducing defects and contamination from one batch to the next. -
Enhanced hygiene and compliance
Cleaner ovens help support hygiene standards and make it easier to pass audits and customer quality checks. -
Safer, more ergonomic work
Operators no longer need to enter hot oven chambers or work in awkward positions to remove residues. -
Consistent, repeatable cleaning process
The same cleaning pattern is repeated every time, independent of operator technique, helping to stabilize quality and process reliability.
Puma 15P+ multi-deck oven
6 vacuum arms
Tiltable bin kit
Why This Matters for Industrial Bakeries
For industrial bakeries running multi-deck ovens, cleaning is not just a housekeeping task—it directly affects:
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Food safety and hygiene compliance
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Product consistency and brand image
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Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and production uptime
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Operator safety and ergonomics
An automatic vacuum system for multi-deck ovens, built around a high-temperature industrial vacuum like the PUMA 15 P, helps bakeries:
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Keep ovens clean while still hot.
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Reduce manual labor and downtime between batches.
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Protect product quality and meet hygiene requirements.
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Standardize cleaning routines across multiple lines and shifts.
Talk to Depureco USA About Oven & Bakery Vacuum Solutions
If you operate multi-deck ovens or industrial bakery lines and struggle with cleaning time, hygiene, or safety, Depureco USA can help.
We design industrial vacuum solutions for ovens and bakeries, from dedicated oven vacuums to high-power central systems like the one in this case study—configured around your ovens, layout, and production needs.
Get in touch with Depureco USA to discuss your application and build the right vacuum system for your bakery.