While most of us grew to truly appreciate the rich taste and aroma of freshly roasted beans, not many take the time to acknowledge the technology behind the whole operation.

As professionals, we all need to have deep understanding of the mechanical – and also chemical – processes that result in what actually ends up in our cups. Today, we’re going to take a closer look at coffee roasting machine technology.

How is the coffee roasted?

Tha basic principle of coffee roasting is fairly simple – the beans are slowly heated, until they get brown and dry enough. There is, however, at least a couple of basic types of roasters, including the most popular ones – drum and hot-air machines. In the former case, the beans ale placed in a circular compartment that is slowly spinning to maintain even heat distribution. Hot-air roasting machines use – you guessed it – heated air that goes through the screen beneath the beans. The screen itself serves the purpose of transferring the temperature. When it comes to heat source, there is also a few options available, depending on the model. Electrical and gas-fuelled devices are definitely among the most convenient and easy to control, but there’s also a range of open-flame models.

Coffed Coffee Roasters

What components are crucial for smooth and effective operation of a coffee roasting machine? Such devices usually consist of an aforementioned drum in which the beans are located during the roasting process. This large cylindrical compartment has many tiny holes punched throughout the surface. Drums are available in many different forms and sizes and provide the quickest roasting process – that’s why they’re usually picked by professional roasters.

A cooling tray is another key element of every device – it’s usually made of stainless steel or aluminium and allows for a quick transfer of beans to the cooling area. Larger trays are great, because they allow you to roast bigger batches at a time. Why is that so important? That way it’s just easier to maintain consistency between the different batches, which is crucial for the quality of the final product.

That’s not all! Every coffee roasting machine requires a fan or a different kind of blower system. Its job is to maintain proper airflow throughout the whole device, which is crucial for a number of reasons. First of all, it ensures even roasting of your beans, by properly distributing the heat. Secondly, it prevents any malfunctions, mechanical damages, or even the onset of a fire due to excessive temperature.

Coffee roasting plant – equipment

Last but not least, you’ll need something to monitor the temperature. A proper thermometer designed to operate in an industrial environment is a must. Even a small deviation in terms of heat can affect the final result – in order to achieve the best bean quality, you must be precise and consistent.

Coffee roasting machine technology – what should you consider?

When it comes technology applied in different types of modern coffee roasting machines, there’s at least a few things you should definitely look out for. First of them is automatic temperature adjusting system. It’ll help you achieve a more consistent roast by ensuring that the heat level within the roasting chamber is kept at the same level throughout the whole process. That will save you a lot of trial and error.

Other technological factors you should keep in mind include how much nice and vibration your roaster machine generates. It may seem like nothing, but if your device is located near your normal workstation, or in an actual coffee shop, it can get annoying pretty fast – for you and your guests. Luckily, most of modern machines are designed to minimize the noise during the roasting process.

Second hand – coffee machines

In terms of operation, you can get a manual coffee roaster machine, or a model equipped with electronic control panel. The latter gives you a lot of opportunities to perfect your roasting game – from saving your recipes, to controlling every small detail of the process. You can even link up the system to your computer. Wan to learn more? Be sure to check other articles available in our website!