Vertical conching machine VMC100

horizontalfor chocolate

Overview
A batch chocolate conching machine conditions already-refined chocolate mass. The VMC series (vertical batch VMC100–VMC600) and the horizontal HMC1000 remove residual moisture and volatile acids (in cocoa recipes), develop flavour, redistribute the continuous fat phase around solids and stabilise viscosity. Conches do not reduce primary particle size; mass must arrive from a ball mill refiner at ~18–25 µm. Model selection depends on required batch size, production style and electrical supply.

Available models

• VMC100 — 100 kg batch
• VMC200 — 200 kg batch
• VMC400 — 400 kg batch
• VMC600 — 600 kg batch
• HMC1000 — 1000 kg batch (horizontal)

Process suitability

• Do not use a conche if required batch < 30 kg or > 1000 kg (below 30 kg the circulation pump cannot complete the loop; above 1000 kg no model reaches it).
• Do not use if particle-size reduction is still required — conches condition already-refined mass (refine to ~18–25 µm in a ball mill first).
• Do not use if feed is finished solid chocolate or compound pieces — those require melting/holding, not conching.
• Do not use if formulation does not require moisture reduction, volatile-acid removal or further flavour development — conching adds processing time without benefit.

Electrical supply

• VMC100 and VMC200: 220 V single-phase only.
• VMC400 and VMC600: 220 V single-phase or 380 V three-phase.
• HMC1000: 380 V three-phase (fixed industrial installation).
• If only single-phase supply is available, no model covers batches >600 kg.

Machine class

• Vertical VMC (VMC100–VMC600): caster-mounted vertical conches for batches up to 600 kg. Suited to artisan/pilot production and frequent recipe changes. Typical conching cycle ~13 hours.
• Horizontal HMC1000: fixed industrial installation for repeated single-recipe runs above 600 kg and up to 1000 kg per batch. Features horizontal agitation, splashing disk, forced-air extraction, stainless-steel lobe pump with sieve filter and load cells. Typical conching cycle ~13 hours.

Model range — comparison

• VMC100 — Capacity: 100 kg; Installed power: 3 kW; Supply: 220 V single-phase; Typical process time: ~13 h; Eliminated if batch <30 kg or >100 kg.
• VMC200 — Capacity: 200 kg; Installed power: 4.5 kW; Supply: 220 V single-phase; Typical process time: ~13 h; Eliminated if batch ≤100 kg or >200 kg.
• VMC400 — Capacity: 400 kg; Installed power: 5.2 kW; Supply: 220 V single-phase or 380 V three-phase; Typical process time: ~13 h; Eliminated if batch ≤200 kg or >400 kg.
• VMC600 — Capacity: 600 kg; Installed power: 5.2 kW; Supply: 220 V single-phase or 380 V three-phase; Typical process time: ~13 h; Eliminated if batch ≤400 kg or >600 kg.
• HMC1000 — Capacity: 1000 kg; Installed power: 18 kW; Supply: 380 V three-phase; Horizontal agitation, lobe pump with sieve filter, load cells; Typical process time: ~13 h; Eliminated if batch ≤600 kg or >1000 kg, or if only single-phase supply is available.

Configuration options (VMC100 to VMC600)

• Automated heated valve: VMC100–VMC600 — select when automatic switching between recirculation and transfer is required. If omitted: flow must be switched manually and chocolate can set in the valve seat between transfers.
• Water-jacketed chocolate inlet assembly: VMC100–VMC600 — select when an upstream pump feeds the conche through fixed piping. If omitted: no connection for upstream pump; conche is charged by hand.
• Product level sensor: VMC100–VMC600 (requires inlet assembly) — select for automatic feed from upstream equipment. If omitted: no tank-level stop signal; unattended filling can overflow the reservoir.

Process constraints (applies to every model)

• Input must be already refined to ~18–25 µm; conches do not reduce primary particle size.
• Conching temperature is recipe-bound: dark couverture ≈60–80 °C; milk chocolate typically 45–55 °C; white chocolate 45–55 °C; compound coatings 45–55 °C. Exceeding recipe temperature risks browning and cooked/caramelised notes; running below reduces flavour development and moisture removal.
• Bypass-loop reheating: chocolate returning at crystallisation temperature (~28–32 °C) must be reheated before re-entering conche or storage tank to avoid localised crystallisation and viscosity rise.

Working principle
Refined chocolate enters the heated vessel. Mechanical agitation exposes the mass to air while a forced-extraction circuit removes moisture vapour and volatile acids. PID-controlled water-jacket heating maintains recipe temperature. The continuous fat phase redistributes around solids, viscosity stabilises, and the suspension reaches a uniform rheological state.

Position in the production line

• Upstream: Ball-mill refiner reduces particle size to ~18–25 µm (refining cannot be skipped).
• Downstream: Conditioned chocolate transfers to a storage tank for holding or to a tempering machine. Real chocolate must be tempered before moulding, depositing or enrobing; untempered feed causes unstable crystallisation, fat bloom and poor mould release. HMC1000 with load cells and lobe pump connects directly to storage or tempering; VMC models transfer via gear pump batch-by-batch.

Maintenance and warranty

• Water-jacket treatment: use 30% food-grade inhibited propylene glycol (or specified heat-transfer fluid). Untreated hard water causes scale and build-up that degrades heater performance over long conching cycles.
• Warranty: 1 year against manufacturing and construction defects.
• Lead time: typically 3–4 months from order; units built to required capacity, voltage and transfer configuration.

Technical specifications

• Construction: AISI 304 stainless steel (common to all models).
• Heating: water-jacketed heating, PID-controlled (common).
• Extraction: forced-air extraction for moisture and volatile-acid removal (common).
• VMC100 — Capacity 100 kg; Installed power 3 kW; Supply 220 V single-phase; Agitation: variable-speed orbital with side-wall scraping; Gear-type chocolate pump; Typical process time ~13 h; Base price (excl. VAT): €15,000.00.
• VMC200 — Capacity 200 kg; Installed power 4.5 kW; Supply 220 V single-phase; Typical process time ~13 h; Base price (excl. VAT): €17,900.00.
• VMC400 — Capacity 400 kg; Installed power 5.2 kW; Supply 220 V single-phase or 380 V three-phase; Typical process time ~13 h; Base price (excl. VAT): €21,900.00.
• VMC600 — Capacity 600 kg; Installed power 5.2 kW; Supply 220 V single-phase or 380 V three-phase; Typical process time ~13 h; Base price (excl. VAT): €25,800.00.
• HMC1000 — Capacity 1000 kg; Installed power 18 kW; Supply 380 V three-phase; Horizontal agitation with splashing disk; Stainless-steel lobe pump with sieve filter; Load cells; Closed-loop circulation or transfer to storage; Typical process time ~13 h; Base price (excl. VAT): €48,600.00.