The tunnel oven received its name because of its elongated style with openings at both ends. At one end, the product development starts when placed on the conveyor belt that rolls through a series of baking chambers. Within that long tunnel, air and heat work together to cure the product until it is finished and removed from the opening at the opposite end.

Tunnel oven designs include tunnel ovens for bakery products, pizza tunnel oven, shrink-wrapping tunnel oven and more. Engineers design these large industrial machines with precision controls to ensure even baking, easy cleaning and low maintenance. For tunnel ovens education and training for your employees, please consider the following suggestions:

1. Attend conferences for industrial tunnel oven education.

2. Utilize tunnel bakery oven-training programs.

3. Find certification programs for tunnel oven safety and design.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Attend conferences for hands-on information on tunnel ovens

Within conferences for those in the baking industry are educational courses that discuss business-baking tips and include baking equipment. The baking industry centers around the ovens they use to make their products, so consider attending conferences with tunnel oven distributors in attendance. If you seek to buy a tunnel oven, all the information, products and demonstrations are in one place.

I recommend: Check out the American Society of Baking BakingTech conference, which includes oven discussions and education. The International Baking Industry Exposition has a Baking Expo that offers information and answers for all industry bakers.

Enroll employees in tunnel ovens for bakery products training

Training for tunnel ovens comes in a variety of areas. You want employees to learn how to successfully operate and perform regular maintenance on your oven so that it stays in proper operating order. Training also includes instructions for cleaning the oven safely. Invest in training for your employees to learn proper information to operate your equipment at optimal levels.

I recommend: NAFEM (North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers) has a calendar of events on a national and international level with training programs provided with the events. If you want heat-specific training, see what CCI Thermal Technologies offers for those interested in infrared ovens.

Seek certification programs for tunnel baking ovens

In addition to baking industries, the industrial tunnel oven also serves mechanical and packing industries. Quite often, employers want employees who operate these ovens to take and pass a certification course. These tunnel ovens operate in similar fashion to food service tunnel ovens, but they have different designs and structure for a different product return. Some provide shrink-wrapping, paint curing, smoldering processes and more, and certification training is important in these industries.

I recommend: For shrink-wrapping tunnel oven on-the-job training and certification, see PMMI - a company that focuses on people in the packaging industry. Get training from Mahan Oven in operation of equipment.

Used mostly in the engineering, automotive, baking and packaging industries, tunnel ovens are large, industrial-sized machines designed with a conveyor system and other parts for faster processing. Tunnel ovens are effective because they can boost productivity and maximize your business profits. Most tunnel ovens heat to anywhere from 150 to 2,000 degrees. They also come in all sizes and models, such as front-loading recirculating, floor model shelf and tabletop shelf.

These stainless-steel structures are commonly available as electric, infrared or gas. Some tunnel ovens come as combination heating or baking systems, such as electric convection or infrared convection. An electric tunnel oven provides free-flowing air ventilation and temperature controls for even heating or browning. A gas tunnel oven relies on burners and multiple heat zones, while an infrared tunnel oven provides flameless, or dry, heat for even, quick drying. Decide on space for your business or factory, and customize your tunnel oven based on these factors:

1. Choose a tunnel oven capable of multiple functions in addition to heating and cooling.

2. Buy a tunnel oven that pertains to your specialty, whether it's engineering, manufacturing or food.

3. Decide whether to buy a new oven or rely on a used tunnel oven.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy a tunnel oven with many uses

Tunnel ovens are valuable for multiple functions, such as high-speed production, even heating, curing, cooling and drying.

I recommend: ITS Industrial Ovens supplies tunnel ovens of different sizes and configurations such as roller hearth, truck or walk-in. Find a programmable or automatic tunnel oven at Thermcraft, Inc.

Pick a tunnel oven that is tailored toward your specialty

Having an industrial tunnel oven comes in handy if you work with automotive paints, materials packaging or lab work. Tunnel ovens for bakery products are necessary if you work in the food processing industry.

I recommend: Tunnel oven distributors Innovative Industries manufacture industrial tunnel ovens intended for lab work, automotive parts and paint drying. If you're looking for a tunnel bakery oven, Gemini Bakery Equipment Company features pizza tunnel ovens and other tunnel ovens for bakery products such as bagels and rolls. For a shrink-wrapping tunnel oven, Chase Industries, Inc. provides several stainless steel varieties.

Choose used tunnel ovens to save money and energy

Find used tunnel ovens that produce the most goods and services in an energy efficient and cost-effective manner. Also, consider accessories for conveying, loading, unloading, cleaning and storage.

I recommend: Andre Robin and Associates manufacture industrial tunnel ovens used for processing and packaging. Mahan Oven & Engineering offers new and used tunnel ovens. Types include electric, infrared and gas tunnel ovens.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Good tunnel ovens should have proper air flow as well as cooling mechanisms to prevent overdrying, cracking or any other damage.
• •  Consider new or used tunnel ovens that feature pressure wash systems or automated cleaning to prevent product contamination.