A method and apparatus 30 for processing a confectionary product such as chocolate comprises (i) ingredient mixers 100 for providing a mixed composition C, (ii) refiners 200 for refining composition C to provide a refined composition RC, and (iii) sensors 300 for determining a process output (120A, fig. 1) of the mixers 100, the mixing, and/or the composition C. A controller 400 controls a first process input (210A, fig. 1) of the refiners 200 based at least partly on the determined process output (120A, fig. 1) using a control model 500. The control model relates (a) the determined first process output (120A, fig. 1) of the mixers 100, (b) a first target property (210*A, fig. 1) of the refiners 200, the refining, and/or the refined composition RC, and (c) the first process input (210A, fig. 1) of the refiners 200. The first process output of the mixers 100 may comprise a current, voltage, power, torque, speed and/or pressure of at least one of the mixers. The first process input of the refiners 200 may comprise an adjustable roller nip, speed, pressure and/or temperature of the refiners, and the target property may be a rheological property such as plastic viscosity.
展开▼
