Targeted depositing applies a controlled amount of low-viscosity material onto products on a moving conveyor. It is designed for situations where product position varies, and mechanical timing alone is unreliable. FoodJet combines vision and software control to support targeted placement and repeatable patterns—depending on product presentation and line conditions.
FoodJet targeted depositing can apply low-viscosity material onto moving products at defined target points, even when the position varies on the belt. Depending on material behaviour, belt stability, and the required pattern accuracy, vision and recipe control help determine where and when to deposit. This can reduce overshoot and rework and support more consistent patterns or coverage compared with fixed-timing setups.
- Targeted placement on moving products, depending on product detection and belt stability.
- Less overshoot and misplacement waste (cleaner operation), depending on setup and material behaviour.
- Recipe-driven patterns, fills, and surface coverage, depending on required resolution and configuration.
The challenges in targeted food depositing
- Product position varies on the belt (spacing, rotation, tolerances), so fixed mechanical timing misses the target.
- Manual correction and frequent adjustments increase downtime and operator dependence.
- Inconsistent placement leads to quality variation (coverage, pattern, fill level).
- Overshoot and misplacement increase waste and cleaning effort.
Result: you lose consistency, yield, and line stability—especially at higher speeds and with frequent changeovers.
The benefits you gain with FoodJet's targeted application technology
With vision-guided and software-controlled targeted depositing, you can stabilise placement and dosing on traditional lines.
- Accurate placement of moving products, even when the position varies.
- Less overshoot and misplacement waste (cleaner operation).
- More consistent results for patterns, cavity fills, or defined surface coverage.
- Better portion control with repeatable dosing points.
- Reduced operator dependency (less manual adjustment during runs).
- Actual performance depends on product rheology, belt stability, and required pattern accuracy.
How FoodJet's targeted depositor addresses your needs
- Detect: vision identifies product position and orientation.
- Decide: software calculates where/when to deposit based on the recipe/pattern.
- Deposit: the depositor applies the liquid product at the calculated target points.
Targeted depositing is a strong fit when you:
- Need accurate placement while the product position varies on the belt.
- Want patterns/graphics, cavity fills, or controlled surface coverage.
- See waste or rework from overshoot, drip, or inconsistent placement.
- Run frequent product changes and need repeatable results after changeover.
- Want to reduce manual adjustments and operator dependency.
Three targeted depositing applications
FoodJet's targeted depositors are divided into three main solutions, each addressing specific needs in your production line. Pick the application type below—then we’ll advise the right setup based on your product, pattern, and line speed.
- Graphical decorations:
- Suitable for: logos, stripes, spirals, segmented patterns, and precise placement on moving products.
- Typical products: sauces, glazes, creams, chocolate compounds (pumpable), jams.
- Outcome: consistent visual result with less overshoot and less rework.
- Cavity filling:
- Suitable for: accurate filling into cavities or pockets where position varies (e.g., pastry/bakery pockets, formed products).
- Typical products: creams, jams, sauces, and fat-based fillings.
- Outcome: stable fill weight and position; fewer rejects from misaligned fills.
- Surface coverage:
- Suitable for: even spreading or striping across a defined area (coverage control rather than “wherever it lands”).
- Typical products: pizza-sauce-style applications, glazes, coatings, and spreads (pumpable).
- Outcome: more uniform coverage and better portion control; reduced waste.