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| What is the difference between rolled (laminated) and extruded pasta ?
Who services your equipment and what is the standard warranty period ? Where can I get replacement parts for your machines ? Where can I see your machines in action ? Can I make tortellini, cappelletti, ravioli or cavatelli in my restaurant ? Can I make ravioli with an extruder ? What type of regular maintenance is required ? What is the lead time on your equipment ? Is there one machine that makes all the pasta ? There is a vast difference between a rolled or laminated pasta and an extruded pasta. First it is important to understand the different processes utilized to make an extruded versus a rolled or laminated pasta. Extruded pasta is formed by virtue of force. A worm or screw housed within a barrel turns at a continuous rate forcing mixed pasta dough down this barrel. Once the product reaches the end of this barrel, it encounters a die. An "extruder" die is usually a flat object of substantial thickness with various openings on its surface. The shape of these openings determines the shape of the final product. Extruded pasta is the type of pasta commonly seen on the grocery store shelves (Barilla, DeCecco, Ronzoni, etc.). Rolled pasta is formed by passing mixed dough through a set of adjustable opening rollers several times to form a continuous sheet of pasta dough. Each time this sheet is passed through the rollers, the space between the rollers is decreased making the sheet thinner. The force applied by a set of rollers strongly integrates the sheet giving it resiliency and strength. Once the sheet reaches the desired thickness, it is passed through a set of cutting rollers. These rollers are not adjustable and determine the final width of the product. Rolled pasta is superior to extruded pasta in many ways. Some of these ways are as follows:
Can I make ziti, rigatoni, penne and other shaped objects on a sheeter/cutter (roller type, lamination machine) ? NO, the only way to make shaped pasta is with an extrusion unit such as the model FPE2001, FPE3001 or FPE5001 Can I dry rolled or laminated product ? YES, most of our customers air dry rolled product on either screened trays or racks. Can I dry my extruded pasta ? YES, however, you must use a professional drying system to perform the drying. The cost associated with a matched professional drying system will far exceed the cost of any extruder. If you attempt to dry extruded product without a professional drying system, your pasta will develop small stress fractures that will lead to product disintegration upon cooking. Who services your equipment and what is the standard warranty period ? Phase II Pasta Machines Inc. is a NAFEM member (North American Food Equipment Manufacturers). We utilize NAFEM's sister organization, the CFESA (Commercial Food Equipment Service Association) to comprise our nationwide network of authorized service centers. All CFESA service centers are capable of servicing our equipment in a timely fashion. Contact us to locate your nearest service center. Where can I get replacement parts for your machines ? Phase II Pasta Machines Inc. maintains full stock of both domestic and imported machine parts. We have parts stocked for machines dating back to the late 60's. In addition, most of our machines are assembled using components available directly through W.W. Grainger. W.W. Grainger is a national supply chain with locations existing throughout the country. It is always best to call us first to determine the fastest and cheapest way to get your replacement part. Where can I see your machines in action ? Phase II Pasta Machines has a full service showroom in Farmingdale, NY. This showroom has many machines available for demonstration throughout the year. Call us for an appointment to run your products. We also exhibit at many trade shows. Call us for a current listing of the trade shows we will be exhibiting at. Can I use a machine to make tortellini, cappelletti or ravioli in my restaurant ? The answer to this question is YES. However, each of these products requires a separate and different machine and these "separate" machines require a "pre-sheeted" continuous roll of pasta. Machines such as these are designed with high production in mind. While there are restaurants making these products "in house," they are usually quite large or distributing to other restaurants in the area. If you are a small restaurant looking to produce less than 500 pounds per week, the answer is probably NO. Some companies might claim to have a solution for you, however, the question of the quality of the final product should immediately come to mind. All Phase II Pasta Machines make a professional product you can confidently serve to your customers. We DO NOT offer smaller systems that we feel are not capable of meeting both your and our high standards. Can I make ravioli with an extruder ? YES, however, the quality of the dough you are using from the extruder is substandard (see above, rolled vs. extruded) to that of a laminated or rolled dough. Many ravioli systems that use an extruded dough are problematic. Colored pasta is made by substituting or adding different ingredients to the flour. Some of the popular colors and their ingredients are listed below.
What type of regular maintenance is required ? Today, most machines require little or no maintenance. Low maintenance components such as sealed and lubricated ball bearings, lubrication impregnated bushings and oilbath gear reducers are standard. Where maintenance is required, such as on open gears and roller chains, the application of grease or chain lube on a quarterly basis is sufficient. What is the lead time on your equipment ? Lead times for our machines vary. Below are some guidelines you can follow. These are approximate lead times. However, in many cases, we are capable of providing your equipment prior to these times. Our lead times fluctuate depending upon the season.
Is there one machine that makes all types of pasta ? NO, due to the specialized and diverse nature of pasta, there is no universal machine that makes every product. Phase II does offer a combination unit that makes several products, but it does not make everything. As a general rule of thumb, each machine makes different products within certain guidelines. For example, a ravioli machine is capable of making many different sizes and shapes of ravioli. Below are some of the machine families and their functions.
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