Product lines

Three lines for fresh cheese – closed, automatic, proven

Cottage cheese, paneer, and halloumi and grill cheese: three lines, each built from NDT's own machines – the Multi-Cheese Vat, the drainers, washers and coolers, the blenders, the mould fillers and the heating section – and delivered as one closed system. From a single vat to a complete plant, for regional dairies and industrial plants in Europe and North America.

Closed NDT cheese vat with green drive, installed in a dairy

The cottage cheese line

From skim milk to packed cottage cheese, step by step

An NDT cottage cheese line integrates the full processing chain in one closed system: the vat, the Draining Washer Cooler, the Drum Drainer and the Creamer Blender. Every component is designed for gentle handling of the cheese grains through transport, pumping, draining, washing and cooling before the final blend with dressing – and every step can be delivered on its own as an upgrade to an existing line.

Milk in

Standardised, pasteurised skim milk enters the closed vat. From here on the product is enclosed.

Curd making · MCV

Acidification, coagulation, cutting, agitation and heating in the Multi-Cheese Vat, on recipe – one vat for any type of cheese curd processing, with high yield and capacity. Horizontal and vertical cutting tools, whey pre-drawn through the strainer during agitation, delta-T controlled heating.

Draining, washing, cooling · DWC

The Draining Washer Cooler removes the whey and washes and cools the cheese grains. Gentle handling that improves yield and quality while running at high capacity.

Drum drainer · DD

The Drum Drainer separates the cheese grains from the liquid before it is dosed into the mixing tanks – gentle handling at high capacity.

Creaming · CBV and DT

The Creamer Blender Vertical blends dressing and cheese grains before packaging – controlled and uniform, so the composition of the product is the same through the whole packaging cycle. Dressing tanks hold any type of dressing for cottage cheese.

To the filler

The finished cottage cheese goes to the filling machine in a closed system. No hands, no open transfer.

Around the line: sterile air and steaming for vats, conveyors and cabinets; one control system runs the recipes and keeps the batch records; CIP covers the complete line without disassembly.

Capacity

Start with one vat. Grow without replacing it.

Lines are modular and built from the same machines, so capacity grows by adding units – not by replacing them – and the layout is adapted to the building you already have. Capacities below are typical at two batches per vat per day and 50–100 % of vat volume; the exact figure depends on your recipe and running hours.

Entry

One vat, one line

One MCV of 10,000 L, run at 5,000–10,000 L per batch, with a Draining Washer Cooler, a Drum Drainer and a Creamer Blender. For a dairy adding cottage cheese to an existing fresh-dairy plant.

approx. 10,000–20,000 L milk per day

Standard

Two vats, full closed line

Two vats of 14,000–18,000 L, run at 50–100 %, DWC, DD and CBV with dressing tanks, sterile air and CIP of the complete line.

approx. 30,000–70,000 L milk per day

Advanced

Multi-vat plant

Three or more vats of 22,000–30,000 L, parallel draining, washing and cooling, CCM cutter for ready-to-eat formats, integration with plant control.

more than 70,000 L milk per day

Lines – by what you make

Three lines, one closed system

A line is what a dairy buys: the vat or the flocculator tanks, the draining, washing and cooling, the blending or the mould filling, pressing and cooking, the air and the cleaning – engineered, delivered, commissioned and guaranteed as one system. All three lines are built from the machines further down this page.

Closed NDT cheese vat with manhole, operating panel and platform

Cottage cheese with blueberries and mint

Line 01 Cottage cheese line · MCV · DWC · DD · CBV · DT

More cheese from the same milk – in a closed line

The NDT cottage cheese line integrates the full processing chain: closed Multi-Cheese Vats up to 30,000 litres, Draining Washer Coolers, Drum Drainers and Creamer Blender Vertical systems with dressing tanks. Every component is designed for gentle handling of the cheese grains through every stage of transport, pumping, draining, washing and cooling before the final blend with dressing.

Yield is where the economics are decided. Depending on process design, one kilogram of cheese grains can take anywhere from 4.5 to 6.0 kg of skim milk – at scale, that difference separates an average line from a highly profitable one. NDT designs the line from the end product backwards: grain size and distribution, dressing type, viscosity and shelf life are set first, and the process is then built to deliver them reliably at the highest possible yield. Fully closed, continuously operating production supports the hygiene required for a shelf life of 40–50 days in unopened packaging in cold storage.

Multi-Purpose Cheese Vat (MCV): one solution for any type of cheese curd processing – high yield and capacity
Draining Washer Cooler (DWC): removal of whey, washing and cooling of the cheese grains – gentle handling at high capacity
Drum Drainer (DD): separating cheese grains from liquid before dosing into the mixing tanks
Creamer Blender Vertical (CBV): controlled, uniform blending of dressing and cheese grains – the same composition through the whole packaging cycle
Dressing tanks (DT) for any type of dressing; sterile air and steaming; CIP of the complete line

Technical data

Vat: Multi-Cheese Vat (MCV), 6,000–30,000 L per batch in steps of 4,000 L – see Machines
Cutting: Horizontal and vertical cutting tools, grain size set by recipe; whey pre-drawn through the strainer during agitation
Draining, washing, cooling: Draining Washer Cooler (DWC) – removal of whey, washing and cooling of the cheese grains at high capacity
Drum drainer: Drum Drainer (DD) – separating cheese grains from liquid before dosing into the mixing tanks
Creaming: Creamer Blender Vertical (CBV) – controlled, uniform blending of dressing and cheese grains before packaging
Dressing: Dressing tanks (DT) for any type of dressing – cream, whey, fermented cream or combinations
Yield: Designed for the lowest consumption of skim milk per kg cheese grains; process range in the industry 4.5–6.0 kg/kg
Shelf life: Closed, continuous production supporting 40–50 days unopened in cold storage
Control: One control system for the line: recipes, batch records, documentation; Siemens, Rockwell or other platforms
Cleaning: CIP of the complete line without disassembly; sterile air and steaming
Capacity: From one vat (approx. 10,000–20,000 L milk/day) to multi-vat plants above 100,000 L/day – see Capacity

Austria 2024UK 2025USA 2025Germany 2026Canada 2026Austria 2026 – under delivery

Request a line proposal Datasheet (PDF)

NDT paneer line: mould conveyor with pre-press stations

Line 02 Paneer line · new design implemented in Canada

Paneer at industrial scale – without hands

Paneer is made by flocculating hot milk with acid, not by renneting in a vat. NDT's paneer line – a new design implemented in Canada – does it in flocculator tanks, drains the cheese grains in a compact high-capacity drum drainer and fills and pre-presses the moulds automatically, with uniform weight control.

Efficient flocculation by heat and acid increases the yield and gives uniform quality from batch to batch. The Drum Drainer Small High-Capacity separates the cheese grains from the whey with gentle handling, in a compact design that reduces space and load for the installation. The Mould Pre Press Filling Machine fills and pre-presses the drained cheese grains with uniform mould filling and weight control. Around it: mould conveyors, mould stacking and de-stacking, pressing station, cooling tunnel, mould turner and mould empty/discharge station – and the CCM cutter for ready-to-eat portions.

Flocculator tanks: efficient flocculation by heat and acid – higher yield, uniform quality from batch to batch
Drum Drainer Small High-Capacity (DDS-HC): separating cheese grains from whey, gentle handling at high capacity, compact design
Mould Pre Press Filling Machine (PPMFM): efficient mould filling and pre-pressing with uniform weight control
Mould conveyors, mould stacking and de-stacking, pressing station, cooling tunnel, mould turner, mould empty/discharge station
CCM ultrasonic cutter for ready-to-eat portions, 100 g to 2,000 g

Technical data

Flocculation: Flocculator tanks – flocculation of hot milk by acid; recipe-controlled temperature and dosing
Draining: Drum Drainer Small High-Capacity (DDS-HC) – separating cheese grains from whey; compact design
Moulding: Mould Pre Press Filling Machine (PPMFM) – mould filling and pre-pressing with weight control
Pressing: Pressing station; mould conveyors, mould turner, mould stacking and de-stacking
Cooling: Cooling tunnel (spiral) with CIP station
Discharge: Mould empty/discharge station
Cutting: Optional CCM ultrasonic cutter – pieces from 100 g to 2,000 g
Control: One control system for the line: recipes, batch records, documentation
Cleaning: CIP of tanks, drainer and conveyors; washing of moulds
Capacity: Stated in the line proposal for your product and running hours

Canada 2023Canada 2024

Request a line proposal Datasheet (PDF)

NDT grill cheese line in stainless steel, with NDT cut into the frame

Line 03 Halloumi and grill cheese line · MCV · DC · PPMFM · Heating section

Halloumi and grill cheese – closed, continuous, fully automated

Heat-and-eat cheese is moving onto the plate where meat used to be. NDT's halloumi and grill cheese line runs closed and continuous: coagulation in the Multi-Cheese Vat, draining on the draining conveyor, mould filling and pre-pressing, then cooking, cooling and salting in the heating section.

The Multi-Cheese Vat gives efficient coagulation with multiple cultures and uniform quality from batch to batch. The draining conveyor separates the cheese grains from the whey with gentle handling at high capacity, in a compact design. The Pre Press and Mould Filling Machine fills and pre-presses the moulds with uniform weight control. The heating section cooks, cools and salts the cheese – and washes the moulds. Mould conveyors, mould turning, a pressing station and a mould empty/discharge station complete the line; the CCM cutter adds ready-to-eat portions.

Multi-Cheese Vat (MCV): efficient coagulation with multiple cultures – uniform quality from batch to batch
Draining conveyor (DC): separating cheese grains from whey, gentle handling at high capacity, compact design
Pre Press and Mould Filling Machine (PPMFM): efficient mould filling and pre-pressing with uniform weight control
Heating section: cooking, cooling and salting of the cheese; washing of moulds
Mould conveyors, mould turning, pressing station, mould empty/discharge station; CCM cutter for portions

Technical data

Vat: Multi-Cheese Vat (MCV), 6,000–30,000 L – coagulation with multiple cultures, recipe-controlled cutting and agitation
Draining: Draining conveyor (DC) – separating cheese grains from whey; compact design
Moulding: Pre Press and Mould Filling Machine (PPMFM) – mould filling and pre-pressing with weight control
Cooking: Heating section – cooking, cooling and salting of the cheese; washing of moulds
Handling: Mould conveyors, mould turning, pressing station, mould empty/discharge station
Cutting: Optional CCM ultrasonic cutter – pieces from 100 g to 2,000 g
Control: One control system for the line: recipes, batch records, documentation
Cleaning: CIP of the complete line without disassembly
Capacity: Stated in the line proposal for your product and running hours

Sweden 2020Canada 2022 – line upgrade

Request a line proposal Datasheet (PDF)

Machines delivered on their own

The Multi-Cheese Vat and the CCM cutter

Two of NDT's machines are sold on their own as well as in a line: the Multi-Cheese Vat – as a capacity step, as a replacement for an open vat or as an upgrade to a line from another supplier – and the CCM cutter, which fits any cheese line. All the other machines of the three lines – the drainers, washers and coolers, the blenders, the mould fillers and the heating section – are listed under Machines of the lines.

Machine 01 Multi-Cheese Vat (MCV)

One closed vat for any type of cheese curd

Cottage cheese, halloumi and grill cheese, fresh cheese: the Multi-Cheese Vat is one solution for any type of cheese curd processing, with high yield and capacity. Run it at 50 % or 100 % of its volume, clean it in place, service it once a year.

The MCV comes in sizes from 6,000 to 30,000 litres in steps of 4,000, so one vat covers both the small specialty batch and the full production run. Whey is emptied during agitation through a whey strainer with servo-controlled position. The horizontal knife, the vertical knives and the agitator are servo-driven, and a wireless temperature control sits where the curd is. Recipe control, a large multi-touch operating panel with 3D view and full batch documentation make every product repeatable; a hygienic air vent with low losses during CIP, a large manhole, a service lid and insulated, detachable side panels make inspection fast.

6,000 L to 30,000 L in steps of 4,000 L · full process from 50 % to 100 % of vat volume
Whey emptying during agitation
Servo-driven horizontal knife, vertical knives and agitator – the same cut every time
Efficient coagulation with multiple cultures; uniform quality from batch to batch
Recipe control, full batch control and documentation; multi-touch panel with 3D view; intermediate and full CIP
One planned service stop per year at 24/7 production

Technical data

Capacity: 6,000–30,000 L in steps of 4,000 L
Fill range: Full process from 50 % to 100 % of vat volume
Products: Cottage cheese, halloumi and grill cheese, fresh cheese – any type of cheese curd processing
Cutting: Servo-driven horizontal knife and vertical knives; grain size set by recipe
Agitation: Servo-driven agitator; mechanical agitating system of NDT design
Whey: Whey strainer with servo-controlled position; whey emptying during agitation
Emptying: Lifting bellows raise the back end for complete, gentle emptying
Temperature: Wireless temperature control in the curd; heating and cooling on delta T, time and temperature
Hygiene: Hygienic air vent with low losses during CIP; large manhole and service lid; insulated, detachable side panels; hygienic control cabinet
Control: Large multi-touch panel with 3D view, recipe and batch control, full documentation in the panel; Siemens, Rockwell or other platforms
Cleaning: Programmes for intermediate and full CIP
Service: One planned service stop per year at 24/7 production

Latvia 2025Denmark 2026

Request a line proposal Datasheet (PDF)

NDT CCM cheese cutting machine, enclosed

Machine 02 CCM ultrasonic cheese cutter

Any cheese, cut to the gram

Ready-to-eat formats are growing fast, and they have to weigh what the label says. The CCM cuts and slices blocks up to 150 × 150 × 500 mm into pieces from 100 g to 2,000 g – 60 pieces of 200 g a minute at ±0.5–1.0 % weight accuracy – with ultrasonic blades on servo drives.

The CCM cuts any cheese from mozzarella to hard cheese. Double infeed conveyors feed the blocks, a single outlet conveyor takes the pieces away, and a pusher removes pieces out of the weight range automatically. Every batch and every piece is registered for quality tracking. The machine is built in hygienic stainless steel – gear motors and actuators included – to IP67/69, is operated from a 22-inch touch panel on a movable arm, communicates on ProfiNet, and is supported remotely with camera surveillance. It stands on 1.3 × 2.3 m of floor.

Blocks up to 150 × 150 × 500 mm; pieces from 100 g to 2,000 g; slices from 1–2 mm
Weight accuracy ±0.5–1.0 % · 60 pieces of 200 g per minute
Hygienic stainless steel throughout, IP67/69, fully automatic
Full batch and piece registration, statistics, ProfiNet
Footprint 1.3 × 2.3 m · 3 × 380 V, 4.2 kW installed, approx. 2.5 kW in use

Technical data

Block size: Max. 150 × 150 × 500 mm
Pieces: 100 g to 2,000 g; slices from 1–2 mm
Accuracy: ±0.5–1.0 % by weight
Capacity: Example: 60 pieces of 200 g per minute
Cutting: Ultrasonic blades with servo cylinders and servo motors
Conveyors: Double infeed, single outlet, adjustable receiver conveyors; pusher for out-of-weight pieces
Control: 22-inch colour touch panel on movable arm; ProfiNet; batch and piece registration; statistics
Service: Remote service and surveillance, camera included
Design: Hygienic stainless steel incl. gear motors and actuators; IP67/69
Footprint: 1.3 × 2.3 m
Power: 3 × 380 V AC + N + G, 4.2 kW installed; approx. 2.5 kW consumption

Canada 2022Canada 2024

Request a line proposal Datasheet (PDF)

Drum Drainer Small High-Capacity (DDS-HC) with mould conveyors in a paneer line in Canada

Machines of the lines

Built from standard NDT machines

Every line is assembled from NDT's own standard machines, so a line can grow, be upgraded or be rebuilt for another product without starting over. The machines are also delivered on their own into existing lines.

Cottage cheese

Draining Washer Cooler (DWC)

Removal of whey, washing and cooling of the cheese grains. Gentle handling that improves yield and quality while running at high capacity.

Cottage cheese

Drum Drainer (DD)

Separates the cheese grains from the liquid before dosing into the mixing tanks. Gentle handling improving yield and quality at high capacity.

Cottage cheese

Creamer Blender Vertical (CBV)

Controlled and uniform blending of dressing and cheese grains before packaging – the same composition through the whole packaging cycle. Fed from dressing tanks (DT) for any type of dressing.

Paneer

Flocculator tanks

Efficient flocculation of hot milk by acid, increasing yield and giving uniform quality from batch to batch.

Paneer

Drum Drainer Small High-Capacity (DDS-HC)

Separates cheese grains from whey with gentle handling at high capacity. Compact design to reduce space and load for the installation.

Paneer · halloumi

Pre Press and Mould Filling Machine (PPMFM)

Efficient mould filling and pre-pressing of drained cheese grains, with uniform mould filling and weight control.

Halloumi · grill cheese

Draining conveyor (DC)

Separates cheese grains from whey with gentle handling at high capacity, in a compact design.

Halloumi · grill cheese

Heating section

Cooking, cooling and salting of the cheese – and washing of the moulds.

All lines

Mould handling and cutting

Mould conveyors, mould turner, mould stacking and de-stacking, pressing station, cooling tunnel, mould empty/discharge station – and the CCM ultrasonic cutter for ready-to-eat portions.

Also delivered: cream tanks, ricotta mixer tank, R&D tank, UVC in-line unit for brine, spiral cooling tunnel with CIP station, heating section crane system, steaming and sterile air units.

Downloads

Datasheets and brochure

Technical data for each line and machine, and the NDT brochure – as PDF, in English. Open them in the browser or download them. Figures are typical values; the figures for your line are stated in the line proposal.

NDT brochureLines, machines, service and references – the company in eight pages.PDF · 8 pages · 2.6 MB

Open Download

Cottage cheese lineMulti-Cheese Vat, Draining Washer Cooler, Drum Drainer, Creamer Blender Vertical, dressing tanks.PDF · 2 pages · 0.4 MB

Open Download

Paneer lineFlocculator tanks, drum drainer, mould pre-press filling – a new design implemented in Canada.PDF · 2 pages · 0.6 MB

Open Download

Halloumi and grill cheese lineMulti-Cheese Vat, draining conveyor, mould filling and pre-pressing, heating section.PDF · 2 pages · 0.8 MB

Open Download

Multi-Cheese Vat (MCV)The closed vat, 6,000–30,000 L, for any type of cheese curd.PDF · 2 pages · 0.4 MB

Open Download

CCM ultrasonic cheese cutterBlocks to portions, 100 g to 2,000 g, ±0.5–1.0 %.PDF · 2 pages · 0.9 MB

Open Download

Next step

Planning a new line, a capacity step or an upgrade?

Talk to an NDT process engineer. We answer with a line proposal and the numbers behind it – not a brochure.

You can also read our FAQ on cottage cheese, paneer and halloumi lines.

Contact NDT