Investing in a conveyor that takes a weight off your mind

In many processing applications - and in the food and beverage industry in particular - the conveyor plays a critical role. If you want a cost-effective system that reduces manual handling, accelerates movement of goods and speeds-up actual production, then only a conveyor will do.

However, the food and beverage sector adds a layer of difficulty, with the need for conveyors whihc are also hygienic and sanitary.

This leads to particular design requirements, which may have to take precedence over overall performance and short-term cost considerations. 

A growing problem

Your products are not the only thing conveyors carry. Unless they're kept scrupulously clean, they can also carry bacteria, which grow happily wherever water gets trapped. Some of these bacteria can be dangeroys pathogens such as listeria, with obvious and dangerous implications for food production.

Sometime even the product or ingredient itself can cause problems, if it's in the wrong place at the wrong time.

A conveyor carrying potential allergens such as peanuts can easily leave traces on a conveyor. If these then find their way into other products when the conveyor is switched to a different line, even the smallest trace in the wrong place can be dangerous - or even fatal - to someone allergic.

Belt manufacturers have developed several different design options to help overcome these challenges and ensure the performanance, cleanliness and safety of your conveyor systems.

With an open hinge design which make it easier to access the hinge for cleaning, the Rexnord 590 Series KleanTop is a 1/2" pitch belt, held together with a single rod per row of belting. The rod is accessible from either side, making it easy to dissassemble and reassemble wiht just a screwdriver, to reduce downtime.

The open hinges also drain water more effectively, and offer greater resistance to abrasion. That not only means fewer places for bacteria to hide (helping to increase hygiene levels), but also a longer rod life - reducing Total Cost of Ownership.

Capable of accomodating a 0.75" diameter nosebar, the 590 Series is able to move even the most delicate products without damage. At the same time, an optimised sprocket design ensures a smooth and damage-free transfer from belt to belt.

To allow more effective cleaning in less time, with less water and fewer chemcials, the open hinge design of the 1010 Series exposes 60% of the rod.

The platform for your belt

As aumotmation becomes more integrated and Industry 4.0 becomes a reality, a digitally-connected conveyor can help to optimise productivity and enhance energy efficiency. It can also lower the Total Cost of Ownership of the asset, by using data to inform preventative maintenance schedules.

The Rexnord DiRXN productivity platform offers real-time, time-crucial and product-specific data. Together with the innovative design features of the KleanTop Series, it helps you ensure your belt delivers your product hygienically, wherever and however you want them. And it delivers productivity, efficiency and cost savings too.