Multiple conveyors elevates production

What started out as designing one conveyor line solution for a food producer, led to a new conveyor system with several conveyors of various types as well as a rotary table.

This food producer wanted a hygienic conveyor system for dry goods. In other words, there was no wet wash down, but the brief was to ensure there would be no points where build-up of dry matter could occur at any point along the production line.

“It developed into quite a large scale fit-out. We initially went along and had a look at the existing conveyor line and then we talked about their entire system and what their pain points were.

“We adjusted a common conveyor design, presented some concepts including 3D modelling, and then were commissioned to develop a number of conveyor systems. EQM recommended T-Track Slatband conveyors for pottle accumulation, Standard S/S N-Track conveyors for sachets and heavy duty N-Track hygiene elevating conveyors for bulk bags as well as converting a Rotary table into a pottle descrambler.”

The client had to meet a tight construction deadline, for what was first thought to be one conveyor line, but EQM stepped up to the mark and delivered several conveyor lines and rotary table to the deadline.

The systems were supplied fully-assembled so the client only needed to position the equipment and connect it all up to get it up and running. EQM wasn’t even required to go onsite. The N-Track conveyor system design meets FDA and USDA standards with specific attention to the client’s requirement to prevent build-up of food dust settling on food production equipment.

“We altered the usual profile of the conveyor to reduce the horizontal points that dust or any dry powder could settle and build up on.

“All components were stainless steel including the internal drive drum which in this case was preferred over the external shaft mount gear drive option.

“We also used belt types that have no exposed fabric, they are instead sealed, anti-static and easy to clean,” he says.

EQM have also designed a new conveyor for the moving of beverages and bottles.

EQM’s Anthony Bloxham says the chain belt conveyor, named T-Track is also known within the food processing industry as a table top conveyor or a ‘slatband’ conveyor.

“The T-Track is a popular system that enables products such as plastic and glass bottles, cans or pottles to be conveyed between points in almost any layout you want It comes in 2.4 metre lengths and the components are easy to maintain and clean.

“It can be supplied as a kitset and is simple to assemble and put together on site by your team.

“The T-Track is mounted on adjustable pedestal legs. It is designed so the chain returns on the inside, making it extra safe to operate. It can be fitted with single or double glide rails.

“It’s also operationally very quiet, especially for these types of conveyors.”

The T-Track is the ideal type of conveyor to bridge the gap between bottling processes such as filling and capping, capping and labelling and bottle accumulation at the end of a line.