8 Must Haves For Food Conveyor Systems

By Isaac Fletcher, contributing writer, Food Online

Within any food-processing operation, conveyors play a major role in achieving optimal productivity and operational efficiency. The right conveyor system is capable of streamlining your processing or packaging operations by reducing the necessary labor input, cutting operating costs, and boosting product output. But how can you be sure you are using the right conveyor? The following tips and considerations will help you detect areas that can use improvement in your operation and provide a guide for purchasing a new conveyor system.

Sanitary Design
Due to high levels of safety regulation regarding food-production equipment, machinery in food processing operations needs to be designed to reduce risk of food contamination. Sanitary conveyors are generally made of stainless steel, can endure high-powered washdowns, can easily be cleaned, and do not have any niches or crevices that may foster bacterial growth.

Ease Of Washdown
Choosing a conveyor that can be easily washed down is an important element of complying with rigorous, sanitary guidelines. Some features that allow for easier washdowns include enclosed motors, spray bars, and belt lifters.

Safety Features
With any kind of processing equipment, safety should be a primary concern. Conveyors that are designed with the proper safety features in mind can greatly reduce the risk of costly worker injuries. Some key safety design features that you should look for are narrower conveyors, appropriate safety guards and shutoff switches, and ergonomic stands.

Durability
Food-processing environments tend to be very taxing on equipment. Accordingly, conveyors should be durably constructed so they can withstand even the most demanding of processing environments. Conveyors should be able to run multiple shifts and hold up to regular physical and chemical cleaning. The fewer incidences of equipment damage, the higher your operational efficiency. For durable design, stainless steel tends to be a go-to material of choice.

Low Maintenance
As touched upon above, the less often a conveyor needs to be shut down for maintenance, the better your overall efficiency and productivity. A conveyor that is not running is not generating any revenue for your company. Making sure that your conveyor is low maintenance and will not need regular repair is an important consideration for getting the most out of your operation. Some degree of maintenance is unavoidable, so be sure your conveyor provides easy access to areas that are most likely to require work.

Proper Belting
Different product types sometimes require different conveyor belts. While wet or slippery foods require mesh belting, solid and dry foods tend to be best served by solid belts. In some cases, activated roller belt (ARB) technology can be used to automatically sort, align, and merge product.

Throughput Capacity
This consideration should seem obvious, but make sure that the conveyor system is capable of handling your product capacity. A mismatch of conveyor and product output can cause operational slowdown, put extra stress on the system, and result in significantly reduced efficiency.

Customized Design
To make sure that the conveyor system can provide everything you need for your operation, you should explore the option of customized design. By designing a conveyor that is precisely engineered to meet your specific output goals and operating needs, you can guarantee that the equipment is optimized and your demands are met.