Safe and efficient food handling is top of mind for customers today.
That increased attention puts a spotlight on the need to continuously improve processes, workflows, and tools, while steadily reducing the potential for errors and accidents in food processing and distribution environments.
Choosing the right conveyor setup can help you meet those goals while improving how products move through your facility. Features that simplify cleaning, reduce product damage, and make maintenance easier can help you limit contamination risks while keeping production moving.
Ultimation has added two food-grade belt conveyors to its product lineup, both of which offer stainless steel construction for washdown environments, as well as hygienic designs that make them ideal for food contact applications.
In food-handling environments, conveyor construction also matters because surfaces and components that are easier to access and clean can simplify sanitation routines and help prevent product buildup.
Ultimation Fabric Belt Conveyors provide a smooth, continuous conveying surface in addition to gentle handling of finished goods.
Ultimation Modular Plastic Belt Conveyors are made of plastic modules assembled in an interlocked pattern. Their design makes them both easy to clean and low-maintenance, because damaged modules can be conveniently replaced without having to change out the entire belt.
Both solutions can be adapted to meet specific FDA, USDA, or BEAG sanitary application requirements.
Choosing the Right Food-Grade Conveyor
Keep in mind that there isn’t a single, universal “best” belt conveyor. Homing in on the right conveyor for your facility depends on your needs and requirements. Here’s a short list of questions that can help guide you toward making the right selection.
- Product: Is the product raw, packaged, frozen, delicate, or abrasive?
- Sanitation: How often is the conveyor cleaned? What level of washdown is required?
- Environment: Is the process wet or dry? Is this being used in a low-temperature application such as a freezer, or as an infeed for a high-temperature application such as an oven?
- Maintenance: How important is minimizing downtime for repairs?
- Footprint: Are there inclines, declines, or lifters required?
- Throughput: How quickly does the product need to move across the conveyor line?
- Controls: Does your operation require an indexing conveyor, continuous run conveyor, or zoned conveyor with Zero-Pressure Accumulation (ZPA) functionality?
- Integration: Is this conveyor integrating with any other pieces of equipment such as scanners, labelers, or robots?
The answers can narrow the field. Products that require gentle handling and a continuous surface may point toward fabric, while demanding washdown applications or operations where easy belt repair is a priority may favor modular plastic.
Fabric vs. Plastic Food-Grade Belts
Fabric belts are the best option for handling small or lightweight items like bakery products, confectionary, or any packaged goods that can benefit from a softer touch and a little extra TLC.
Fabric belts also have the advantage of being more economical than other options. They’re generally considered a good choice for dry processing environments, and are well suited to long product transfers and applications that require a smooth, continuous surface.
Modular plastic belts, on the other hand, are versatile for a wide range of food-production needs, including sanitation, filling, washing, rinsing, inspecting, packaging, and transporting.
They can also be easily reconfigured for different food applications by size, belt type, and other options. They’re generally able to handle heavy product loads.
Modular plastic belts tend to be ideal for facilities that work with raw meat, poultry, and seafood, as well as vegetables and other fresh produce. Applications that require draining or airflow can benefit, too.
Finally, they have the distinction of being maintenance-friendly: the ability to swap in new modules with minimal hassle can really pay off for operations where quick belt repairs translate into reduced downtime. That can be especially valuable in high-throughput operations, where even a relatively short conveyor shutdown can disrupt upstream and downstream processes.
Want to know more? Ultimation’s team of experts can help you identify the best conveyor options for your facility, and configure them for optimal efficiency. Get in touch with us to discuss the possibilities.
