Sanitary Style Raised Belt Conveyor Systems

Belt conveyor systems are available in several different designs, any of which can transfer a great number of products from packaging machine to packaging machine.  Different designs serve different purposes, such as low profile conveyors where space is a concern or HDPE construction when corrosive products are being packaged.  Other packaging systems, especially foods and pharmaceuticals, require sanitary equipment and processes, and raised belt conveyors often offer a good choice for transferring such products from the liquid filler to the capping machine, labeling machine and other equipment.

Sanitary style conveyors are normally designed in a manner that allows for quick and thorough cleanup while also ensuring that product, dust, debris and other contaminants cannot build up on the machine.  In other words, the conveyor systems are manufactured to protect the product and add efficiency to the packaging process.  Products that are ingested in one manner or another, like both food and pharmaceuticals, will normally require meticulous and systematic cleaning at the end of each production run.  This cleaning ensures that all product residue and other contaminants are removed before the next production run to avoid, for example, the mixing of drugs or the contamination and breakdown of food products. 

The main difference between raised belt, sanitary design conveyors and other types of transfer systems lies partially in the ease with which these conveyors can be cleaned.  The raised belt allows easy access that allows both sides of the belting as well as other conveyor components.  C-frame conveyor systems and other design types may require portions of the conveyor to be disassembled, or removal of the belt, in order to achieve a complete cleaning.  The raised belts will often allow for washdown type cleaning or, at the very least, cleaning without disassembly. 

The raised belting along with the ease, and often necessity, of frequent cleaning also means a lower occurrence of wear and tear on the belt itself, resulting in a longer conveyor system life.  Debris from the buildup of product or dust from the packaging environment has fewer places to accumulate when using a raised belt conveyor.  In addition, the U-shaped design of sanitary style conveyor systems allow for drips and spills to be removed from the system quickly and easily, before spreading to the entire system and becoming a bigger issue.  Another reason that a raised belt design is ideal for any packager that requires a sanitary process.

While these belt conveyors are ideal for industries that need a sanitary packaging process in place, they can move nearly any product.  Given the advantages described above, it is no surprise that this conveyor design has worked its way out of just food and pharma products and will be seen on packaging systems for a number of different items in various industries.

For more information on sanitary style conveyors as well as other designs, check out our power conveyor page on the Liquid Packaging Solutions website.