Food processing has become highly automated and the equipment used increasingly sophisticated. Industry leading conveying solutions have transformed the food processing industry and are at the heart of any truly efficient production line.
Modern conveying systems are now designed with a range of different technologies — to help move the product through the processing line and connect all the critical process points. Each of these technologies has specific characteristics which are purposefully designed: to ensure gentle, efficient transport of product and keep the production line running smoothly.
Horizontal motion conveyors and feeders
Horizontal motion conveyors have emerged over traditional vibratory/shaker conveyors and now account for most of the non-processing sanitary conveyors used in French fry and potato chip applications.
The FastBack® range has become the industry’s leading solution — for processors aiming to achieve fastest product travel rates and maximum product distribution efficiency.
The innovative series of product handling solutions from Heat and Control includes FastBack modular drive technology which was designed by a NASA engineer and includes a variety of feeding, proportioning and laning conveyor solutions.
FastBack conveyors use a patented drive system to produce the slow-forward, fast-back horizontal motion which has transformed the product handling market and made it the conveyor of choice for challenging products like french fries, snacks, fresh chicken, cookies, candies, and many other food products.
Conveying product during processing can damage product, disrupt its coatings, and expose it to contamination. The ideal conveyors are both gentle and powerful — leaving product undamaged, coatings intact and uncontaminated. FastBack’s patented motion technology improves finished product quality; by eliminating product breakage, reducing or eliminating seasoning and coating fall-off and reducing sanitation down-time.
Sanitation is a fundamental part of the FastBack design. A fully enclosed stainless steel, fan-cooled motor package is external to the drive, and completely sealed in an IP65-rated enclosure; making it ideal for washdown environments.
FastBack can deliver twice the product travel rate of comparable conveyors and has the fastest travel rate of any horizontal motion conveyor. This makes it ideal for high volume production and this conveyor’s ability to convey hard-to-handle products — while being energy efficient, quiet and versatile — continues to earn it great market success. Ideal applications include: snack foods, French Fries, frozen fruits and vegetables, confectionery, cereal and pet food.
Proportional distribution with sustainable benefits
On the production line, a ‘proportional distribution system’ is used to achieve consistent (and continuous) feed of the product — from distribution conveyors — to weighing and packaging stations. Proportional, granular feeding helps keep product uniform and improves the packaging process.
The FastBack Revolution® Gate is a groundbreaking proportional distribution system which uses unique cylindrical outlets that rotate to divert a proportional portion of product — so the main product supply can continue to flow; as it allocates amounts to an individual weigher/bagmaker.
A gentle, innovative design allows the FastBack gate to divert product — without creating a single pinch point — and typically reduces product breakage by 4 percent or more. Sustainability is a key objective for food processors today and industry leading equipment is designed with energy efficiency in mind. While conveying systems typically account for a very small percentage of overall factory energy usage (less than 1%) — global uncertainty and the ongoing impacts of the pandemic is seeing every area scrutinized for efficiency.
Advanced, electrically driven accessories such as the FastBack Revolution® Gate are a great alternative to pneumatic gates — and use 4 times less energy. This gate system is industry’s safest and only truly proportional gate which prevents product breakage and eliminates maintenance-heavy pneumatics.
Accumulation
Industrial solutions for accumulation let the processing and packing area run without interruption. Accumulation systems temporarily store product, or keep it moving in a steady flow to and from processing and packaging areas. This improves full line efficiency by managing output from high volume processing systems (such as fryers and freezers) until the time is right to deliver it to downstream equipment.
These systems also allow an operation to reduce the waste and product degradation caused by sudden packaging room stoppages, or slow-downs, by providing a temporary place to hold product — rather than discarding it.
Temporary product storage and on-demand delivery
The MinuteMan Accumulation Conveyor is a great example of a gentle system which provides an ‘accumulation buffer’ between processing and packaging. This style of conveyor is designed to reduce breakage and protect quality of the product. It provides temporary storage for products and on-demand delivery — when you’re ready.
The minimal drop heights and soft, vulcanised belts on this type of conveyor allow it to handle even the most delicate products with care. Ideal applications include: potato chips, tortilla chips, delicate snack foods, crackers, cookies and candy.
Compact systems for wet and dry environments
An example of a more compact style of accumulation conveyor is the SwitchBack™ Accumulation conveyor. The space-saving style of this conveyor facilitates trouble-free accumulation — in both wet and dry environments. It has a unique design which requires no gates or pneumatics and uses the world’s simplest drive. Few moving parts mean there is no need for preventative maintenance. This style of conveyor is commonly used by processors of potato chips, tortilla chips, delicate snack foods and frozen meats and poultry.
Established in 1950, Heat and Control is a privately-owned company with a global team located all over its 10 manufacturing facilities, 11 test centres, and more than 30 offices globally.
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