Feature Belts, pulleys & chains
Moving on...
Most products that we find in the supermarket are conveyed at some point during their production and packaging, but this process needs to be hygienic, low maintenance and energy efficient. Flat top chains and modular belts from Iwis can provide the solution for the food, beverage and packaging industries
t least 75% of all products in a supermarket are conveyed with flat top chains and modular belts in the course of their production and packaging. Flat top chains consist of plates that are connected to each other with single and double hinged joints, which allows the construction of chains with a width of up to 305mm for both straight-line and curved tracks, onto which the products can be directly placed. In fact, the beverage and packaging
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industry has many requirements when it comes to the design of flat top chains, as Dr. Frank Mitzschke, product manager for Flexon chain at Iwis antriebssysteme, explains: “In the bev- erage industry, we are witnessing two main trends: First, the flat top chains are required to have an extremely even load surface to ensure that the conveyed goods – especially the very light non-returnable PET bottles – do not topple over at the high speeds of today’s bottling plants. These chains can run at a speed of up to 2.5m/s. “Second, the beverage industry
wants to move away from the continu- ous lubrication of plastic flat top chains and modular belts. There is a demand here for dry running chain materials that have a permanently low friction, both with the guideway and with the conveyed goods, such as glass and PET bottles, cans and cartons. Materials of this kind do not yet exist, but Iwis – like all of its competitors – is working on their development at full speed.” Also suitable for this industry are
modular belts which have multiple hinged joints. A special characteristic of this design is that several chain links can be placed side-by-side to construct a flat conveying surface with widths of up to 1700mm. Such chains and belts are manufac-
tured by Iwis. Sold under the Flexon brand name, the chains can be used for most conveying tasks that require a flat transport surface. Typical appli- cations include conveying of glass and plastic bottles, cans, cases, casks and barrels in bottling and packaging plants, conveying foodstuffs in the food industry, and conveying small and medium-sized goods in various
Design Solutions MARCH 2010
industrial plants. The new flat top chains and modular belts launched by the company mean that its product line-up now covers all drive and conveying applications.
Chain materials
Flexon flat top chains are available in various synthetic and stainless steel versions for both straight and curved conveying sections. They are manufactured in low-contamination materials, enabling them to meet the hygiene requirements of the bever- age and packaging industries, and have an especially low coefficient of friction for high energy efficiency. They are also low-maintenance and offer long service life. Commenting on the materials
used for chain, Mitzschke adds: “As a rule, stainless steel flat top chains, because of their wear resistance, are used for conveying glass bottles and cases of all kinds. Because of their flatness they are also used to convey empty non-returnable PET bottles. For cans, returnable PET bottles, and card- board and plastic packaging, plastic flat top chains tend to be the preferred choice. Both the steel and plastic variants are available in a range of materials, providing the perfect choice for any application. For industrial applications with highly abrasive con- ditions, case-hardened flat top chains made from C45 can also be used.” Flat top chains can also help with energy efficiency. Mitzschke explains:
Flexon stainless steel flat top chain for use in the beverage industry
“Energy efficiency is closely related to the industry’s demand for low fric- tion coefficients. Broadly speaking, reducing the friction between chain and chain guide by 10% also reduces the necessary drive power for the conveying system by 10%. In other words, energy efficiency is indirectly at the centre of Iwis’ current development efforts for plastic flat top chains and modular belts.” The Flexon range of synthetic modu-
lar belts includes versions for both linear and curved running belts. These have low friction and wear resistance and offer high levels of performance even without lubrica- tion. This enables their use in environments with stringent hygiene regulations, such as in the food, beverage and packaging industries.
Modular belt advantages
In many applications, plastic modular belts can have decisive advantages over their stainless steel counterparts: For a start, their noise level in conveying systems is up to 80% lower and the synthetic elements are up to 40% lighter, which reduces the required drive power or increases the belts’ conveying capacity. Because of their better resistance to chemicals, they can be cleaned with agents that are either unsuitable for metal chains or would require intensive maintenance. The FDA-approved plastic has excellent mechanical load carrying capacity, is dimensionally stable, even in humid conditions, and is low friction. These synthetic modular belts meet industry demand for energy-efficient, low- contamination and low-maintenance conveying systems.
Portfolio
Beside synthetic and stainless steel flat top chains and synthetic modular belts, Iwis’ portfolio for the beverage and packaging industry includes conveyor chains for transporting crates and barrels, as well as suitable chain and deflection wheels. Tailored solutions can also be provided to meet requirements. The Iwis group’s full product
program includes timing drive systems, precision and high-performance roller chains, conveyor chains, maintenance- free and corrosion-resistant chains, power and free conveyor chains, special-purpose conveyor chains and chains for agricultural machinery; as well as chain wheels and accessories for machine and plant engineering, the packaging, printing, and food and beverage industries, material handling systems, and many other industrial applications.
iwis drive systems T: 0121 521 3600 www.iwis.com
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