Case study – F52 belt’s smooth plastic wire solves costly package puncturing problem
When new applications are required on a food processing or manufacturing line, it is natural to start out using the existing equipment and thus avoid the costs of replacement. But what if the existing belt is unable to cope with the demands of the new task?
This is what happened to a US-based food processor using a metal wire mesh belt for a slow-speed cooling tunnel that streamed water over hot aluminum cans of pie filling. When a new customer required the pie filling to be poured into plastic bags, the burr-riddled metal belt cut open 5% of the bags, spilling hot pie filling onto the belt, conveyor system, and floor. The processor lost valuable product and gained thirty minutes of additional cleaning for each shift (two per day).
Looking for a solution, the food processor turned to Habasit. Drawing on our extensive, worldwide experience in the food processing industry, it was clear that to solve the package-puncturing problem, the processor needed a belt with smooth, rounded edges and a material that resisted burring, ideally with a similar design to their original metal wire mesh belt.
Habasit’s F52 belt successfully replaces a metal wire mesh belt and delivers USD 11,000 in savings
Habasit satisfied this requirement with the Habasit F52, a flat wire-style belt with smooth, rounded, plastic shapes that provide gentler handling than metal mesh belts. To deal with the heavy load and high temperatures, Habasit offered stainless steel rods and a food-approved, blue acetal material to deliver the high strength and heat resistance required.
A Habasit sales representative and a Habasit application engineer worked with the food processor on site to ensure that all the system modifications required were satisfied. After successful installation of the Habasit F52, the processor was able to switch freely between plastic bags and aluminum cans without any product loss or spillage in the cooling tunnel. Overall, Habasit’s engineering support and expert product selection yielded big results:
- Reduced annual sanitation labor costs by USD 4,920
- Eliminated annual product loss of USD 6,150
- No need for additional conveying line for plastic bags
Total annual savings: USD 11,070
Are you battling difficult food production challenges, or would you like more information on Habasit’s wide range of food processing belts and accessories? If so, please contact us.
