Sanitary Belt Conveyors for Bulk Foods

Sanitary Belt Conveyors for transporting bulk foods on processing and packaging distribution lines feature a positive drive urethane (PDU) belt, stainless steel frame and components, open construction, and other sanitary features. Key’s belt conveyor eases the sanitation routine to reduce labor, speed changeover, and increase uptime while improving equipment hygiene to maximize food safety. Key’s versatile Sanitary Belt Conveyor comes in “dog leg,” flat, and inclined configurations that can be mounted to the floor, on casters or suspended.

Belts can be designed with a flat surface or a variety of shaped flights and/or flexible sidewalls to contain the product in pockets while elevating. The USDA-approved belting is thermoformed to meet the needs of the application, providing a homogenous and seamless belt. Compared to fabric belts that can fray, delaminate, and promote bacteria buildup and plastic interlocking belts with crevices that can harbor bacteria, the smooth PDU belt resists bacterial attachment and features no seams or crevices to harbor bacteria. Compared to traditional bucket conveyors, which run on two chains that challenge sanitation, food processors can achieve the same rise in elevation with Key’s belt conveyor and improve sanitation.

The surface of the sanitary belt is uniform, making it very easy to clean. The tool-less collapsible take-up system, which releases tension from the belt, along with the fastener-free snap-in-place carry-ways, enables the sanitation crew to simply lift the belt up to power wash under it. By streamlining cleaning, the Sanitary Belt Conveyor reduces labor and downtime and minimizes water and chemical use associated with the sanitation routine. The positive drive can further enhance sanitation when equipped with an optional motorized pulley. This eliminates shaft-mounted motors and gearboxes, which can trap product and water. The open construction and cleaning slots in transitions provide easy access for sanitation. The head and tail-rollers, bearings, gearbox, and motor are made of stainless steel to resist bacterial growth and withstand caustic washdowns. Key can equip the conveyors with optional NEMA 4X and IP 66 rated electrical enclosures, as needed. The versatility of this modular conveyor allows Key to accommodate virtually any required throughput from less than 2,000 lb. (0.9 metric tons) to more than 60,000 lb. (27 metric tons) of product per hour. It is ideal for a wide range of snacks such as potato chips and nuts as well as processed fruits and vegetables, potato strips, fresh-cut produce, meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, wine grapes, pet foods, and more.