Conveyor belt offers water savings

Food processing applications

A conveyor belt allows food processors to cut water required for cleaning purposes.

Habasit Australasia’s Sales Manager, Mike Camphuis, says the company has received reports the new belts are saving businesses up to 50% of water used for cleaning.

“That’s a massive amount and great news for businesses in an economy where water has become a scarce resource.”

The Habasit Cleandrive belt has a completely smooth conveying surface and is also monolithic, meaning thermoplastic is the only material used.

Camphuis says these features are not only saving businesses water, but also time and money.

“Because of the smooth surface and positive tracking, food is not getting caught in cracks and recesses, meaning there is far less time spent cleaning the belts and almost zero risk of contamination.”

Conventional fabric belts suffer in wet environments because of tracking and cleaning difficulties, while modular belts require extensive cleaning of hinge areas between modules.

“With conventional belts being made from a number of fabrics such as polyester and PVC/Polyurethane, these can absorb moisture and expand. Delamination can result, with pieces of the belt breaking off and contaminating the food,” says Camphuis.

Regulations in these areas have been tightening up in Australia over the last few years, increasing the compliance costs involved with food processing.

“These new belts cut through some of that, having received approval from the leading food authorities around the world. This allows processors to get on with the job and spend less time dealing with red tape,” says Camphuis.

The high-quality, food-grade thermoplastic material of the Habasit Cleandrive belts allows them to withstand the most aggressive cleaning methods and agents and cope with temperature extremes at both ends of the spectrum.

Belts are available in white and blue, with the blue option featuring an antimicrobial agent.