Magnetic Chain Technology Creates Cleaning Efficiencies

May 18, 2012

In a food packaging facility, managers are constantly balancing trade-offs between mounting government sanitary regulations, increasing manufacturing efficiencies and equipment budgeting. Conveyor designs and component selection can help to meet sanitation and efficiency goals while controlling operating costs.

Conveyor chains are one of the component choices that can affect production efficiencies. In the case of this secondary packaging line shown in the video, a food manufacturer requested this magnetic chain system from Nercon to speed-up cleaning processes. Manufactured by System Plast, the side flexing chain stays positioned with the use of magnetic wear strips.  The magnetic chain easily lifts off for quick access to cleaning the inside of the conveyor frame.

It is the opinion of Nercon’s senior engineers that magnetic chain has been used more heavily in Europe because line speeds (on average) run slower than in the United States. However, with packaging lines needing more flexibility for package types and sizes, this type of chain is being used more in U.S. consumer goods manufacturing and line speeds are being adjusted to accommodate this chain when necessary.

Depending on the application, there may be few or many choices of conveyor chains that provide the best results. The proper selection of the best chain for the application can provide increased efficiency of the line. Failure to choose the right chain can cost valuable production time and reduce line output. Read further about chain selection, in Nercon’s white paper, “Key Principles in Evaluating Chains for Conveyor Applications.”