Why Are Conveyor Screws Important in Automated Food Processing?

Conveyor screws are crucial conveying equipment in the food industry. It delivers a hygienic, efficient, and reliable way to transport materials within automated food processing plants. Screw conveyors accelerate manufacturing and guarantee consistency, whether moving large components, fragile powders, or finished food items. Their versatility makes them suitable for handling a variety of food products while preserving hygienic conditions and avoiding cross-contamination. Let's discuss the importance of conveyor screws in food processing for ensuring smooth, safe, and efficient operations.

Types of Food Products Handled by Screw Conveyors

Common products include:

• Raw Ingredients

• Powders & Dry Ingredients

• Ready-to-Eat Foods

• Dairy Industry

• Brewing & Distilling

• Rendering & Animal By-Products

10 Key Qualities of an Ideal Screw Conveyor for Automated Food Processing

Consider the following key features of conveyor screws for the automated food industry:

1. Sanitation Design

Stainless steel is one of the FDA-approved materials that guarantees hygienic standards compliance and prevents pollution. A surface that is free from crevices and smooth not only inhibits the development of bacteria but also facilitates cleaning. It is important to polish and smooth out the repairs in order to make the welding areas free of pits and fissures. Using rapid disassembly elements and CIP (Clean-in-Place) options, the conveyor is designed to help maintain sanitary standards. 

2. Dust-Tight and Sealed Systems

Sealed systems avoid contamination and product loss, especially for fine and powder materials. Contamination prevention is critical for many food items. In addition, highly flammable or dusty products, such as hay or powdered milk, can pose a risk or even be explosive. Very fine dust products may necessitate special safety precautions to prevent sparks or other fire sources. When working with dust or fine-grain, combustible dust safety equipment is essential. 

Pressure-tight containers will prevent oxygen from reaching the screw conveyor, and non-sparking materials can be used to eliminate ignition sources in conveyors handling flammable or explosive materials. The inside items can be removed with a motionless gas such as nitrogen.

3. Customizable Setups

Customization enables adaptability in conveying multiple food products rather than a single, specially designed conveying system. A system will be much more flexible if screw diameter, pitch, surface finishes, and flighting type can be changed to accommodate various food products. 

4. Anti-Corrosion

Corrosion-resistant materials are vital for food-grade usage, especially in a moist environment. Corrosive goods or even moist products can rapidly damage conveyors. Anti-corrosion materials like stainless steel, coatings, aluminum, and liners can all help safeguard your equipment from corrosion.

5. Bar Breakers

These are also known as "lump breakers." These can break up bulk materials like compost that are designed to lump, compress, or pack together as the moisture content increases and pressure is applied. To break up lumps, screw conveyors with breaker bars need more horsepower.

6. Shaftless Screw Conveyors

Viscous or sticky materials that contain high moisture, fat content, or oil create a lot of difficulties. Usually, they adhere to the conveying equipment's central helical screw. For conveying sticky materials, shaftless screw conveyors are a superior solution to ribbon flighting.

7. Temperature Management Options

For end users such as breweries, dairy farms, and others, jacketed conveyors for heating or cooling help maintain product purity. 

8. Adjustable Speed Limits

For consistency and to avoid blockage, a variable speed motor provides fine control over material flow. For bulk items that oxygenate and flow like liquids when transported, such as heavy yet light materials like grass and delicate, delicious foods like almonds, slower speeds are recommended. 

9. Anti-Clogging Features

The proper flight design and agitation device minimize accumulation and preserve efficiency. 

10. CEMA Compliance

CEMA-approved equipment utilizes regulatory elements for simple replacement and maintenance. Conveyor equipment manufactured by CEMA (Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association) standards gives you peace of mind. 

Final Thoughts

Conveyors are excellent investments that assist food manufacturing companies in maintaining food quality standards, improving productivity and procedures, and reducing labor expenses. If you have any queries about using a conveyor system in your food processing business, contact CHL Systems. They specialize in installing custom automation solutions for food processing factories, using state-of-the-art conveyors that help the company grow. Let CHL System help you take your manufacturing process to the next level!

FAQs

What is the main function of a conveyor?

The main motive of a conveyor system is to transport objects from one location to another. This is designed to move objects that are too heavy or too bulky to be carried manually. Time is saved while moving objects from one place to another with conveyor systems.

What is the maximum length of a screw conveyor?

The screw conveyor can be up to 25 meters long in its normal configuration and is flexible in design. It is made up of 2 to 2.5-meter-long trough portions and 4 to 6-meter-long flights.

What is the useful life of a screw conveyor?

5-10 years is the service life of a screw conveyor. The screw conveyor's life is determined by the hardness of the bulk material handled and the frequency with which it is used.