Conveyors play an integral role in many industries. The systems are used for assembly, in processing facilities, and so much more.
Because there are so many different possibilities when it comes to what’s being conveyed, understanding your specific needs and requirements is critical in getting the job done right.
When narrowing down the choices, consider things like the type of conveyor belt as well as the type of product traveling on the conveyor and temperature requirements, as each plays an integral role in what conveyor solution is best.
Let’s take a closer look at conveyor solutions for hot products and how typical issues that arise under these conditions can be avoided.
Conveying Hot Products
At a very basic level, hot products are more difficult to transport and handle simply because they are too hot temperature-wise for humans to hold and, depending on the item, could still be in the curing or cooling phase.
Items that fall into this category can include hot foods, plastics, metals, and others. They require special belting to withstand the high temps and move them along a conveyor system. In some scenarios, a special environment to cool or to maintain the heat, may also be needed.
Proper Belt Use
Items that reach above normal temps (140F) can wear typical belts unevenly. To prevent this from happening, and to make the process of conveying hot products a smooth one, wire mesh, stainless steel belt conveyors are usually used. Woven wire belts are both durable and able to withstand extreme temperatures.
Conveyor belts are typically made of PVC or PU. Since PVC is only rated to 160F and PU at 212F, products above these temperatures should be conveyed using a belt conveyor made of silicone or Teflon with woven metal mesh. Fiberglass is also a specialty option for transporting extreme temperature items. Also good for sharp parts and food are plastic modular belts. Like flat belts, these come in a variety of plastics; all designed to withstand various temperatures. Further along the spectrum are industrial chains which are ideal for long or rugged parts.
Consider Conveying Medium & Type
Using the wrong conveyor type with hot products can cause the conveyor to have a shortened lifecycle, malfunction and even cause product damage. An example of a conveyor malfunctioning would be a part that burns the conveyor belt. This could lead to belt tracking issues, which, aside from the obvious premature wear of the belt, can affect the longevity of the conveyor. If a part is too hot, it could have an effect on the substrate that is beneath the belt – in some cases this is a form of steel, but in many other cases, an engineered plastic like an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE). Even if a woven steel belt is used to carry the hot part or product, the fact that it is running on a slow conveyor and the heat is getting transferred to the substrate, means it can start to soften and the damage will eventually cause the conveyor to fail.
Special Environment Considerations
Much of what we’ve discussed is related to conveying a product that is hot. However, if the conveyor is exposed to extreme high temps in the process, the entire system needs to be designed to meet that environment. In some cases, a hot item may require the entire conveyor system to move smoothly and gently without disrupting a hot liquid for example. For these scenarios, special environments are created to ensure the conveyor still operates smoothly even within these applications.
Have a product you need help with? Contact Blettner Engineering to help you to customize a design system to work in specialized applications including belts and conveyors that can do everything from operate as a single lane, carry large products and even include plate glass.
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Conveyor system manufacturer mk North America is announcing the introduction of two new modular plastic conveyor systems, the KFM-P 2040 incline conveyor and KMF-P 2040 curved conveyor, to their aluminum conveyor offerings, as well as the relaunch of the existing MBF-P 2040 system.
mk North America, an industry leader in the design and manufacture of industrial conveyor solutions, is announcing the launch of two new modular plastic belt conveyor systems, the KMF-P 2040 and KFM-P 2040.
Designed to complement a variety of industrial applications with the utmost flexibility and functionality, these systems are made with mk’s patented aluminum extrusion framing. The belts for these systems are made with interlocking plastic segments, as opposed to traditional fabric belting, for increased wear-resistance and load capacities. Modular plastic belts are also positively driven, which makes them easier to track than traditional synthetic belts.
For applications where a curved conveyor is required, to save space or carry product around corners, the new KMF-P 2040 modular plastic belt conveyor offers 90° and 45° curved configurations (with 180° possible). The KMF-P 2040 boasts a usable width of just 30 millimeters less the outside frame width, making it among the most streamlined conveyors of its class in the marketplace. Additionally, curved sections for the KMF-P 2040 are made with solid pieces of bent aluminum extrusion, a feature not offered by mk’s competitors.
Where inclines or declines are needed, to match a production line or provide ergonomic support to employees for example, the new KFM-P 2040 inclined modular plastic belt conveyor offers belt bends of 30°, 45°, and 60° of off a horizontal system. Guided in PE-1000 wear strips, the KFM-P 2040’s modular belt is particularly useful in applications such as applications such as transporting slugs or molded plastic parts, light punched parts, or pre-packaged food products.
“At mk North America, we are very excited about the addition of these two new conveyor platforms,” says mk’s Marketing Manager, Kate Nadeau. “For years we have been building these units as custom designs. With the introduction of these standard platforms we are able to continue offering a great solution to our customers, but now at a reduced cost and lead-time; due to the standardization of parts, materials and design features.”
One of mk’s flagship modular plastic belt conveyors, the MBF-P 2040, is also being relaunched by mk North America with an improved design that increases versatility and functionality. The new MBF-P 2040.02 boasts an improved load capacity of up to 1,000 pounds, speed of up to 200 feet per minute, and a potential conveyor width of between 80 and 3,000 mm. The modular plastic belt is positively driven, which reduces tracking difficulties in particular situations. These improvements represent the most significant redesign of the MBF-P 2040 after 15 years among mk North America’s offerings.
With the introduction of these new systems, mk North America’s aluminum conveyor offerings are now capable of providing solutions for a wider range of applications than any time in the company’s history. Potential applications include food processing and handling, packaging, manufacturing, machine building, general industry, and many others.
About mk North America:
Originally founded in 1988, mk North America, Inc. first gained notoriety and recognition for its innovative Aluminum Framing System. As the needs of its valued customers continued to expand, the company was able to expand its product offerings at the same time and today produces a wide range of innovative, high-quality components and systems for manufacturing companies and machine builders. The company’s original Aluminum Framing System still serves as the base technology in all of the solutions mk brings to market.
