Vertical scoop belting is easier to clean than modular belts

Available as part of Dorner's AquaPruf conveyor line, the vertical scoop belting is a homogeneous thermoplastic belt with no pins, hinges and link joints to trap and foster bacteria growth. Consequently there is a considerable reduction in bacteria proliferation, and in-place cleaning is completed in just a fraction of the time required for cleaning modular belts. In addition, there is reduced drying time at changeovers and after sanitation.

ThermoDrive belting is said to have been tested and validated by the world's leading meat and poultry processors. The results showed that, in a side-by-side test against modular plastic belts, Thermodrive uses 65 per cent less water during sanitation. This reduces both water usage and energy consumption for sanitation, as well as water reclamation costs.

In addition to minimising bacteria counts, the hingeless design all but eliminates the risk of contamination by broken pieces and the lengthy shutdowns needed to locate missing pieces of modular belts in the event of a fracture. Expensive product waste caused by the risk of belt contamination is also eliminated.

After thoroughly cleaning both a modular belt system and the ThermoDrive system, a large poultry producer performed a side-by-side swab test over the course of a production run. Bacteria growth on the modular belt increased from zero to 1300 CFUs (colony forming units) in six hours. Over the same period, the ThermoDrive belt showed only 10 CFUs.

An independent lab in Europe coated both a modular belt and a ThermoDrive belt with a meat slurry and ran them through a series of wash cycles. After two passes, the ThermoDrive belt showed a zero bacteria count. It took an additional 18 wash cycles for the modular belt to show the same zero bacteria count.

More information on these new food-grade conveyor belts is available from the Automation Supplies website.