FDA-compliant refinement techniques by Alphabelt
Customized special belts for the food industry
FDA-compliant refinement techniques by Alphabelt
Customized special belts for the food industry
Belts and conveyors used in food industry plants are at least as diverse as the food products processed and manufactured in this branch. When designing and manufacturing suitable belts, not only must the sometimes extreme ambient and processing conditions be taken into account, but also legal regulations and the safest and easiest possible handling.
What special challenges do timing belts and conveyor belts face in the food sector?
Principally, all belts and straps that come into contact with food must meet the highest hygiene standards. This includes, among other things, that they are easy to clean and insensitive to hydrolysis, disinfectants and cleaning agents, as well as offering as few surfaces as possible for contamination to attack. All FoodGuard belts made by Alphabelt are therefore characterized by a careful selection of FDA-certified materials and a hygiene-optimized belt design.
Depending on the product manufactured or processed, there are additional requirements. For example, belts for the confectionery industry often have to offer good release properties even with very sticky products. Belts for meat and fish processing are often exposed to cool and wet ambient conditions. In the bakery industry, extreme temperature differences frequently occur between production steps. And when handling fruit and vegetables, pressure-sensitive products must be handled as gently as possible.
Alphabelt refinement techniques for FoodGuard belts
To ensure that belts and conveyors can meet such diverse requirement profiles, special refinement techniques are used that meet all FDA standards:
- Coating with FDA special materials
- Mechanical machining processes
- Cams in FDA quality
- Spikes, cramps, nails and bristles made of stainless steel
Coating with FDA special materials
The application of a suitable coating improves specific characteristics of the belt back. For example, the grip properties, temperature resistance, chemical resistance or the degree of hardness of the belt surface can be precisely adapted to the task in hand.
Various FDA-grade materials are available as coating materials, including silicone, special PU in several hardness grades from 40 to 92 Shore A, Teflon, PP or special rubber materials such as EPDM, Neoprene and Linaplus.
Coatings can be conventionally welded or glued on. To eliminate potential weak points, we apply the coating wherever possible endlessly, i.e. without seams or splices. This not only increases the durability of the belt, but also eliminates hard-to-clean areas where contaminants could accumulate.
A newly developed manufacturing process now even enables the liquid application of FDA-grade silicone onto a base belt. This demanding process, which requires special accuracy, enables a completely homogeneous, jointless silicone coating to be produced.
Mechanical machining processes
Vacuum belts or haul-off belts are required for certain applications in the food industry. The simplest type of vacuum belt is produced by punching holes into the base belt. The hole diameters and the distances between them can be freely selected. This is usually done by water jet cutting.
If the suction effect generated in this way is not yet sufficient, additional pockets can be incorporated into the back of the belt. When pressed against the product to be transported, these pockets create a suction effect that supports more precise conveying. With the aid of CNC milling machines, any pocket geometries individually adapted to the transported goods can be realized.
Longitudinal contours of all kinds can also be milled into the back of the belt at the customer's request, for example U- or V-grooves for transporting strand-shaped goods. These are used in the food industry, for example, as haul-off belts for sausages.
Cams in FDA quality
For numerous transport tasks in the food sector, conveyor belts must be equipped with appropriate cams. Cams made of FDA-grade PU can be welded directly onto the back of the timing belt. Our extensive range of cams with more than 1000 different shapes and sizes offers a wide selection for this purpose. If required, we will be glad to manufacture further cams to customer specifications
Interchangeable cam systems are also available in FDA-compliant quality. Here, we use exclusively stainless steel inserts as mounting elements, which ensure safe and hygienic operation.
Spikes, cramps, nails and bristles made of stainless steel
For the reliable transport of particularly slippery or oily goods, such as fish, it is advisable to additionally equip the back of the belt with spikes, cramps, nails or bristles. For the food industry, these are made of stainless steel. They can be welded into the belt material at any distance and in any orientation (straight or slanted). Equipping the belt surface with steel bristles also enables the transport of hot products.
Individually refined FoodGuard FDA timing belts made by Alphabelt
With Alphabelt as your partner, numerous refinement techniques are available to you that meet the particularly demanding requirements in the food sector. Contact us and we will be glad to develop customized special belts with FDA approval together with you.
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