A sticky product caused costly clean-up and safety issues—until a food-grade cleaner dramatically improved belt hygiene at this confectionery operation.
Slip hazards and excessive clean-up time were problematic for a confectionery operation that was experiencing large amounts of waste on the return side of its conveyor. Sticky product was adhering to the steel belt and falling to the floor, so a secondary belt cleaner was badly needed.
A confectionery operation was experiencing large amounts of waste on the return side of its conveyor since the product (molasses with nuts) was sticking to the steel belt and falling to the floor. The problem was so severe that it posed a slip hazard and required twice the amount of time and effort to clean the conveyor, creating an undesired resource drain.
The molasses was being transferred on a 1500mm wide steel belt. A fixed-blade precleaner was already operating on the conveyor, but the efficiency was less than 70 per cent. Using a fixed-blade style of secondary cleaner was not an option because the device had to be low profile and fit between the conveyor structure and the collection bin located below the conveyor belt.
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Installing a secondary cleaner was crucial, so the maintenance team searched for a solution. After reviewing multiple options, they decided a Flexco FGS Food Grade Secondary Cleaner would be the answer.
The crew installed the FGS cleaner above the collection bin, which was key to the customer collecting the product to sell for a profit. The self-adjusting blade-tensioning feature of the FGS allows the team to run the cleaner on the steel belt with a metal detectable UHMW blade that is strong enough to remove the hardened molasses and soft enough to avoid damage to the belt.
The low-profile design of the Flexco cleaner also allows it to clear the collection bin so it can be retrieved and changed periodically without interference to the operation.
The installation of the FGS Food Grade Secondary Cleaner reduced product waste on this line by 94 to 98 per cent. The time it takes to clean the conveyor during regularly scheduled maintenance is now on par with other production lines, and the captured and contained product can now be sold for a profit to forage producers.