Why Steel Wire Mesh Conveyor Belts are highly preferred in the Food Industry
January 3,2023
The demand for food never goes to extinction. Decades back, food was a need. At present, food is a demand. Though it sounds similar, greatly differs. The advancement of the food industry has taken food processing techniques to the next level with the support of steel wire mesh conveyor belts.
Food Culture
The evolution of food culture in the world has made the food producers in the industry rethink their strategies for framing the processes involved from sourcing to packaging. The newer discoveries in the field of food products control the nature of the process.
The supply chain management being followed in this industry solely depends on conveyor solutions.
The importance of conveyor systems has to be addressed in a different approach that doesn’t affect holistic operations.
Food and Hygiene
“Hygiene” is an essential element of a food processing unit. The shelf life of food is critical to retain when it comes to packaged foods. The quality of food is determined by the hygienic environment.
Food and hygiene are related to one another. The compromise in working conditions shows a great impact on the overall quality of food being produced with it.
Besides the positive or negative signs of the bottom line, it is the major accountability of a food producer.
People’s Attention
Nowadays people are very much concerned about how foods are produced and the hygienic conditions that a firm has control over it.
With the availability of the internet, people have access to the information assured by the producers.
The spread of drawbacks over quality assurance can pull the food producer towards a steep fall within a night.
Conveyor Solutions
The conveyor belt has a connection to the shelf life of a food product at almost every stage of food processing. Hence, the conveyor solutions are the decision makers of a food’s shelf life.
The type of material chosen for the installation of a conveyor belt is very much critical.
Choosing the right conveyor belt plays a major role in operational efficiency and as well as product quality.
Type of Material
The outcome of a conveyor belt depends on the materials that they are fabricated with. Plastic and steel are the most common base materials used in the conveyor belt.
The preference for these materials varies with the type of product that is conveyed. Plastic and steel conveyor belts have both pros and cons.
Steel Wire Mesh
Working Conditions
Typically, in the food processing industry, the food products are conveyed at a varying temperature range at different stages of processing. Hence, the choice of selection of belt has to be consistent throughout the process.
Steel Wire Mesh is highly preferred as it is suitable for operating in very high temperatures(hot) and very cold temperatures(sub-zero). The steel wire mesh conveyor belts deliver seamless operation when installed at both working conditions.
The steel wire mesh does not lead to the generation of toxicity when reacting with the food products.
Plastic vs Steel
Though plastic and steel provide excellent conveying solutions at cold temperatures, plastic conveyor belt fails to perform their function when subjected to very high temperatures.
Due to the temperature rise, plastic tends to melt and react with food products. Hence, foods with toxin substances are not good for health. This is not the same case with the steel wire mesh.
The steel has the properties to withstand extreme temperatures(hot). It does not produce any toxicity when reacting to food products.
Steel wire mesh is corrosion resistant and hence it can withstand cold working conditions.
Maintenance
The wire mesh conveyor belt incurs lower maintenance when compared to other belt types. The steel conveyor belt is fabricated with tensile strength. Hence it has the property to withstand loads of food products transferred in addition to the working environment.
The weight of the wire mesh is comparatively lower compared to other steel conveyor belts. The energy consumption will be minimal as the load bearing of the conveyor system is lower.
Thereby, it delivers greater cost optimisation.
Steel wire mesh is easy to dust off and the time required for periodic maintenance/breakdown is lower due to the seamless transfer of different forms of food products.
The Bottom Line
Steel Wire Mesh conveyor belt outperforms in every aspect of conveying food products. This type of conveyor system adds value to the holistic operation of food processing. The wire mesh is suitable to transfer different kinds of food products. If you’re a contributor to the FMCG industry and on the lookout for the best steel wire mesh, Spectra Plast will be the right choice to fulfil your conveyor system requirements.
For more information, please visit Spectra Plast India Pvt Ltd.