Blog, Buying Equipment, Value-Added
7 Ways Conveyors Can Boost Food Manufacturing Productivity
In the fast-paced world of food manufacturing, efficiency is king. While conveyor applications in food manufacturing have traditionally focused on simply moving products between stations, their role can be much more impactful.
By leveraging innovative food manufacturing conveyors, manufacturers can unlock a new level of productivity and profitability. Let’s explore ways you might already be using conveyors – and some ways their unique functionality could offer added benefits for your processes.
1. CONVEYING FROM A TO Z
Conveying is the backbone of food manufacturing, integrating production processes throughout the line. Several conveyance solutions—from belt conveyors to vibratory and horizontal motion conveyors and more—transport products from one end of production to the other.
While general conveying can be deemed an afterthought, the right technology and durable equipment are vital to keeping production running, product integrity, and food safety. There are many considerations when selecting the right sanitary conveyor – from application needs to sanitation levels.
When food processors use conveyors to perform value-added applications like laning, grading and sizing, and topping application, they can achieve even more with the same footprint and budget.
2. Bulk Handling for Big Production
Bulk handling solutions introduce and manage large volumes of ingredients or loose products within the food processing line. Equipment systems consisting of dumpers, augers, storeveyors, and more hold and process products to keep production running efficiently.
Beyond moving a large quantity of product, bulk-handling conveyors can optimize how those materials are introduced to your process. Controlled release from storage systems can smooth out product flow, preventing surges that might overwhelm downstream equipment. They can also feed products into multiple processing streams to enhance capacity and throughput.
3. Elevating Efficiency
Elevating conveyors maximize floor space, allow you to increase production on a platform or mezzanine, and seamlessly integrate equipment and processes at different heights. By conveying vertically with belt incline conveyors, positive lift conveyors, screw augers, and bucket elevators you increase capacity and efficiency in a tight footprint.
Don’t just go up. Integrate inspection, X-ray, and other applications to add additional value.
4. Enhancing Mix Integrity
Mixing and blending solutions automatically maintain mix integrity for a wide range of foods like mixed nuts, snacks, trail mixes, and vegetables. Implementing Mix-Blend Systems that combine bulk handling hoppers and dumpers with vibratory feeders and collection conveyors provides precise recipes that improve yield, profitability, and product quality. These systems are configured to plant layouts and product mix needs.
Enhance performance, volume, and flow rate with automatic recipe-driven control systems that adjust on the fly – keeping your recipe consistent throughout production runs.
5. Merging and Sorting Product Flow
Merging and sorting conveyors optimize production and efficiency by seamlessly combining or separating multiple product flow lines between downstream and upstream processes. Reversing horizontal motion conveyors or a selection of belt conveyors keeps production running while maximizing throughput to multiple processes.
These merging and sorting solutions don’t just move products. You can also rely on these conveyors to accurately maintain alignment, orientation, and positioning for the most efficient handling and processing.
6. Accumulating Performance
Accumulating conveyors play a key role in modern food processing lines. By temporarily storing and gathering products, they prevent disruptions, ensure a consistent product flow, and bolster production smoothness.
Storeveyors, distribution systems, and reversing horizontal motion conveyors’ ability to buffer against surges or starvation keep your line operational and avoid downtime.
High-volume product accumulation is only valuable if it’s on your terms and appropriately handles the product. Look for configurable solutions with sanitary stainless steel design, sensors, automatic controls, and first-in-first-out discharge options.
7. Precise Product Positioning
Positioning conveyors like retractors and spreaders ensure products are accurately oriented and placed for subsequent processing steps. These conveyors orient, spread, index, or deposit products into rows and stacks, significantly increasing efficiency by manipulating products in-process and seamlessly connecting processing steps.
Integrating positioning belt conveyors maximizes production space and capex budget. Their versatility makes them applicable to a wide range of food manufacturing lines.
DISCOVER HOW PFI INCREASES FOOD PROCESSING PRODUCTIVITY
Conveyors significantly enhance application productivity and efficiency. Food manufacturers can streamline operations, reduce labor costs, and increase output by utilizing conveyors for more than simple transport.
At PFI, we tailor our innovative conveyor solutions to meet our customers’ food processing and manufacturing needs. Click below to learn more about our range of food-conveying equipment that will improve your plant’s efficiency, productivity, and safety.
