In the beverage industry, conveyor belts are an important part of the production process. They are used, among other things, for transporting containers for liquids such as beer or soft drinks and packaging. Efficiency plays a particularly important role when using conveyor belts. An important factor when selecting conveyor belts is choosing the right motors and load distribution on the belt. The choice of motor depends on the desired belt speed and the load that the belt has to carry. A motor with too little power cannot drive the belt at a sufficient speed, while a motor that is too powerful consumes an unnecessarily large amount of energy. It is therefore important to choose a motor that is precisely matched to the needs of the conveyor belt and guarantees the same torque and constant speed at a higher load.
Starting and stopping the conveyor belt is another important aspect. If the belt is started or stopped too quickly, this can cause damage to the belt or the products transported on it. Smooth starts and stops are therefore necessary to prevent damage and ensure safe and reliable production.
In the beverage industry, conveyor belts often have to be resistant to moisture and corrosion, as they often come into contact with liquids. It is therefore important to choose materials and designs that meet these requirements in order to ensure a long service life and maximum efficiency of the conveyor belt.
In order to save as much energy and time as possible Frequency converter are used. These adjust the speed of the conveyor belt to achieve optimum performance. The VLT® FlexConcept®, for example, which was developed for dry as well as wet, aseptic and hygiene-critical areas, is suitable for this.” (“Efficient and flexible drive technology | Danfoss Discover Drives”).
The decentralized components are characterized, among other things, by the high IP66/IP69K protection class. The hermetically sealed housings and special plug connections protect against the ingress of dust and water. This enables high-pressure or steam jet cleaning of the conveyor belts: In addition to easy cleaning, the frequency inverters can also be used for diagnostics and predictive maintenance. The inverters know the motors well because of the motor data and the signals they exchange with the motors. Current, torque or frequency – based on these values, the inverters can draw conclusions about the overall system. This makes them an essential part of the maintenance concept and provides early warning of failures or other problems.
Further information on the benefits of condition-based monitoring in the beverage industry can be found here.
