Chain manufacturer IWIS has introduced a range of plastic flat top chains and modular belts for use in the beverage, packaging and food processing industries. The chains, which are sold under the Flexon brand, are made of low contamination synthetic materials and can be used for conveying tasks that require a flat transport surface. The chains are said to meet the industry demand for energy efficient, low noise and low maintenance conveying systems.
In many applications, plastic modular belts offer advantages over their stainless steel counterparts: their noise level in conveying systems is up to 80% lower and the synthetic elements are up to 40% lighter, which reduces the required drive power or increases the belts’ conveying capacity. They are said to offer better resistance to chemicals, so can be cleaned with agents that are either unsuitable for metal chains, or would require intensive maintenance. The FDA-approved plastic has good load carrying capacity, is dimensionally stable, even in humid conditions, and is low friction.
The design of the flat top chains allows them to be constructed with a width of up to 305mm for both straight-line and curved tracks, onto which the products can be directly placed. Modular belts have multiple hinged joints. Also, several chain links can be placed side-by-side to construct a flat conveying surface with widths up to 1700mm.
