IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY When it comes to power transmission equipment used in the food processing industry, some types of drive systems are easier to clean and sanitize than others. Power transmission drive systems, whether belt drives or roller chain drives, should be constructed with appropriate materials and fabricated to be reasonably cleanable, corrosion resistant, and maintenance free in order to minimise downtime and maintain higher levels of productivity. As a power transmission system, chain drives are commonly used as they can transmit high torque loads in a compact package. But a number of characteristics make chain drives less than ideal for many power transmission applications. Wet environments pose a problem for standard carbon steel roller chain drives. Lubrication is one of the most important factors affecting chain performance, and it is difficult to maintain the proper degree of lubrication in an environment where drives must be washed down at least daily. Insufficient lubrication causes increased wear, chain seizures and galling of pin surfaces. Premature wear will also create the need for more frequent replacement of the chain drive, leading to maintenance downtime and affecting other areas of plant operation. Belt drives are relatively simple in design, consisting of sprockets, bushings and a belt of one-piece, uniform 18 March 2016 construction. Compared with roller chain, a belt presents a relatively smooth, cleanable surface. Belt drives are also clean running, needing no lubrication. Without metal-to-metal wear, belts and the sprockets they run on last considerably longer than roller chain and roller chain sprockets. All these factors add up to a maintenance-free drive system that is easy to clean. In the wet, wash-down environment of food processing operations, stainless steel sprockets can provide an extra measure of protection against corrosion for belt drives. Gates Poly Chain® GT® Carbon™ belts are the first industrial timing belt to utilise carbon fibre for the tensile cords. The superior strength and extremely low stretch make this belt ideal for high torque applications commonly found in food processing environments. This belt offers a number of properties that make it highly suitable for food processing operations, including excellent resistance to oils, fats, fruits, juices, vegetables, dairy products, tomatoes, wine and vinegar, good resistance to food industry soils and chemicals, good resistance to high-pressure wash-down sprays and excellent abrasion resistance. A Gates Poly Chain GT Carbon belt drive system is essentially maintenance-free making it a better alternative to roller chain drives. Gates is at the forefront in providing quality products and advanced solutions that lead to improved efficiency, enhanced business value and higher productivity for companies involved in the food processing industry. For Gates Poly Chain GT Carbon belts and stainless steel sprockets, contact SAECOWilson Ltd Tel: 0800 338 833 Email: GATES@saecowilson.co.nz A better alternative to roller chain drives Gates Poly Chain® GT® Carbon™ belt drives are ideally suited to the food and beverage industry. The polyurethane construction with patented Carbon fibre tensile cords make these belts ideal for wash down environments. They also provide a width-for-width alternative to roller chain drives. Gates Poly Chain® GT® Carbon™ belt features include: > No lubrication > No re-tensioning > No maintenance > Resistant to caustic washdown chemicals > 5% energy savings over V-belts > Outlasts roller chain up to 4 to 1 Innovative belt drive solutions suitable for the food industry, it’s what you expect from a market leader. A BETTER ALTERNATIVE TO ROLLER CHAIN DRIVES J001558A Visit your nearest SAECOWilson branch or Phone: 0800 338 833 Email: GATES@saecowilson.co.nz www.saecowilson.co.nz ENGINEERING
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