The leading French packaging exhibition Emballage will see FlexLink demonstrate the latest development in automated production flow solutions.
Visitors will see new products that improve product safety and production efficiency, as well as significantly reduce the cost of ownership. FlexLink will demonstrate this with the state-of-the-art wide belt stainless-steel conveyor and the high-capacity X65 platform.
FlexLink innovation manager Tommy Karlsson said: "A close dialogue with major brand owners and food manufacturers was an essential element in the development of our new wide conveyor platform, WLX. Users of the new platform see the end result in operational efficiency and good product safety. From our side, we are particularly happy with the feedback we get and the immediate strong sales."
Improved cleanliness, less cleaning time
The new wide belt conveyor (WLX) is clean, safe, and silent and the ergonomics are well served for. Pockets and crevices, which collect dirt, have been eliminated and the design is made safe for operators thanks to minimal openings and the absence of sharp points and edges.
An example of the good operator ergonomics is that the conveyor platform is equipped with an integrated chain lifting function, providing easy access to the interior of the conveyor. All parts are designed for quick and efficient cleaning, meaning the time needed for cleaning is minimised, less operators are required and the cleaning results meet the highest demands.
Attention has been paid to ensure the noise level is low, providing great benefit to the factory environment.
Once installed, downtime of the conveyor is minimal due to the robust design, in addition to minimal power, water and detergent consumption, all helping to lower the total cost of ownership.
Karlsson added: "In 2015, we will launch the next step of this development enabling even higher levels of hygiene and food safety applicable for direct food contact in accordance with the EHEDG guidelines."
Less investment per installation
The performance of the X65 conveyor platform offers substantial benefits compared to the industry standards of today.
FlexLink product manager Göran Abbestam said: "The doubled strength of the conveyor has a dramatic effect on the service life and maintenance intervals. In addition, line layouts can be made simpler as fewer drives and transfers are required and the maximum conveyor length is considerably increased. For the factories, this means less complexity and a lower cost of installation."
The X65 conveyor is designed for low friction, low power consumption and a long service life. In addition, FlexLink is introducing new high efficient drive technology to further reduce power consumption. Dependent on the application and choice of drive unit, power consumption is 8% to 44% less compared with previous high-efficiency drive units by FlexLink.
Maintenance intervals for X65 conveyors can be more than double that of the standards of today. The speed capacity is also the double compared to previous conveyor generations – 120m/min – a capacity that meets tomorrow’s higher requirements on line speed and reduced cost per produced unit.
Reduced engineering time
The FlexLink Design Tool makes design work fast and efficient. Thanks to the smart design method and built in intelligence, three dimensional layouts with real life appearance are quickly produced. With its embedded simulation capability, the verification of the line capacity and function is accurate and can be made at an early stage.
Total cost of ownership (TCO), innovation and sustainability are the keys for FlexLink’s mission to increase manufacturers’ production efficiency.
Karlsson added: "All our development activities are geared towards making our customers’ production processes as efficient and sustainable, thus profitable, as can be – from the design phase throughout the service life."