Andy Leitch, vice president of sales at US material handling systems developer Gough Econ told this publication that the Elecon, also known as the Go Anywhere Conveyor, which is aerial to reduce factory footprint, ensures product integrity right through to the packaging stage.
The system, he explained, uses cantilevered buckets that move vertically, horizontally and can turn any direction up to 90° without having to transfer the load being conveyed.
Leitch said the system can handle a variety of products from raw material ingredients including wheats, oats and fruit through to mixed dried and toasted fragiles to packaging.
According to the VP of sales, this conveying equipment eliminates loss or spillage associated with conventional single line conveyor belts and the efficiency gains significantly boost ROI for processors.
The multi-axis capability of the system is the result of its patented chain design and the cantilevered wedged shaped buckets come together and overlap at the load station, said Leitch.
“It comes as short assembled units for bolting together. Each unit has a drawing legend for easy installation,” he pointed out.
There are a number of bucket size configurations, with Leitch also highlighting the fact that the pasta bucket has been designed specifically to handle long goods such as spaghetti.
“It is a more rectangular shaped bucket that suits the typical 267 mm length of long goods, and takes product direct from the dryer to packaging,” he explained.
Leitch said the Elecon also frees up critical floor space since much of the movement can occur overhead, and due to its flexibility, it can handle a huge range of circuit designs and configurations.
The Elecon, explains the North Carolina-based firm, consists of a heavy-duty proprietary tri-planar chain, a tubular track, and a vertical drive plate for power transfer and chain tension.
The chain, it added, is made of cast Piad alloy links, forged cruciforms and sealed roller bearings, and is tailored to the specific needs of each food manufacturer.
Furthermore, said the developer, the patented rack and pinion system of the Go Anywhere Conveyor assures full discharge with a 360° bucket rotation on selection and quick return to the upright position for maximum flexibility, said the developer.
Buckets for the Elecon are made of polypropylene and have a smooth interior surface to eliminate any product trap areas and help provide maximum cleanliness, stated the manufacturer, which has installations of its systems worldwide.