Screw Conveyance for Meat Transport

A screw conveyor is not always the first thing that many companies in the meat sector think of when they want to transport their meat product from one process machine to another. But Van Beek’s screw conveyors have proven themselves in the meat processing industry with advantages over alternatives such as conveyor belts and elevators.

Suitable for All Types of Meat
Whether this involves transfer of separator meat, sausage meat, bones, or offal, the transport of processed meat is a simple task for a screw conveyor. Because of the closed design of the screw conveyor the product is not exposed to effects from outside, and there is also no loss of product during transport.

Less Work
In many cases these screw conveyors eliminate a lot of manual work. Where standard bins or plastic trays were previously needed to help the meat to the next stage in the process, a simple screw conveyor is now enough. The work of cleaning the standard bins/trays is also eliminated. In addition, no storage space is required for these materials.

Excels in Versatility
Compared with a conveyor belt these screw conveyors are more versatile. For example, the screw conveyor can transport meat vertically upwards where conveyor belts can only lift at a certain angle because otherwise the meat starts to slip backwards. To reach a certain height a conveyor belt needs more length where a screw can already do this in one sq m.

Hygienic
Another point on which a screw conveyor scores better is hygiene. A conveyor belt is an open system with many rotating parts and a return side. A screw conveyor is a closed system with few rotating parts (only the screw) and of course no return side.

A meat processing plant is characterized by a wet environment with critical product. Good hygiene is therefore essential. For Van Beek the complete design revolves around minimizing 'dead' product zones and being able to thoroughly clean and inspect the system.

Customized Internal Meat Transport
A Van Beek screw conveyor is always customized, which means that the company consults the client so that they can together make the right choices for materials, finish levels, bearings, seals, and drives. Screw conveyors can also be fitted with spray pipes to include them in a Clean in Place (CIP) system. Another option is to fit the conveyor over its whole length with quickly removable cleaning hatches, so that the screw is accessible at any point for inspection.

Robust Meat Transport
Conveyors are regularly fitted with hoppers into which product is tipped using lift and tilt installations. A robust design is then required because of the forces exerted on the hopper/screw. Van Beek also takes into account the cleaning method, which often involves using high pressure. The company selects vulnerable components such as safety switches, bearings, and geared motors with care and protects them where necessary.

The screw conveyor only has one moving part: the screw. This results in a user-friendly, maintenance-friendly system with a high operational reliability.

Safe
Just as important as hygiene is safety for the user. All facilities in the form of hatches that give access to rotating parts are protected using contactless safety switches. If hatches are not correctly closed the screw will not start up. If a hatch is opened unintentionally during operation the screw will immediately shut down.

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