The food industry is increasingly shaped by rising demands for hygiene, efficiency, and flexibility. At the same time, existing production facilities must be modernized cost-effectively and adapted to new production requirements. The dairy company Zott has therefore implemented a new conveyor line for mozzarella packaging. The “VarioFlow plus” chain conveyor system from Bosch Rexroth is being used for this purpose. For the design, installation, and implementation, the company relied on its collaboration with Rexroth Certified Excellence Partner Heldele.
Chain conveyor system meets high hygiene requirements
When selecting the new conveyor technology, Zott focused in particular on quality, cost-effectiveness, and future-proofing. After a comprehensive evaluation, the company opted for the “VarioFlow plus” chain conveyor system with stainless steel components. According to the company, key factors included the hygienic design as well as the flexibility and reliability of the system solution. Furthermore, Heldele’s experience in integrating conveyor technology played an important role.
The chain conveyor system used meets the requirements of FDA/CFR21. The chain and slide rails comply with the specifications of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Ball bearings, idlers, and curved wheels are made of stainless steel, sealed on both sides, and filled with NSF H1 grease.
Reduced cleaning and maintenance requirements thanks to hygienic chain conveyor system
The hygienic design of the conveying system is intended to reduce cleaning effort and wear. At the same time, users benefit from a uniform material flow as well as simple operation and maintenance of the system. Heldele additionally designed special side guides for the “VarioFlow” chain as custom stainless steel attachments. This allowed the conveying route to be adapted to the specific requirements of mozzarella production.
Modular chain conveyor system facilitates expansions
Another advantage of the system solution lies in its modularity. Universal drive units allow for different motor mounting positions, thereby avoiding spatial adjustments to the existing production line. Patented low-friction roller cams also enable the implementation of long conveyor sections with reduced energy consumption. At the same time, the modular design facilitates future adjustments and expansions of the system.
Well-established collaboration shortens implementation
During the design and installation phases, the project benefited from the long-standing collaboration between Bosch Rexroth and Heldele. The new conveyor line was implemented within a few days during a planned production shutdown. This minimized disruption to ongoing production operations.
