There are a number of ways that conveyor manufacturers provide solutions that address sustainability aspects. One way is through reduced energy usage by relying on high-efficiency motors, another is through modular or robust, longer-lasting designs that address obsolescence or maintenance factors. An alternate route is through designs that require less water.

That’s at the heart of System Plast conveyoring technology from Emerson Industrial Automation (www.emerson-ept.com) that operates “running dry” using no external lubricants. Traditional soap and water lubrication beverage operations use up to seven times more water in production than they produce in product. 

Emerson created two unique System Plast products:  NEW GENERATION (NG)™ chains and belts and Nolu™-S guide rail guides and wear strips that reduce the coefficient of friction without sacrificing wear life.

This unique combination permits end users to reduce or eliminate lubrication. In one example, a high-speed can line at a brewery had been running dry with an acetal-based chain in an effort to eliminate water and soap lubrication. However, the aluminum oxide produced excessive wear, mandating that the chain be replaced about every three months. The brewery switched to the NG chain, resulting in a chain life approximately five times longer than before.