The SHC, for example, makes the added customer value offered by the Modular Conveyor Platform (MCP) available to system integrators and users who have to meet particularly demanding hygiene requirements. Highly efficient, zero pressure accumulation goods flows can be implemented in the work processes for food processing; until now, this was usually only used in parcel centers or other distribution facilities. The decentralized drive concept used in the SHC saves up to 50 percent energy in start-stop mode alone compared to central drive solutions that run in continuous operation. At the same time, this results in a lower noise level for an improved working environment. Wear and tear when conveying standard E2 crates is also reduced.

Precise positioning of the transported goods

The modularity of the platform, which as always can be assembled and expanded from tried-and-tested products as a plug-and-play modular solution similar to the Lego principle, enables system integrators to handle both simple and highly complex tasks in the automatic conveying of packaged food or other hygiene-sensitive products. The SHC's range of applications extends from autonomous conveyors without the use of a programmable logic controller (PLC) to use in digitally networked Industry 4.0 environments. The new conveyor also enables the transported goods to be positioned precisely on the conveyor - an important feature for integrating labeling machines into the automatic flow of goods after the goods have been packaged, for example, without the need for complex sensor technology.

"With the SHC, the Special Hygienic Conveyor, we are once again confirming the responsibility that falls to us as a technology leader in the materials industry when it comes to food safety and shelf life. With the new solutions, we are consistently driving forward our Group-wide platform strategy," confirms Stephan Kronholz, who is responsible for new hygienic platform solutions at Interroll.

The SHC platform was manufactured on the basis of a stainless steel construction. The design allows cleaning fluids to drain away unhindered. The platform includes both roller and belt conveyors as well as all components of these conveyors - including electrical products such as roller drives and corresponding controls (IP 55 MultiControl). The system is certified to at least IP 55 and protected against splash water so that simple cleaning processes can be carried out and no liquid residue remains in the conveyor afterwards.

Central disassembly process redesigned

Interroll's UHT is an automation solution specifically designed for use in chicken processing plants. It is a disruptive solution that hygienizes a central process step in the cutting of chicken meat and can thus help to extend the shelf life of chicken products.

As a global technology leader, Interroll has been taking responsibility for improving food safety and food supply worldwide for many years. The company's ultra-modern and compact drum motors, which meet the highest hygiene requirements, are used by leading companies in the industry all over the world. They ensure that automated material flow solutions can be operated efficiently and in an energy-saving manner while at the same time meeting the highest hygiene requirements, such as those specified by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Union (EU) and the European Hygienic Engineering and Design Group (EHEDG). The MHP is manufactured in a new production plant at the existing site in Baal near Düsseldorf. Around 240 employees currently work here; a further 60 jobs are planned by 2025 due to the expansion of the site and the expansion of the product range for customers in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

The article appeared in materialfluss SPEKTRUM 2022 (7/22).