Beverage Bottle Conveyor Case Study

At PolySource, we pride ourselves on the technical problem solving abilities of our consultants in the field. We consistently aim to provide the best solutions for our customers, which is why our field experts are trained at every level of plastic program development. To showcase this expertise, we’ve provided a number of case studies that emphasize the PolySource advantage. We’re not just your average plastic resin distribution company, we are your partner in delivering technical solutions that your business benefits from.

Customer
OEM Beverage Bottling Line, Brewery

Before PolySource

The contact pressure between the edge of the moving conveyor and stationary nylon corner wear strip generated enough heat to melt the acetal conveyor.

HOWEVER…

  • The wear strip was losing its wear resistance over time as the nylon 66 absorbed moisture.
  • The conveyor was located in an area of the bottling operation where frequent cleaning and rinsing with water were necessary to remove sticky build up from spilled beverage
  • This  was causing the wear strip to reach moisture contents greater than 4.5%

Application Requirements

  • Increasing the line speed back to 300 fpm, while maintaining long conveyor life

Bottom Line

Current lubricated Nylon wear strip was not the right material for this application

PolySource Solution

Our technical team recommends replacing it with a lubricated POK – Polysource’s Integra POK 9060 LX BK-4000

Features

  • Low coefficient of friction even without external water
  • Its frictional and wear performance are unaffected by moisture
  • Melting point of 428F/220C

Advantages of New Material

  • Line speed could be increased from 300 FPM to 380 FPM while still achieving the desired conveyor lifetime

Total Cost Savings

  • Converting the wear strip to PolySource’s Integra POK increased cost 16%
  • The up-time of the process was doubled lowering the cost %20
  • 100 FPM increase in line speed lowered the the total cost 27%
PolySource Recommended a change in materials to resolve a significant cost penalty to the brewer.