Emballage 2014 – FlexLink shows how to reduce manufacturer’s total cost
Emballage, the leading French packaging exhibition, will see FlexLink demonstrate the latest development in automated production flow solutions. Visitors will see new products that improve product safety and production efficiency and significantly reduce the cost of ownership. FlexLink demonstrate this with the state of the art wide belt stainless steel conveyor and the high capacity X65 platform.
“A close dialogue with major brand owners and food manufacturers was an essential element in the development of our new wide conveyor platform, WLX. Users of the new platform see the end result in operational efficiency and good product safety. From our side, we are particularly happy with the feedback we get and the immediate strong sales” comments Tommy Karlsson, Innovation Manager at FlexLink.
Improved cleanliness, less cleaning time
The new wide belt conveyor (WLX) is clean, safe, and silent and the ergonomics are well served for. Pockets and crevices which collect dirt have been eliminated and the design is made safe for operators thanks to minimal openings and the absence of sharp points and edges.
An example of the good operator ergonomics is that the conveyor platform is equipped with an integrated chain lifting function, providing easy access to the interior of the conveyor. All parts are designed for quick and efficient cleaning, meaning the time needed for cleaning is minimized, less operators are required and the cleaning results meet the highest demands.
Attention has been paid to ensure the noise level is low, providing great benefit to the factory environment.
Once installed, downtime of the conveyor is minimal due to the robust design, in addition to minimal power, water and detergent consumption, all helping to lower the total cost of ownership.
“In 2015, we will launch the next step of this development enabling even higher levels of hygiene and food safety applicable for direct food contact in accordance with the EHEDG guidelines” Tommy adds.
Less investment per installation
The performance of the X65 conveyor platform offers substantial benefits compared to the industry standards of today. Göran Abbestam, Product Manager at FlexLink explains: "The doubled strength of the conveyor has a dramatic effect on the service life and maintenance intervals. In addition, line layouts can be made simpler as fewer drives and transfers are required and the maximum conveyor length is considerably increased. For the factories, this means less complexity and a lower cost of installation."
The X65 conveyor is designed for low friction, low power consumption and a long service life. In addition, FlexLink is introducing new high efficient drive technology to further reduce power consumption. Dependent on the application and choice of drive unit, power consumption is 8-44% less compared to previous high efficiency drive units by FlexLink.
Maintenance intervals for X65 conveyors can be more than double that of the standards of today. The speed capacity is also the double compared to previous conveyor generations – 120 m/min – a capacity that meets tomorrow’s higher requirements on line speed and reduced cost per produced unit.
Reduced engineering time
The FlexLink Design Tool make the design work efficient and its embedded simulation capability verifies the line capacity and function at an early stage. With a smart drag and drop functionality, three dimensional layouts with real life appearance are safely and quickly made. Underlying documentation such as spare parts lists is automatically connected.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), Innovation and Sustainability are the keys for FlexLink´s mission to increase manufacturers’ production efficiency. “All our development activities are geared towards making our customers’ production processes as efficient and sustainable, thus profitable, as can be – from the design phase throughout the service life” concludes Tommy Karlsson.
FlexLink AB
Klas Ålander
Communications Manager
+46 31 337 2499
Klas.alander@flexlink.com
FlexLink is a leading provider of automated production flow solutions – giving improved production efficiency to industry. Headquartered in Göteborg, Sweden, FlexLink has operating units in 30 countries and is represented in more than 60. In 2013, FlexLink had 840 employees and a turnover of SEK 1,664 million.
FlexLink is part of Coesia, an innovation based Group consisting of 14 companies specialized in automated machinery and industrial process solutions. For 2013, the Coesia Group had a turnover of Euro 1,370 million (forecast) and 5,800 employees.
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