DryTrac Removes and Prevents Residual Build Up of Oil Residue While Optimizing Production and Output

Food & Beverage

Case Studies:

Opportunity

The customer is a bottled water manufacturer. The manufacturer utilizes lubricant on a plastic tabletop conveyor. The lubricant ensures that the containers on the line stay upright and easily move from one point on the conveyor system to the next, especially when changing directions or entering a process area. Conveyor lubrication also lowers the drag on the conveyor motors that drive the conveyors. The conveyor lubrication is also needed between the various components of the tabletop conveyor, including between the chain or belt and the rails and pins. The rails of a conveyor are the portion of the frame that supports the chain or belt. The chain or belt is an interlocked set of platelets, and the devices that hold the platelets together are called pins. Wearstrips provide an interface between the moving conveyor belt or chain and the superstructure of the conveyor frame. Wearstrips will need to be regularly replaced, but conveyor lubricants will help prolong their useful life. In practice, the lubricant will provide protection against wear for any contacting parts associated with the belt or chain, such as drive sprockets.
The manufacturer utilized a wet lubricant within this process. Though effective, it creates equipment and safety concerns:
• In time, wet lubricants create a build-up of oils, bacteria, and slime on the conveyor.
• The wet environment can increase the chance of mold growth on conveyor and surrounding areas.
• Wet lubricants must be constantly sprayed, resulting in high use costs and significant water waste.
• Spraying of wet lubricants results in wet floors, introducing a slip hazard for employees.
These factors provided DuBois the opportunity to implement a solution to increase belt life, prevent bacteria and product contamination, optimize water usage, and improve worker safety.

The DuBois Solution

DuBois partnered with the manufacturer to implement DryTrac, a high performance, dry conveyor lubricant. Using a brush mechanism in contact with the conveyor surface, DryTrac is applied undiluted, using no additional water. This keeps the floors dry and drastically reduces water usage and overall use cost. DryTrac also contains no oil-based carriers and dries on the conveyor lines to keep the track running smoothly and without build-up.

Results and Benefits

Within two days of running DryTrac, the conveyor belts were noticeably cleaner, slick and shiny, and free of residue. On the second night after the conversion, the plant broke a shift record for the most bottles packaged.
Due to the switch from wet to dry lubricant, water usage at the facility was drastically reduced, slip hazards in the packaging area were no longer a constant concern, and food safety was increased by eliminating conditions ideal for bacteria and mold.

*Product must be applied using a brush mechanism, wherein the brush bristles of each brush remain substantially in contact with the conveyor surface wherever dry lubricant is being applied during conveyor operation