Food processing is a huge and complex industry that includes many types of businesses, from small family-owned to multinational corporations. In all food processors, however, one thing is common, the need to move food products efficiently and safely from one stage of production to the other and sort them as they are being conveyed. This is where the conveyor belt sorting system comes in.

Automated conveyor belt sorting systems have the goal to reduce or eliminate the need for manual labor in material handling.

But why would someone want to automate their conveyor system? Why must we reduce or eliminate manual labor?

There are several reasons.

Benefits of automated Conveyor belt sorting system

There are many benefits of conveyor belt sorting system including, but not limited to:

Increased Workplace Safety

We all know that workplace injuries are a major problem in the food industry. By eliminating the need for manual labor, automated conveyor belt sorting systems help to create a safer working environment.

Your employees won't be at risk of injury from repetitive motion, lifting heavy loads, or coming into contact with food products.

Better Food Safety

Another major issue with manual handling is the chance of food contamination. The great news is that the chances of food contamination are substantially reduced with an automated conveyor belt sorting system. As with little to no manual labor involved, there is less opportunity for workers to come into contact with food products.

In addition, an automated conveyor belt sorting system can be equipped with sensors that detect contaminants and remove them from the product stream. This further reduces the chances of food contamination.

You can also reduce the chances of cross-contamination with the conveyor belt sorting system. For example, if you are conveying raw and cooked food on the same conveyor belt, there are high chances of cross-contamination if the belt is not well cleaned between batches. However, if you use two separate conveyor belts for raw food and cooked food, there's no risk of cross-contamination.

Higher Quality Product

Chances are manual material handling can often lead to errors and inconsistencies. Automated conveyor belt sorting systems help to eliminate these issues by providing a consistent and accurate method of handling materials.

The consistent movement of materials also helps to eliminate the risk of damage. For example, if you are conveying fragile items, they are less prone to damage if they are not being handled by humans.

Improved efficiency and productivity

Automated conveyor belt sorting systems are more efficient than manually operated sorting systems, as they can handle larger volumes of materials in a shorter period. This is because automated conveyor systems can work with more precision at a much higher speed.

In addition, an automated conveyor belt sorting system frees up your workers to perform other tasks, which helps to improve productivity.

Conclusion

The times of manually-operated conveyor systems are long-lost – today’s food processing facilities require automated solutions that can keep up with the high demand.

Some of the benefits of automation in food processing include improved efficiency, worker and food safety, and product quality.