Auckland Meat Processors (AMP) asked Conveyor Industries to provide the most economical option for the removal of their renderable raw material and paunch from their new offal floor.
The conveying system was designed to fill two skip bins with the raw material, and another bin with dewatered paunch.
Due to the limited available space, the project required extensive use of 3D modelling and online meetings to develop the layout, ensure adequate access for future maintenance, and functionality for the operators.
After these challenges were addressed and the layout completed, the structural engineer was able to refine the building envelope to accommodate the new conveying system.
The system utilised two separate conveying lines, one for renderable raw material and one for paunch. Twin collector screw conveyors were set into the floor to allow for unrestricted access for the offal floor staff.
The twin screws are designed to segragate the raw material and paunch to ensure cross-contamination is not possible.
The products are conveyed to a series of incline screw conveyors before reaching the skip bins.
Renderable raw material from existing mutton and beef slaughter rooms can also be added to the conveying system, minimising the skip bins and pick up points for the transport operators.
To gain maximum efficiency in the processing rooms, the system needed to operate without any delays. An automated diverter chute was installed to switch between the two skip bins – allowing each bin to fill to its full capacity before the contents are removed for rendering.
The paunch line includes a screw press to dewater at a rate of one paunch every 30 seconds. The paunch can be diverted to the raw material bins to allow for conveyor maintenance while the system is still operating. For easy change over, the paunch bins can be wheeled out of the way.
Cleaning of the system was of a high priority for AMP. All conveyors were constructed from a chrome plate (3cr12) which provides a high resistance against wear, while still providing an acceptable sanitary finish.
Stainless steel pipe lids were incorporated to create an operator friendly environment and allow for the daily clean down process without the need to remove lids.