In food processing, beverage production, dairy plants, pharmaceutical facilities, and packaging operations, routine cleaning is essential. Conveyor systems must endure frequent exposure to water, detergents, disinfectants, and other cleaning chemicals while continuing to operate reliably.
Unfortunately, many facilities discover that traditional metal conveyor components begin to rust, corrode, and fail prematurely, even when the conveyor frame and overall system still have many years of useful service remaining. This results in increased maintenance, unexpected downtime, and higher operating costs.
The good news is that many of these failures can be prevented by selecting conveyor parts designed specifically for washdown and sanitary environments.
Washdown vs. Sanitary Conveyor Systems
Although the terms washdown and sanitary are often used interchangeably, they refer to different types of operating environments.
A washdown conveyor system is designed to withstand frequent cleaning with water, detergents, and other cleaning solutions. These systems are common in beverage, bottling, packaging, and many food-processing operations where equipment must be cleaned regularly to maintain production standards.
A sanitary conveyor system is designed for applications where preventing bacterial growth is critical. These systems are engineered for complete cleanability and are commonly used in meat, poultry, dairy, pharmaceutical, and ready-to-eat food production. Because sanitation standards are more demanding, these systems are often exposed to stronger caustic cleaners, disinfectants, and other aggressive cleaning chemicals.
Whether a conveyor operates in a washdown or sanitary environment, repeated cleaning can create conditions that shorten the life of traditional metal components.
Why Metal Conveyor Parts Struggle
Constant Moisture Accelerates Corrosion
Repeated exposure to water, humidity, and standing moisture can initiate oxidation on many metal components. Chain guides, wear strips, bearings, mounting hardware, and other wear parts may develop rust, pitting, and surface degradation over time.
As corrosion progresses, component surfaces become rougher. This can increase friction, accelerate wear, and place additional stress on the conveyor system.
Cleaning Chemicals Can Be Even More Damaging
Many facilities rely on caustic cleaners, chlorine-based disinfectants, acidic cleaning solutions, and other chemicals to maintain cleanliness.
Although these chemicals are necessary for effective cleaning and sanitation, repeated exposure can damage protective coatings and shorten the life of metal components. Even stainless steel may be affected under certain combinations of chemical concentration, temperature, moisture, and repeated cleaning cycles.
These conditions are often especially severe in sanitary conveyor applications, where stronger chemicals and more intensive cleaning procedures may be required.
Corrosion Creates Sanitation Concerns
The cost of replacing worn components is only part of the problem.
As metal surfaces corrode, pits and rough areas can trap moisture, food particles, and bacteria. These damaged surfaces become more difficult to clean and may create sanitation concerns during inspections.
For facilities operating under strict food-safety requirements, maintaining smooth, corrosion-resistant surfaces is an important part of supporting effective cleaning and reducing potential contamination risks.
The Hidden Cost of Corrosion
When conveyor components fail prematurely, the costs extend well beyond the price of replacement parts.
Maintenance teams may spend additional time inspecting equipment, replacing worn parts, lubricating moving parts, and responding to emergency repairs. Unexpected failures can also stop production, delay shipments, and create unnecessary product waste.
For example, if a production line valued at $5,000 per hour experiences two hours of downtime because of a failed conveyor part, the result is $10,000 in lost production. That figure does not include maintenance labor, replacement parts, wasted product, or additional startup time.
Why Engineered Plastic Parts Perform Better
Engineered plastic conveyor parts are well-suited for wet and chemically aggressive operating environments.
Unlike many traditional metal components, materials such as UHMW, LubX®, HDPE, and acetal do not rust. Depending on the material selected, they can also provide strong resistance to many of the cleaning chemicals used in washdown and sanitary applications.
Using plastic conveyor parts that are compatible with wet, caustic cleaning solutions can provide several important benefits:
- Longer component life
- Resistance to corrosion and oxidation
- Reduced friction and wear
- Less need for lubrication
- Lower maintenance requirements
- Improved conveyor reliability
- Better support for conveyor speed and load capacity
The last point is especially important. Worn, corroded, or chemically damaged components can increase drag and interfere with proper product movement. Properly selected plastic wear strips, chain guides, and support components help maintain smooth movement and consistent conveyor performance.
Improved Cleanability
Plastic components can also support cleaning and sanitation goals.
Smooth, non-corroding surfaces are generally easier to clean than rusted or pitted metal surfaces. By reducing damaged areas where moisture and product residue can collect, properly selected plastic components may help support more effective cleaning procedures.
Material selection remains important. The plastic must be compatible with the specific chemicals, temperatures, loads, speeds, and cleaning frequency found in the application.
Industry Applications That Benefit Most
Plastic conveyor parts are commonly used in industries where routine cleaning is essential, including:
- Food processing
- Beverage bottling and canning
- Dairy production
- Meat and poultry processing
- Pharmaceutical manufacturing
- Packaging equipment
- Conveyor manufacturing and system integration
Signs Your Conveyor Components May Need Upgrading
A facility may benefit from evaluating its conveyor wear components when any of the following conditions appear:
- Rust or corrosion on wear surfaces
- Frequent replacement of chain guides or wear strips
- Conveyor Part deterioration after repeated cleaning cycles
- Increased conveyor noise or vibration
- Higher friction or chain drag
- More frequent maintenance calls
- Increased downtime
- Sanitation concerns during inspections
- Reduced conveyor speed or load-handling performance
In many cases, replacing worn metal parts with properly selected engineered plastic alternatives can improve performance without requiring replacement of the entire conveyor system.
Choosing the Right Plastic Material
Not every plastic performs the same way in every environment.
The correct material depends on several operating conditions, including:
- Cleaning chemical type and concentration
- Water temperature
- Frequency of cleaning
- Conveyor speed
- Product load
- Friction requirements
- Food-contact requirements
- Operating temperature
- Impact and wear conditions
For example, UHMW is widely used for conveyor wear strips and guides because of its low friction, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and low moisture absorption. Other applications may benefit from LubX®, HDPE, acetal, nylon, PTFE, or another engineered material.
Evaluating the entire application helps ensure that the selected component provides the required combination of chemical resistance, wear life, speed, and load capacity.
Making the Right Material Choice
Routine cleaning is essential for maintaining safe and productive operations, but it can be extremely demanding on traditional metal conveyor components.
Washdown conveyors must withstand frequent cleaning without corrosion, while sanitary conveyors must also support thorough cleaning procedures designed to prevent bacterial contamination. In both environments, exposure to water, caustic chemicals, disinfectants, and repeated cleaning cycles can shorten component life and increase maintenance requirements.
Using engineered plastic parts that are compatible with the operating environment can help extend equipment life, reduce maintenance, maintain conveyor speed and load capacity, and minimize costly downtime.
Not sure whether your current conveyor parts are properly suited for a washdown or sanitary application?
Slideways can help evaluate the application and recommend materials and component options designed for demanding cleaning environments.
Contact Us