เฟืองสำหรับสายพานลำเลียงคัดแยกอาหาร
Food sorting and grading conveyors in Australian fresh produce, meat, seafood, and processed food facilities handle open food products at every stage from receival to dispatch. Food sorting conveyor sprockets in these environments must meet the strictest hygiene, cleanability, and material standards — direct or incidental food contact, daily high-pressure washdowns, and compliance with FSANZ, FDA, and HACCP requirements are non-negotiable. Explore our food-grade sprocket range →
Overview
Australian food sorting lines — from apple grading and citrus packing to chicken portioning, prawn grading, and shelf-ready salad production — share common requirements: open-product handling, cold or ambient operating environments, high-pressure washdown with caustic or chlorinated chemicals, and frequent sanitisation cycles. Chain drives convey product through vision-inspection stations, weight graders, optical sorters, and packing stations. Every component must be designed for hygiene, not just bolted on after the fact.
Ever-power Australia supplies SS304 and SS316 stainless steel food sorting conveyor sprockets with polished tooth flanks, drainable hub geometry, and full material certification for FSANZ and HACCP compliance — the components food manufacturers and packers depend on for safe, reliable grading operations.
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Food Sorting Value | Range |
|---|---|---|
| วัสดุ | AISI 304 stainless steel | SS316 for chlorinated sanitisers |
| Chain Standard | ANSI #35 / #40 / ISO 06B / 08B | ANSI #25–#50 / ISO 04B–10B |
| Pitch | 9.525 mm / 12.7 mm | 6.35–15.875 mm |
| Surface Finish | Ra 0.8–1.6 μm polished | Electropolished Ra <0.4 μm |
| Tooth Hardness (SS304) | HRB 88–96 | — |
| Hub Geometry | Drainable (no horizontal flat surfaces) | By design to comply with 3-A standards |
| Bore Tolerance | H7 | H6 on request |
| Hub Style | Finished bore or taper-bushed | Format-changeover: taper-bushed |
| CIP Resistance | NaOH 2%, NaOCl 200 ppm, HNO3 1% | SS316 for NaOCl >200 ppm |
| Operating Temperature | −25°C to +45°C (cold stores) | Up to 90°C for CIP cycles |
| Washdown Rating | IP69K hub sealing on request | — |
| Speed Range | 0.3–2.5 m/s | — |
| Lubrication | NSF H1 food-grade oil only | Dry-film PTFE for no-residue zones |
| Fastener Material | A4 SS set-screw required | Prevents galvanic corrosion |
| Machining Grade | DIN Grade 6 | — |
| Documentation | MTC EN 10204 2.2; dim. report | 3-A cert. on request |
| Strand | Simplex | Duplex for high-load infeed conveyors |
| FDA Compliance | 21 CFR 177.2600 (SS304) | — |
| FSANZ Compliance | Food Contact Regulation 1.5.3 | — |
Performance Advantages
🍁Drainable Hub DesignOur food sorting sprockets are designed with drainable geometry — no horizontal flat surfaces or crevices where water, product residue, or cleaning chemicals can accumulate. This is a fundamental requirement of 3-A Sanitary Standards and EHEDG hygiene design guidelines for food-contact conveyor components.
🔌Full CIP Cycle ResistanceSS304 withstands standard CIP protocols (NaOH 2%, 80°C; HNO3 0.5%, 50°C; hot water rinse 85°C) without pitting, staining, or dimensional change — maintaining food safety across the sprocket’s full service life.
✨Polished Surface HygieneRa 0.8–1.6 μm polished tooth flanks and hub surfaces reduce product adhesion and microbial biofilm formation — critical for fresh produce and protein-handling lines where food safety is audited by retailer and regulatory inspectors.
🧩Cold-Store CompatibleOur SS304 stainless sprockets operate at temperatures down to −25°C without embrittlement — suitable for frozen food, chilled produce, and cold-store sorting conveyor applications where carbon-steel components may suffer low-temperature corrosion.
📏Format-Changeover SpeedTaper-bushed versions allow rapid sprocket replacement when changing grading formats or belt widths — critical for multi-product packing facilities where downtime during product changeover directly impacts facility profitability.
📚Complete Compliance DocumentationEN 10204 2.2 material test certificates, dimensional inspection reports, and FDA/FSANZ compliance declarations are available with every food sorting sprocket order — meeting the documentation requirements of HACCP, SQF, and BRC certification programmes.
Compatibility Information
| Application / Chain | Recommended Sprocket | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit & vegetable grading (ANSI #35) | ANSI #35 SS304 sprocket | Standard for most AU fruit packing lines |
| Meat portioning conveyor (ANSI #40) | ANSI #40 SS316 sprocket | Chlorinated CIP in abattoir environment |
| Seafood grading (ANSI #35 / ISO 06B) | ANSI #35 or ISO 06B SS316 sprocket | High chloride brine environment → SS316 |
| Egg washing & grading conveyor (ANSI #35) | ANSI #35 SS304 sprocket | High-humidity washdown environment |
| Poultry processing line (ANSI #40) | ANSI #40 SS316 sprocket | Heavy caustic & chlorinated CIP |
| Produce washing & inspection (ISO 06B) | ISO 06B SS304 sprocket | European OEM grading equipment |
| TOMRA, Key Technology optical sorter (ref only) | ANSI #35 / #40 interchangeable | Brand reference; confirm chain pitch |
| Marel, MAJA portioning conveyor (ref only) | ANSI #40 / ISO 08B SS316 | Brand reference; verify tooth count |
Selection Guide
🍁
Define Hygiene ZoneProduct-contact zone (direct food contact): SS304 minimum, SS316 for high-chloride environments. Non-contact enclosed drives: C45 carbon steel with dacromet. Always confirm zone classification with your HACCP plan.
📏
CIP Chemical CompatibilityStandard NaOH/HNO3 CIP: SS304. Hypochlorite (NaOCl) sanitiser >200 ppm: SS316. Brine or seawater environments: SS316. Acid phosphoric CIP: SS316. When in doubt, specify SS316 — the cost difference is modest compared to the risk of pitting corrosion.
📈
Speed & LoadMost food sorting conveyors operate at 0.5–2.0 m/s at light-to-moderate load — ANSI #35 or #40 in simplex is appropriate. For high-load infeed conveyors (bulk fruit or root vegetable receival), ANSI #50 or ISO 10B may be required. Confirm with our team.
🔧
Hub Style for ChangeoverMulti-product facilities requiring frequent product changeovers: taper-bushed (QD) stainless sprockets. Single-format lines: finished bore SS304/316 is simpler and lower cost. Specify A4 stainless set-screws on all food-zone sprocket orders.
Installation for Food Sorting Conveyor Sprockets
- Schedule during a planned CIP or sanitation window. Notify QA management before any mechanical changes to food-contact conveyor systems.
- Isolate all drives using LOTO procedure. Food facility LOTO often includes multiple energy sources — pneumatic, hydraulic, and electrical. Verify all are isolated.
- Pre-clean the sprocket zone to food-safe standard before disassembly — do not introduce contamination from an uncleaned drive area into an open-product zone.
- Remove old sprocket using A4 stainless tools. Do not use carbon-steel grinders, wire brushes, or tools that shed particles into the food zone.
- Clean shaft with approved food-equipment solvent. Inspect shaft for pitting, corrosion, or keyway damage.
- Install new SS304/316 sprocket. Use A4 stainless set-screw and apply food-safe thread-lock compound (Loctite 243 NSF-rated).
- Align with mating sprocket to ≤0.3 mm lateral offset. Verify with dial indicator if tight-tolerance grading equipment is involved.
- Lubricate with NSF H1 food-grade chain oil before restarting. Do not use standard mineral oil in open-product zones.
- CIP cycle before food production: Run the conveyor through a CIP cycle and visual food-safety inspection before the first food product is introduced after maintenance.
- Update HACCP records — record the maintenance action, component used, material certificate reference, and sign-off by a qualified person.
Troubleshooting Food Sorting Sprockets
| Symptom | Probable Cause | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|
| Pitting corrosion on sprocket surface | SS304 in high-chloride CIP zone | Replace with SS316; verify CIP protocol concentration |
| Product contamination event (rust particles) | Carbon-steel sprocket in food-contact zone | Replace with SS304/316; conduct HACCP review |
| Grade accuracy drift on sorting conveyor | Worn sprocket increasing chain pitch variation | Replace sprocket; verify with Grade 6 CMM report |
| Chain derailment during high-speed grading | Misalignment >0.5 mm | Realign sprockets to ≤0.3 mm |
| Biofilm formation on sprocket surface | Ra >1.6 μm surface after wear | Replace with new polished sprocket; review CIP frequency |
