English (UK) 
简体中文 In PET bottle beverage production line, chain conveyor is the core equipment to ensure efficient and hygienic conveying. Improper selection may lead to problems such as material retention, equipment wear and tear, or substandard hygiene. Based on the three-dimensional Q&A matrix (basic questions, scenario questions, solutions), this article analyzes key parameters and material selection to help users avoid risks and optimise line efficiency.
Fundamental issues: understanding the nature and need for equipment
Chain conveyor pulls the carrier plate by circulating chain to achieve horizontal, inclined or turning conveyance of PET bottles. Its core value is to solve the high hygiene requirements and continuous operation needs of the beverage industry.
- What is PET bottle chain conveyor?
It is driven by a motor reducer and uses a standard chain plate as the carrying surface. It supports multiple parallel columns to form differential speeds for extrusion-free single or multiple column transitions. For example, the overlapping hybrid chain design ensures dynamic bottle transition and avoids stagnation. - Why must I choose a special chain conveyor?
PET bottle surface is smooth and easy to slip, need flat conveying surface to reduce friction. With low friction, the chain conveyor can smoothly transition materials and prevent bottle damage; meanwhile, it supports water washing and cleaning to meet food grade hygiene standards. - What are the core strengths?
The equipment has large carrying capacity (max. 800kg/m²), stable speed (0.4-15m/min) and flexible layout, which can complete horizontal, inclined and turning conveying in one line, and is suitable for filling, labelling and other multi-process links.
Scenario Problem: Key Parameter Selection and Practical Guide
Selection should be combined with the layout of the production line, bottle specifications and hygiene level. Neglecting to match the parameters will lead to efficiency loss or equipment failure.
- How to choose chain plate width and pitch?
Straight conveying width range 63.5-304.8mm, turning width 82.5-304.8mm, need to be calculated according to the bottle diameter: single column conveying width ≥ bottle diameter +20mm; multiple columns to a single column, the use of speed difference to avoid extrusion. Pitch standard 25.4-203.2mm, inclined conveying need to set up transverse block to prevent slipping. - How does the material match the application scenario?
Carbon steel is suitable for general environment, stainless steel (e.g. 304/316L) is corrosion-resistant and suitable for wash and clean beverage lines; engineering plastics (e.g. POM) are lightweight and chemical-resistant, but have temperature resistance limit of -10℃-120℃. Food contact area must choose food grade material. - How are the motors and speeds configured?
The motor can be placed on the top and bottom of the frame, and the speed can be adjusted by selecting frequency conversion or stepless speed reduction motor.The recommended speed of PET bottle conveying is 4-10m/min, too high is easy to cause bottle dumping. Multi-column differential speed conversion, need to synchronise control accuracy ± 0.1m/min. - What are the layout design points?
Horizontal conveying length ≤15m, long need to be segmented; turning radius ≥300mm. case: filling line commonly used "L" layout, horizontal section connected to the inclined elevator, turning with a magnetic chain plate to prevent offset.
Solutions: Risk Avoidance and Maintenance Strategies
Selection errors can trigger downtime or contamination risks. Failure rates can be reduced by more than 90% through preventive design.
- What happens if the width is insufficient?
Bottle crush leads to breakage or stagnation. Solution: Calculate the maximum bottle flow rate, and design the width according to "bottle diameter×number of columns+50mm redundancy". For example, if the bottle diameter of 100mm is conveyed in two columns, choose the width ≥250mm chain plate. - Consequences of the material not being corrosion resistant?
Acidic beverage residues corrode the chain plate, shortening the life to 1-2 years. Stainless steel or zinc-plated plate should be selected, lubrication with No. 2 lithium grease, bearing recharge 60% clearance, continuous operation life of 50,000 hours. - Neglecting the risks of clean design?
Residues breed bacteria and violate food safety. Must be selected can be water flushed structure, weekly high pressure rinsing, downtime to check the chain plate gap whether the card scale. All stainless steel racks are recommended for food lines. - Response to improper maintenance?
Bearing grease every 3 months, motor oil leakage need to replace seals. Daily check the chain tension, too loose easy to jump teeth. Spare chain plate inventory should be ≥10% to shorten the maintenance downtime.
The essence of selection is to balance efficiency, cost and compliance. It is recommended to give priority to customised solutions: by providing bottle size, conveying capacity and environmental parameters, manufacturers can optimise chain plate specifications and material combinations. Regular auditing of line load and wear data can extend equipment life by more than 30%.
