A cheese dairy plant in Mayenne, France was experiencing various maintenance problems with its chain hoists for a cheese brining process. Bretagne Manutention, a partner of Verlinde, and a 30-year supplier of handling equipment to this manufacturer, was able to offer them a tailor-made solution.
The Mayennaise cheese plant, which produces several varieties of cheese, is equipped with a brining room. This process consists of soaking the cheeses in a brine bath so that they absorb the salt. The room has seven dipping tanks, each equipped with a hoist that handles the cheese-filled trays. These are soaked in the brine baths in several stages, then sent to the maturing cellar.
Hygiene requirements
The cheese plant used chain hoists from a rival manufacturer, but had problems of corrosion on the lifting chains despite regular lubrication. This oxidation was causing numerous production stoppages. During a customer visit, a sales manager at Bretagne Manutention Laval, with his long experience in the food industry, recommended Verlinde Eurolift BH electric belt hoists to replace those using traditional chain hoist technology.
These hoists meet the strictest hygiene standards in the food industry. A special feature is that they are equipped with a high-strength, rot-proof lifting belt and a dirt-free guide system for use in all kinds of environments. The mechanically variable 2-speed lift motor and the 2-speed steering motor, together with the perfectly sealed gearbox, provide the precise and silent movement of loads from 500 to 5 000kg.
A customised adaptation
The client asked Bretagne Manutention for a complete study, as he wanted to optimise the entire lifting solution to increase the load capacities of his hoists from 1 000kg to 1 200kg. As a general rule, a Eurolift BH hoist moves on an IPN rail, but the configuration of the brine room did not allow the hoist enough travel with this type of rail. The existing structure had to be changed and the loads of the suspended structure recalculated, which was expensive, or the hoists had to be adapted. Verlinde proposed moving the hoist motor to a different location in order to gain height and thus reuse the existing galvanised hollow section rails.
The first Eurolift BH hoist was installed in 2020. Within three months, the test proved successful: maintenance and lubrication operations were reduced and corrosion problems eliminated. The other six hoists were then replaced, reducing breakdowns and production downtime. The installation is maintained by Bretagne Manutention Maintenance. Monitoring is regular, with a visit every six months and assistance provided to the client particularly in the adjustment of the belt and the various settings according to the constraints.
www.verlinde.com
I need a 1 ton 220V static belt hoist to lift one storey high