IPCO, manufacturer of bake oven belts and conveyor components, will use this year’s IBA fair to focus on the practical benefits it can bring to bakery operations through belt management, conveyor system inspections and process consultancy. Visit their stand at Hall C1, Stand 120.
With almost 100 years’ experience of working with the bakery industry, IPCO’s services range from the supply and installation of solid and perforated steel belts to process upgrades in the form of belt replacement and the supply of tracking systems and other productivity-enhancing conveyor components.
As part of this, the company’s global service teams can offer system consultancy and planned preventative maintenance designed to maximise uptime and oven reliability.
Marko Leber is global product manager for food belts at IPCO. “Bakeries are looking to gain competitive edge in several ways, from product quality to system productivity. Our message at IBA is that we can help you achieve this by improving your bake process and maximising the performance of your oven.”
High power laser cleaning
IPCO will also highlight the cost, productivity and hygiene benefits of its bake oven belt laser cleaning system. Utilising high power laser technology, this is a portable system that removes burnt on residues from bake oven belts significantly faster than other processes, and usually enables bake operations to continue uninterrupted on nearby ovens.
The laser is installed above the belt and as the belt travels beneath the beam, deposits are burnt off and collected by a vacuum system. Once the strip has been cleaned, the laser head is moved across to the next section. Depending on belt size and level of build-up, a typical bake oven belt can be cleaned in a day.
Sustainability
Steel belts offer several advantages in terms of sustainability, and this will be another key message, as Leber explains. “A solid or perforated steel bake oven belt is an exceptionally durable process tool – a 20 year working life is far from unusual. As well is representing an attractive ROI, this also makes it a more sustainable choice than other belt materials.”
Steel belts are also lighter than mesh so take less power to drive in the first place, and less energy is needed to reheat them every time they re-enter the oven.
