IN Brief:
- Hapman will unveil a new conveying system at PACK EXPO International in Chicago.
- The company is targeting food and pharmaceutical applications with demanding sanitation requirements.
- Capacity, conveying mechanism and detailed cleaning specifications remain undisclosed before the launch.
Hapman will unveil a new conveying system at PACK EXPO International in Chicago, with the machine designed for food and pharmaceutical applications where cleanability, product integrity and maintenance access influence equipment selection.
The conveyor will be shown from 18 to 21 October alongside Hapman’s CablePro tubular drag conveyor, Helix flexible screw conveyor, Bulk Bag Filler and Bulk Bag Unloader. Hapman has not yet disclosed the new machine’s name, capacity, conveying mechanism or detailed sanitation specification.
Food conveyors accumulate product wherever powders, granules or fragments can enter joints, seals, bends or other internal spaces. Material remaining after a production run can contaminate the next batch or extend sanitation time where the machine has to be opened and dismantled for inspection.
Cleanability is therefore determined partly by geometry. Smooth product paths, access to contact surfaces and the number of components that must be removed all affect how quickly a conveyor can be cleaned and returned to production.
Product integrity imposes a different mechanical limit. Cereals, nuts, frozen products and inclusions can break or abrade when moved too aggressively, generating fines or changing the size distribution expected by the next process stage.
Conveying speed, route geometry and the method used to transfer material all influence that damage. Equipment designed around sanitation still has to move the product at the required throughput without creating breakage that makes the finished process less consistent.
Maintenance access joins both requirements because wear points inside a conveyor can affect hygiene and performance at the same time. Components that are difficult to inspect can remain in service after deterioration begins, while the same restricted access can make sanitation slower.
Hapman’s existing CablePro system uses enclosed stainless steel tubing, a braided cable and moulded discs to move materials including cereals, grains, nuts and frozen foods. The company positions that equipment around gentle movement and hygienic handling.
The new conveyor is being launched alongside CablePro rather than replacing it, indicating that Hapman intends it to address a different operating requirement or machine architecture. Detailed comparison is not possible until the company releases the missing technical specification.
Helix provides another reference point within the range. Its rotating flexible screw moves powders, granules, crystals, flakes and pellets through a fixed tube, making it suitable for products that can tolerate the mechanical action of the screw.
The choice between those approaches depends on the material. A fragile ingredient may require gentler handling, while a free flowing powder can be transferred effectively through a compact screw system. Sticky or cohesive products create another set of issues around buildup and discharge.
Sanitation can also determine whether an otherwise suitable conveyor is practical. A plant handling allergens or products with strong colours may require validated cleaning between recipes, so hours spent opening, cleaning, inspecting and rebuilding a machine reduce the production time available each day.
Reducing that cleaning burden can improve usable capacity without increasing the conveyor’s nominal tonnes per hour. A faster machine provides little benefit where extended sanitation routinely prevents the line from returning to service.
Enclosed systems create a further engineering trade off. Containment reduces dust and protects product from the surrounding environment, but completely enclosed routes can make internal inspection more difficult unless access has been designed into the machine from the start.
Hapman has identified simplified maintenance alongside cleanability, suggesting that the new system has been designed with access in mind. The exact method remains undisclosed, so no claim can yet be made about removable sections, cleaning in place capability, tool free access or washdown performance.
PACK EXPO will provide the first technical specification needed to position the machine against Hapman’s existing conveyors. Throughput, contact materials, cleaning method, route flexibility and the range of validated products will determine whether it fills a genuine gap within the company’s portfolio.
Until those details are released, the confirmed development is narrower: Hapman is adding another conveyor for food and pharmaceutical processing, with hygiene, product protection and service access defined as core design requirements rather than secondary features.
