Leading the way in bake oven belts

Leaders in solid and perforated bake oven belts

As a brand, Ipco is regarded as a prioneering manufacturer of carbon steel belts to the bakery industry, supplying OEMs and end users alike, throughout the African continent and beyond.

IPCO steel belts are available in solid or perforated form, and are suitable for baking products as diverse as bread, biscuits, brownies, crackers, pastries, sponges, all-butter cookies and pizza bases.

The key qualities of a steel belt include outstanding thermal properties for efficient baking; the inherent ease of cleaning of a belt compared with mesh; and the attractive return on investment when considering overall lifetime cost.

This long term value for money is due to the durability of this type of belt: It is virtually unheard of for a steel bake oven belt to reach ‘end of life’ due to fatigue stress. During the baking process the belt is placed under considerable thermal stress as heating and cooling takes place every time it completes a revolution. A combination of steel belt grade and special manufacturing phases is used to achieve the necessary thermal properties of the material. These properties give steel belts the durability to operate for decades under what are severely challenging processing conditions.

In terms of maintenance, qualities such as good tension and tracking characteristics and resistance to stretching combine to result in significantly less downtime than other belt materials, important considerations when even an hour’s lost production can be costly.

This unique combination of qualities doesn’t just come from the inherent qualities of steel of course: Every belt is meticulously engineered to perform as it should, as Ipco global product manager Marko Leber explains.

“The baking process requires not only specific thermal properties but also mechanical ones. The belt needs to provide stable working conditions when tensioned and to transfer the heat from the heating media to the product in an even way. The necessary mechanical properties are created during the production process, engineering long lasting flatness and straightness into the belt. These qualities are essential for an efficient continuous baking process.”

In addition to a long working life and low maintenance requirements, the relative lightness of a steel belt can result in lower operating costs.

Solid steel belts are lighter than wire mesh – perforated steel belts lighter still – so cost up to 30% less to heat. Each time the belt exits the baking chamber, it begins to cool and has to be heated up again so the savings are continuous. As much of 25% of an oven’s energy consumption is needed to heat the belt, so these savings can be considerable.

The company can produce belts in widths from 800mm to 3 500mm. This makes it possible to achieve significant improvements in productivity without having to invest in factory extensions or new facilities. An oven with a 1 500mm wide belt offers almost twice the productivity of one with an 800mm belt without any increase in the line length. Upgrade to an oven with a 3 200mm belt or larger and throughput is increased by a factor of four.

Fast fact: Any build-up of acrylamide can also have a negative impact of on human health and bakeries must make every effort to reduce levels of this potentially carcinogenic byproduct of the baking process.

“The key qualities of a steel belt include outstanding thermal properties for efficient baking; the inherent ease of cleaning of a belt compared with mesh; and the attractive return on investment when considering overall lifetime cost”

Minimising the risk of acrylamide build-up

build-up of carbon residues on the bake oven belt is unavoidable and this can be detrimental to both the taste and the appearance of a product.

As a conveying medium that’s completely flat and smooth, a steel belt has the major advantage of having no gaps, recesses or crevices in which carbon deposits could collect. As a result, steel belts are inherently quicker and easier to clean than mesh belts.

Any build-up of acrylamide can also have a negative impact of on human health and bakeries must make every effort to reduce levels of this potentially carcinogenic byproduct of the baking process.

As well as minimising the risk of harmful acrylamide build-up, the ‘cleanability’ of a flat belt means less water consumption, reduced use of chemicals/detergents, and – depending on the cleaning method – less energy expended on heat.

Quick and effective cleaning also enables rapid changeover from one product to another, enhancing the overall productivity and efficiency of a bakery.

Oven upgrades to solid steel belts

The qualities of a steel belt have made it essential to the production of what in recent years has grown to become a worldwide favourite: American-style cookies.

These products use real butter, and often chocolate chips too, so need to be baked on a solid belt otherwise melted product would drip through the belt and create a fire risk. The use of a solid steel belt also produces an attractive crisp base.

This globalisation in taste has led a number of bakery operations to look at how to capitalise on the opportunities available, resulting in a switch from wire mesh to solid steel systems.

While most of IPCO’s work with the bakery industry is focused on the manufacture and supply of steel belts, the company can also support OEMs in system design and supply a full range of conveyor

The range of steel belts are available in solid or perforated form, and suitable for a diverse range of products including bread, biscuits, brownies, crackers, pastries, sponges, all-butter cookies and pizza bases

equipment from sheaves and shafts to bearings and breakpoints. Other ancillary equipment available includes active and passive belt alignment solutions such as belt edge detectors, guide rollers and compact/ automatic tracking devices

As a result of this close cooperation between Ipco and OEMs, it is often possible for manufacturers to gain the extra production flexibility delivered by upgrading the conveyor system, without having to replace their existing oven.

Service and maintenance support

This level of expertise means that IPCO’s engineers are able to offer maintenance support that looks beyond the belt.

“The belt acts as a window into the performance of the entire oven,” Leber explains. For example, if we see wavy belt edges, this could be caused by side wandering due to dirty, worn or ill-adjusted drums, idlers, skid bars or break points.

“We understand how a belt interacts with the many other components that make up the system as a whole. An inspection by our service team goes beyond the belt – we look at the whole line to understand how the entire system is performing.”

It is for this reason that Ipco offers comprehensive preventative maintenance agreements (PMAs), designed to identify and rectify potential risks of failure before they have chance to disrupt production.

The company has fully trained and equipped service teams on the ground in all key markets, including Africa. As well as enabling a quick response to any service or repair needs, this also means that work is carried out by qualified people with a real understanding of customers’ needs and values.

As part of a global business, Ipco’s local teams can also call on the support of the company’s special engineering team if required, experts who can be sent anywhere in the world to troubleshoot issues and provide specialist support.

The company also supports customers in the form of technician training, either on-site or at its regional headquarters in Johannesburg. Subjects can be tailored to requirements but will typically focus on best practices in belt maintenance, repair techniques and use of the QuickTools range, all specially designed to make repair work as efficient as possible. BR