“The running speed here is anywhere between 40 and 60 feet per minute; we’re not in the hundreds or thousands of feet per minute,” he says. “So, if we have a change of direction, it’s very smooth, it’s very calm, and it’s very gentle.” The slower speed does not affect TruFood’s throughput, however, because the system was designed to optimize the diameter of the pipe, Berko says. “So that allows the volume to keep pace with our production.”
Pandemic timing Like so many of the case studies we’ve talked over the past year or so, TruFood was faced with installing the system during COVID-19 lockdowns. The SaniLux has been running successfully at TruFood’s facility since its installation in May 2020, just as the pandemic was spreading around the globe. Berko had travelled to Montreal (where Luxme is headquartered) to do some in-house testing of the system just prior to COVID. But by the time TruFood was ready to take delivery, international borders had been shut down, and Luxme engineers were prevented from traveling from Canada to be on-site for set-up and commissioning.
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TruFood had to rely on virtual rather than in-person help from Luxme for installation. TruFood’s in-house engineering team completed the installation work, and Luxme did the virtual commissioning. “It went remarkably smooth,” Berko says. “Luxme had prepared a very detailed package with installation directions, and they were available pretty much every step of the way. If we needed anything, we were able to get in contact and sort out any issues that we came across.” It went so well, that Berko is not particularly opposed to doing it the same way again. “I understand the world’s changing, and it’s probably something we’re going to see a lot more of,” he says. “There is a lot of value in having someone with experience physically with you to do these things, but I would be less apprehensive to do a virtual install.” At the end of the day, the SaniLux conveyor has improved TruFood’s ability to win new contracts for its business through increased uptime. “It’s allowed us to confidently plan for increased line availability,” Berko says. “We’ve been able to plan for that, and we’ve been able to deliver on that.” Luxme www.tubularchainconveyors.com
6/1/22 12:14 PM
