Detectable scraper blades improve part longevity and food safety

VMX scraper blades Case Study

We used our engineered solutions expertise to help our customers re-design the food safe scraper blades used in their new dairy processing tanks.

Working closely with both the food manufacturer and the OEM allowed us to fully understand the industry requirements for any new material, as well as how to improve the part design itself.

Together, we identified food safe materials that met the detection levels required by the manufacturer, mitigating costly contamination risks as well as helping the OEM improve their equipment design processes, increasing customer satisfaction and efficiency.

Industry: Food & Pharma, Food Processing

Solution: Development of more reliable scraper blades using detectable food safe materials

Products: VMX (Visual, Metal, X-ray) family of materials

Results: More reliable, highly detectable materials used in scraper blades improved efficiency and food safety

Improving food safety through contaminant detectability

Due to wear from cleaning agents and the demands of the food production process, these blades are prone to break down. With existing nylon blades not meeting food safety standards, the manufacturer specifically requested that more robust and highly detectable parts be included in the new tanks.

Due to the closed structure of the processing equipment, the OEM was unable to change the design of the part, so needed to source new food safe materials with improved wear resistance and detectability. However, even after extensive testing of other existing materials and outsourcing replacement parts to a local fabricator, they were still not achieving the detection levels required.

Engineering solutions to increase part performance

We started working with the food manufacturer to help identify an appropriate material for the scraper blades, while also collaborating with the OEM on an improved design.

After tests on existing materials failed to deliver results, we suggested using our VMX (Visual, Metal, X-ray) product range. Our portfolio of VMX materials features a superior, additive formulation for food contact applications that are detectable by visual (blue plastic), metal, and X-ray inspection. These food grade materials finally met the manufacturer's requirements for both compliance and detectability.

Once the material was approved, we collaborated with the OEM to help improve the part design. Using our engineered solutions expertise, we undertook a series of mold flow analyses, detecting any weaknesses and recommending improvements.

Safer, more efficient food production

Thanks to their unique combination of properties, our VMX materials offered the manufacturer a longer-wearing, more detectable part that increased efficiency within the food production process, resulting in enhanced food safety.

Mitigating contamination risks also helped to improve processing efficiency by reducing downtime, increasing production runs and saving costs.

In addition, in partnership with the OEM we helped improve their equipment design processes, improving customer satisfaction and efficiency.

• Higher contamination detectability
• More efficient production process
• Less downtime
• Increased profitability due to increased production runs