Key Technology CleanBelt CIP system for ADR 5 for potato strips

Key Technology has introduced CleanBelt, a clean-in-place (CIP) system for ADR 5, the company’s automatic defect removal system for potato strips. According to the company, this automated CIP system reduces sanitation and maintenance labour, minimises the cost of replacement parts and helps maintain the ADR 5 system’s performance.

Because starch hardens over time, starch build-up can be a persistent problem on potato strip production lines, especially on equipment with moving parts and on inspection equipment where build-up over viewing surfaces can degrade system performance.

With a combination of passive and active cleaning systems, CleanBelt continuously removes starch from the ADR belt to prevent build-up. The consistency of this routine reportedly ensures a uniform inspection background for the ADR cameras over time, which eliminates the need to recalibrate ADR and helps maintain optimal inspection performance without degradation.

Preventing starch build-up also reduces the risk of belt mis-tracking, which can cause damage to the knives and cutting wheel.

The CleanBelt is a standard feature on all new ADR 5 systems and is offered as an in-field upgrade to processors with installed ADR 5 systems. For processors with older ADR systems, Key offers CleanBelt as a standard feature on upgrades to ADR 5 from ADR II, ADR III and ADR 4c systems.

The system eliminates the need to manually remove starch from between belt lanes and reduces the need for the ADR belt to be manually cleaned. The company claims it extends the intervals between cutter wheel rebuilds and reduces knife replacements, saving labour and parts.