Van Beek has extensive and unique facilities for testing, analysing and assessing whether screw conveyors are suitable for your product and your production process, all provided free of any obligation. The Blue Zone: investing in innovation and professionalisation.
Centre of Excellence
The Blue Zone is our new centre of excellence for screw conveyors. In a section of the company’s facilities accented in blue, Van Beek offers the space and opportunity to investigate what effects a particular type of screw conveyor has on your product. Together with you, we will look to find the most suitable application to achieve the best end result in your production process. Together we will determine the most suitable solution to achieve a positive end result in your production process.
Gaining insight into product properties
In order to achieve optimal screw conveyance of your product, it is important to start with a thorough understanding of the properties and behaviour of your product. Van Beek has the relevant equipment, technology and knowledge to accurately examine, test and analyse all these factors. For example, granule size and moisture percentage affect the flow of the product. Van Beek saves samples of all the tests in a database so that we can predict the behaviour of the product in combination with a machine. Using this information, we can anticipate which type of screw conveyor would be suitable for your product.
Testing
A test is set-up in the Test Room, in consultation with you, to determine the effect of a screw conveyor on the product, such as meat or grated carrot. The test results will show whether the product is able to be transported by a screw conveyor, and what effect the conveyor has on the product’s properties. The tested meat products and grated carrot, for example, can be transported undamaged. To prevent the accumulation of carrot behind the internal hatches, the speed can be adjusted. Complex issues regarding changing material properties when heated and/or cooled are investigated thermographically in your own production environment using ºCelsius. For the correct dosing of your product in the production line, Van Beek has developed dosing and weighing screws, and these methods can also be tested. You can even rent test machines so you can carry out tests in your own production environment.
Analysing
The Brain Room is a specially equipped room in which you and your team can read and analyse all the test results and discuss these at your leisure. Whenever possible, Van Beek makes a video of all the tests, and this is stored in a database together with the samples. The results then determine the machine type that can be used immediately. A structured test procedure gives complete insight, thereby negating the need for making adjustments to the machine during the production process itself. The final custom-engineered and built machine undergoes a factory acceptance test before it is incorporated into the production line. For a site acceptance test, the machine can alternatively be tested on site in the production line, and adjusted if required. Van Beek facilitates and supports you where necessary during the entire testing process. Whether for a 5-minute test or for the whole day.
Interested?
The Blue Zone is increasingly being used both internally and externally. Are you interested in all the available options? Why not get in touch with us! You are warmly welcome to join us for a (pre-) test.
Michiel van Mourik (Senior R&D Engineer) & Daan Mulder (R&D and Test Engineer)
“Purchasing a new machine is an excellent time to test whether it fulfils your production requirements. The testing phase is an indispensable link in the purchasing chain, and avoids the need for any subsequent adjustments. Testing is sometimes wrongly seen as a costly or delaying factor. Testing actually contributes to the development and renewal of existing products; it’s an essential part of the business process. During testing, the customer’s requirements are examined prior to testing for any technical solutions and modifications to components such as sensors, covers and drives. This forms the basis for the most effective starting point for the test set-up to ensure a targeted testing procedure. It’s a continuous process that doesn’t end until the optimal desired result is achieved. When customers walk into our Blue Zone (centre of excellence) with, for example, a bag of sugar or sliced carrots, they not only see how their product is conveyed, but also what other options are available. Testing definitely delivers added value, both for the customer and for the organisation.”
