How to Plan & Prepare for a Food Conveyor Installation

Are you a food manufacturer planning to install a sanitary conveyor as part of a line addition, plant expansion, or new build? This is a valuable opportunity to optimize your product transfer process from the start.

Taking the time upfront to plan properly can lead to a smoother startup, more uptime, better safety, fewer compliance issues, and a stronger return on your investment.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the key steps to ensure a successful sanitary conveyor installation. Read on for expert insights to help you get the most from your new system.

PLANNING THE IDEAL SANITARY CONVEYOR INSTALLATION

Conveyor installation is usually the final step when adding food processing capacity, but that does not mean it should be an afterthought. Skimping on planning now can mean painful compromises on throughput, capacity, and efficiency, and expensive overhauls later. 

Food plant construction is a complex undertaking that requires careful planning and coordination of many overlapping functions. The usual stages for a new build or major upgrade project are as follows:

While conveyance specialists are usually last to the party when it comes to site and infrastructure access, your conveyor provider and installation team must be involved in your planning process from the start. 

Early and ongoing communication will ensure a smooth and effective installation process. It’s also important that your provider has access to detailed layout drawings for the project so equipment can be manufactured to the right specifications. Leading providers like PFI also prefer to schedule on-site assessments ahead of installation.

Work closely with the project lead or general contractor to ensure the conveyor installation team’s requirements are defined, verified, and prepared before they arrive on site.

CHOOSING YOUR INSTALLATION SUPPLIER

Selecting a qualified installation team is critical to getting the best performance from your conveyor system. While third-party installers are an option, partnering with your OEM offers key advantages:

• Expertise: OEMs understand their equipment better than anyone, handling installation with precision and adapting systems to fit your facility.
• Fewer Suppliers: Using the OEM’s services streamlines coordination, reducing scheduling headaches and potential miscommunication.
• Direct Support: With an OEM, you have direct access to the engineers who designed your system, making troubleshooting and long-term support more seamless.
• Specialized Skills: OEM teams bring the installation experience and technical knowledge that general contractors may lack, leading to a smoother, more reliable setup.

PFI goes a step further with its FAT testing facility in Algona, Iowa, where we can run your system at scale before installation. This allows us to catch and resolve potential issues early, minimizing downtime and keeping your project on track.

KEY STEPS TO PREPARE FOR CONVEYOR INSTALLATION

Typically, there are three stages to the process of preparing your facility for conveyor installation: site preparation, infrastructure readiness, and project communication and coordination.

1. Site Preparation: Setting the Stage for Success

Before food processing conveyor installation can begin, your workspace needs to be clean, organized, and free of obstructions. A well-prepared site reduces installation delays and helps maintain safety and hygiene requirements. The following checklist includes three critical aspects: access, space requirements, and sanitary compliance.

2. Infrastructure Readiness: Avoiding Last-Minute Surprises

Conveyor installations usually take 2-5 days to complete, but having the necessary support systems will keep the work on track. Make sure your conveyor installation team has all infrastructure requirements established before work begins. This includes structural readiness, drainage and hygiene considerations and access to the necessary utilities.

3. Coordination & Communication: Keeping Everyone Aligned

Smooth installation depends on clear communication between all stakeholders from the start of the project. Failure to coordinate activities can lead to project delays or, in some cases, to work having to be done over. And, agreement on layout plans means all stakeholders are on the same page.

INSTALLATION DAY: WHAT TO EXPECT & HOW TO PREPARE

Before the installation team arrives, perform a final check of all equipment specifications. Confirm that conveyor components match your order, that your utilities are ready, and that your site is fully prepared. The more thorough your pre-installation checks, the smoother your installation process will run.

Qualified equipment providers like PFI will always follow Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) -compliant installation procedures. This is a list of industry-recognized best practices for effective equipment installation. 

GMP includes proper documentation, validation procedures, and operational testing to verify the system functions as intended. It also mandates that performance and operational qualifications (PQ and OQ) be completed to check the reliability of your conveyor before full production begins. 

The following table summarizes GMP procedures for sanitary conveying equipment installations.

Designing, building, and installing sanitary conveyor systems is complex, and unexpected issues may arise with even the best planning. Some common installation challenges include misaligned layouts, unexpected space constraints, and scheduling conflicts with other teams. 

Reviewing your plans early, keeping communication open, and assigning specific responsibilities to key personnel can help avoid these problems. Paying attention to small details ahead of time prevents unexpected factors from becoming major disruptions on installation day.

POST-INSTALLATION BEST PRACTICES: LONG-TERM EFFICIENCY

Most premium-quality conveyor systems are highly customized pieces of equipment. Users rely on equipment providers like PFI to provide both in-person installation services as well as post-installation testing, commissioning, and production startup.

Start-up support helps you make a successful transition to full operation, and having the same installation team on-site during initial production runs allows them to troubleshoot problems on the spot. They can help you ensure your conveyor is operating at peak efficiency before being fully integrated into daily operations.

That said, any investment in new technology is only going to be as good as your operators. Your team should receive hands-on training to properly use, clean, and maintain your new equipment. Reputable providers also supply manuals, training materials, and ongoing support to help prevent the misuse of your conveyor system and extend your equipment’s lifespan.

You can protect your investment by developing and following a strict preventative maintenance plan. Regular inspections, lubrication, and calibrations scheduled according to the manufacturer’s recommendations limit wear and tear and may help you spot problems earlier. 

PFI: YOUR END-TO-END INSTALLATION PARTNER

PFI Conveyors is a leading provider of innovative sanitary food conveyor systems. We offer more than 70 years’ experience in building safe, efficient, and hygienic equipment that many of the world’s top food brands rely on every day.

We create highly customized food industry conveyor systems tailored to your specifications and unique production and hygiene needs. And, we stand by every conveyor we make with comprehensive installation support. 

We offer:

• Expert pre-installation on-site inspections
• Installation by our own highly experienced technicians
• Testing, start-up, and troubleshooting services
• Fully GMP-compliant implementations
• Training, technical support, and parts

Looking to expand or upgrade your sanitary conveyor capacity? Ready to work with an industry-trusted supplier that stands with you every step of the way? Choose PFI — the most trusted name in food industry conveyor installation.
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