Key Technology recently announced the introduction of Zephyr™, their next-generation horizontal-motion conveyor. Featuring a patented direct drive with a counterbalance system, Zephyr’s motion profile gently moves the product with no segregation or stratification, and at higher capacities than can be achieved with other horizontal motion conveyors. Powered by a unique counterbalanced direct drive, this high-capacity conveyor utilizes horizontal movement to gently slide and convey the product without bouncing. With virtually no vertical loft, Zephyr reduces product breakage and the loss of coatings such as seasoning, batter, and certain types of oil while limiting system noise to 75 decibels or less. Its self-cleaning horizontal motion reduces the chance of product build-up and the counterweight drive minimizes floor vibration. Offering up to twice the throughput of other horizontal motion conveyors, Zephyr moves product at rates of up to 12.2 meters (40 feet) per minute.

“Designed for food processors who want gentle handling, our field-proven Zephyr conveyor offers higher throughput, reduced maintenance, and a modular design that’s more readily customized than other horizontal-motion shakers on the market,” said Jim Ruff, vice president of Process Systems and Integrated Solutions at Key Technology. “We are excited to add this product to Key’s portfolio – it enables us to provide the widest range of conveyor types and available options on the market. We’re able to supply each customer with the best system for their application and integrate multiple systems into seamless solutions.”

Tailored for each customer application, Zephyr’s bed can be up to 1 meter (3.3 feet) wide and, depending on width, up to 7 meters (23 feet) long with a product depth of up to 254 mm (10 inches). The drive can be located in any position below the bed to support seamless integration with other equipment in the line. Key can equip Zephyr with a variety of bed options including slide gates for scale feed distribution, a discharge to enhance multi-head weighing, or a bias to spread the product when feeding a downstream system. It can also be configured with a stop-start mode for scale feeding or product distribution. Zephyr can accommodate varying product flow rates with ease, maximizing the flexibility of the system to meet a broad array of customer requirements.

Suitable for integration with Iso-Flo®, Impulse®, and other vibratory conveyors from Key, Zephyr rounds out the Smart Shaker® conveying suite, providing customers with the most complete range of conveyor technologies from one manufacturer.