Ashworth’s New Patent for Manufacturing Omni-Pro Features Welds that Increase Load Bearing Capacity and
Are Easy to Clean

9/1/2010

WINCHESTER, VA. — Ashworth has been granted the U.S. patent 7,735,637 for manufacturing Omni-Pro conveyor belts featuring Zero-Tension, 360˚ Buttonless Welds, which are stronger and easier to clean than conventional bridge-welded belts. The Zero-Tension, 360˚ Buttonless Welds are produced with an automated process that precisely positions each rod and then completely melts and fuses the rod and link together, creating consistently strong and smooth welds. By eliminating traditional bridge welding with the Zero-Tension 360˚ Buttonless Weld, all Omni-Pro® belts are capable of withstanding the highest loads in their class. Unlike a traditional bridge weld, the Zero-Tension 360˚ Buttonless Weld is free from surface imperfections and crevices, which improves cleaning characteristics by eliminating bacteria entrapments.

In addition to the patented welding process, Omni-Pro’s state-of-the-art link design includes the patented “wear shield leg” that prevents welds from contacting spiral cage bars and permits the belt to run smoother with less cage bar wear. Furthermore, each link is manufactured with a patented coining process to prevent break-in wear and reduce belt elongation, increasing belt life. Ashworth now offers the all stainless steel Omni-Pro® belt in ¾, 1, 1.2 and 1½-inch pitch options with turn ratios ranging from 1.6 to 2.8 and belt widths from 12 to 60 inches. Withstanding spiral/turn-curve tensions up to 400 pounds (136 kg) for 100,000 cycles vs. competing belts that publish tension ratings for only 50,000 cycles, Omni-Pro® is the strongest belt on the market today.

 Ashworth’s ToughMat™ Features a Proprietary Design That Increases Durability for Energy Efficient
PTFE-Coated Oven Mats

8/23/2010

 WINCHESTER, VA. — Ashworth has released ToughMat™, a new line of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) coated belts for can-making ovens that are lightweight, energy efficient and designed to increase durability. With the addition of ToughMat™, Ashworth is now the only belt manufacturer that offers both stainless steel and PTFE-coated oven mats, providing can-makers the best solution for their specific requirements.

ToughMat™ for IBOs and OBOs are made of PTFE-coated fiberglass, while dry-off oven mats are made of PTFE-coated Kevlar™, to prevent hydrolysis. The proprietary design and construction is exceptionally durable and minimizes energy use when heating IBOs, OBOs and dry-off ovens. All ToughMat™ belts feature edge reinforcement sewn-on with PTFE thread and then sealed with a two-ply PTFE film, a process that increases the strength and reliability of the belt. In addition to increased durability and decreasing energy costs, the PTFE coating provides excellent release properties at high temperatures and the lightweight, low profile design of ToughMat™ delivers tighter transfers and greater throughput for can-making operations.

To ensure optimum belt performance, Ashworth offers hand held ToughMat™ Heat Sealers and sealing accessories. ToughMat™ Heat Sealers are operator friendly, effectively balancing time, temperature, and pressure to simplify the process of sealing belt joints. Unlike cumbersome full width sealers, the compact design of ToughMat™ Heat Sealers allow technicians’ optimum control and maneuverability along with the capability to do simple spot repairs. Furthermore, Ashworth offers both end-user training as well as turn-key field installation services through Ashworth Factory Service Corporation.

Eye-link belts, known for their strength and versatility of design, are now available from Ashworth’s Winchester, Virginia manufacturing facility.

7/14/2010

WINCHESTER, VA. — Ashworth has begun production of their eye-link belt at their US manufacturing facility in Winchester, VA. Eye-link belting, long favored by European processors, has an extensive history of production by Ashworth at their facility in the Netherlands. The introduction of Ashworth Eye-Link into the US belting market gives US customers and facilities the chance to employ these belts and achieve the benefits of cleanliness, durability and utility that European customers have long enjoyed.

Ashworth’s Eye-Link belts are lightweight, positively driven, straight running conveyor belts that feature an inherently strong design that naturally tracks straight. Eye-links make up the flat, even surface for smooth product conveyance, and the overall construction provides a rigid structure that resists side-to-side deflection while enabling the belt to handle thousands of pounds of tension.  Ashworth Eye-Link belts are positively-driven by rollers, sprockets or a chain edge. Our longest-lasting design, the roller drive system, uses grooved rollers to positively engage the belt across its entire width to increase tension capabilities and drastically increase the life of the belt.

Suited for a wide range of applications, Ashworth Eye-Link belts are available in numerous configurations of pitch spacing, wire diameter, and mesh designs that range from being very open for maximum cleanability to very tight for small product conveyance. Additionally, numerous options are available such as cross flights, side plates, chain edges, and additional bar links for increased strength. For decades processors have utilized Ashworth Eye-Link belts in dryers, fryers, baking ovens, cooling and freezing tunnels, blanching machines, pasteurization tunnels for breweries and the canning industry, and industrial washing and drying tunnels. 

Ashworth’s new Rack & Roll™ Crate is an efficient solution for storing and installing ExactaStack™, the self-stacking spiral replacement belt.

05/20/2010

WINCHESTER, VA. — Ashworth shipped a complete “change out” ExactaStack™ self-stacking belt utilizing its new Rack & Roll™ Crate system to reduce service costs and quickly complete the install. Rack & Roll™ is designed for easy crate handling and quick roll-out, roll-in belt replacements for self-stacking spirals. Food processors can now benefit from saving on both lower belt cost with ExactaStack™ and lower installation costs with Rack & Roll™.

Ashworth Factory Service recently installed the complete “change out” for the world’s largest producer of frozen potato specialties.  Its plant engineer stated, “The technicians at Ashworth Factory Service are knowledgeable and provide very capable installation services. Ashworth is easy to work with and installed the ExactaStack™ belt to meet our plant schedule.”

The combination of Rack & Roll™ and the ExactaStack™ Turn-key Belt Replacement from Ashworth Factory Service is an easy and cost effective solution for food processors to keep their stackers constantly running at peak performance. ExactaStack™ belts are spooled onto Rack & Roll™ Crates; each crate has a footprint and height of less than 4-feet, making the belt easy to stack, store, and maneuver. Installation of a self stacking belt with the Rack & Roll™ Crate is simplified by rolling out the new ExactaStack™ belt directly from the crate to the in-feed of the stacker. The old belt is conveniently rolled in an empty Rack & Roll™ crate from the out-feed. “When we began manufacturing ExactaStack™ we faced the problem of storing, handling and installing the self-stacking spiral belts,” states Joe Lackner, Vice President for Ashworth. He expands by saying, “We looked at the crates from the competition and theirs were 10-feet long and awkward to store, move and unload, which increased the risk of damaging the belt. We saw this as an opportunity to help our customers with a better solution.”