The AquaGard GT offers a truly unique conveyance solution for packaged food and beverage applications. Utilizing a flexible chain belt with a durable and hygienic stainless-steel frame, this new conveyor combines the strengths of both Dorner and Garvey to offer customers a versatile conveyor that can easily be integrated into new or existing production lines.
While Dorner and Garvey previously offered two similar sanitary conveyor designs, the AquaGard 7100 and GT Tabletop, by combining their unique capabilities together into the AquaGard GT, we are better able to offer customers a cost-effective conveyor that helps them improve efficiency and accuracy on their production lines.
James T., senior mechanical engineer for Garvey, John K., staff designer for Garvey, and Marco P., product manager for Dorner, got together to discuss the AquaGard GT’s new features and how they will benefit customers across numerous industries.
Can you provide an overview of the key features and improvements of the AquaGard GT compared to its predecessors?
One of the most critical aspects of this new design was the different transfer options that we wanted to offer. The previous versions of this conveyor proved to be less than ideal for lighter products or containers with a smaller base than the top. In designing the flush side transfer it eliminates the gaps between the conveyors at the transfer point, improving product stability and efficiency when switching lines or transferring products to the next process in production.
For end-to-end transfers and processing lines that require a smaller footprint, powered transfers are a great way to maintain stability and reduce pressure on the product as it switches lines. Maintaining a product’s momentum through a transfer is ideal for applications in pharmaceutical distribution systems, where bottles have less natural stability. In these applications, using a dead plate between lines can cause bottles to get hung up or tip over, potentially jamming the line and damaging the product. Powered transfers eliminate the risk of products getting caught between lines and the potential damage that may result.
Finally, we improved the rigidity and construction of the conveyor design by utilizing 11-gauge stainless steel framing, which is standard across all of Dorner’s sanitary conveyor systems. To increase stability and load capacity, we added 7-gauge stainless-steel cross members to all the stands, which also helps reduce wear and warping on the frame as the system runs at higher speeds.
Were there any specific applications in mind when designing the AquaGard GT?
We specifically looked at packaged consumer goods, including packaged foods, pet food, bottling and canning lines, and pharmaceutical fulfillment and distribution. The 304 stainless steel frame is finished with #4 polish, making it an ideal option for food production lines requiring dry wipedown or low-pressure washdown sanitation.
While the system was designed for sanitary environments, the heavy-duty stainless-steel framing also lends itself to other applications that require rust prevention or otherwise easily cleanable conveyor options. This can include light industrial production lines for batteries, chemical bottling lines, and household cleaning supplies.
Were there any innovative technologies or materials incorporated into the design that contribute to the conveyor’s performance? 
The new modules are some of the most innovative components on the AquaGard GT, particularly the inline transfer and knuckle modules. The inline transfer module is a custom-engineered option for applications requiring high production speeds. Products move straight through the transfer rather than shifting direction to move from one line to the next. Keeping the product moving straight maintains product stability at very high speeds, while also reducing the need for additional guiding. We designed the inline transfer as one complete module assembly, which allows the tolerance of the transfer to be better controlled for a customer’s specific needs. An added benefit of the single module construction is simplified building and construction, helping to reduce the lead time even in custom-engineered orders.
Like all flexible chain conveyors from Dorner, the AquaGard GT can change the elevation on one line, and the knuckle module makes it easy to adjust the elevation up to 10° degrees. This is particularly useful for field adjustments when integrating the conveyors with machinery and processing equipment and to keep the system flexible as the production needs shift with changes in demand or processes.
The overall construction material and design were carefully considered to ensure it met the durability and sanitation needs of the various applications in which the conveyor system would be used. Regarding hygiene, the AquaGard GT’s bolt-on stands separates it from similar conveyors on the market. We offer three stand options – casters, leveling pads, and outriggers – depending on the environment where the conveyor will operate. Still, all three feature an open, flat design compared to the traditional tubular design. The flat stand construction makes stands easy to clean and reduces the risk of contaminant buildup that could negatively affect product quality.
What specific challenges or issues were addressed in the redesign process of the AquaGard GT?
Ultimately, the biggest challenge was managing costs and reducing the price for customers while still maintaining the quality of the conveyor. Cost reduction required reducing the number of custom-machined parts as much as possible and finding cost-effective alternatives for parts. For example, we switched wear strips from custom machined tracks to clip-on wear strips, which offered the same durability while being much lower in cost. An additional benefit is that the clip-on wear strips also help us reduce the amount of plastic waste created during production, making them a more environmentally friendly option.
Throughout the AquaGard GT design, we tried to use as little hardware as possible to reduce the number of different parts. Using key slots for the guide rails, drop-in roller returns, and slot and tab configurations for wider conveyors helped us maintain a durable design with less hardware than previous iterations of the conveyor. A small frame window was also added to the drive tails for an easy visual of how low the catenary is hanging, offering easy assessment for preventative maintenance. This simplified, robust design means that this conveyor has a lower lead time and installation time, can run for a long time with little downtime, and has a lower total cost of ownership for the customer.
How does the AquaGard GT enhance efficiency and productivity for manufacturing and production lines?
The AquaGard GT is designed as a low-maintenance conveyor to offer reliability and reduce downtime. This system shouldn’t ever hold up a production line for lack of speed or from needing lengthy maintenance. The modular design also means the conveyor can be easily reconfigured to run many different products with varying process requirements. This is especially helpful for co-packer operations, who might be running various products on the same line and require fast and easy line changeovers.
What kind of testing and validation processes were undertaken to ensure the reliability and performance of the redesigned conveyor system?
We built five test conveyors to perform as much testing as possible during the design phase. From speed and durability tests to safety checks, our team spent hundreds of hours running the conveyors to ensure they would meet our customers’ specific needs. During these tests, we were able to address potential pinch points and possible areas of high wear.
Was there any specific customer feedback that influenced the new design of the AquaGard GT?
Our goal was to make this conveyor easy for end users to maintain and adjust in the field, which reflected much of the feedback we received from customers. The curved guide rails, for example, had been an area of contention for the previous versions of this conveyor system. It was difficult for one person to adjust the guiding without moving back and forth to change the tension on the guide clips and measure to ensure the guiding was in the correct position through the entire curve. In this new design, we reduced the number of guide brackets on the curve to simplify and speed up the adjustment process. On the straight guiding sections, we also switched from a threaded stud hand knob to one that threads into an eye bolt that clamps to the guide rod. This proved to be a more reliable way to clamp the guiding in place and created an easy release for quick adjustments.
Along with the new guiding, the guide brackets are now made of stainless steel for added durability and easier sanitation. We also changed the material for the curved wear strips to help reduce friction as products move through the curved section of the conveyor. The wear strips and guide brackets face continuous wear, and the new materials will help to reduce downtime needed for maintenance to fix or replace worn parts.
The AquaGard GT also utilizes drop-in roller returns for easy cleaning, line changeover, and maintenance. The rollers can be quickly lifted out and dropped back in without tools versus being bolted onto the conveyor, significantly speeding up various maintenance processes. Similarly, for some of the drive options, we added an open slot to the conveyor frame so the drive shaft could slide directly out of the top of the conveyor for easy maintenance and bearing changes.
What are the integration capabilities of the AquaGard GT with other conveyors or automated processing equipment?
One of our goals with this new conveyor was to make it as modular as possible to improve integration capabilities and customization. The highly modular design allows our team to significantly reduce lead times while offering customers flexibility in design and feature options. The transfer methods make integration easy and allow the AquaGard GT to seamlessly transfer product between machinery or various processing lines while maintaining accurate product positioning. For example, slots were designed on one side of the flush side transfer module to make it easy to bolt right onto other equipment for a smooth transition from machine to conveyor without destabilizing products.
Other standard integration features include legs that can incline and decline, a feature most other conveyor manufacturers do not offer. Legs are adjustable up to 10°, offering improved flexibility and easy adjustments in the field. The AquaGard GT is also compatible with a wide range of gearmotors, controllers, and starters to ensure it meets the exact requirements of a customer’s application.
Engineered-to-order options are also available for the AquaGard GT to provide specialized solutions for more complex applications, such as splicing into an existing production line, mounting custom equipment, or creating full production line solutions. A unique option for the AquaGard GT is the ceiling mounting capabilities to optimize floor space in a facility while maximizing efficient material handling. For ceiling-mounted conveyors, we designed new brackets for ceiling support and drip pans are available as a custom option to ensure the safety of the system while in operation.
Configure a Custom AquaGard GT Today!
The AquaGard GT is an ideal material handling solution for packaged goods, bottling and canning, and even battery packaging production lines. With its versatile options and flexible design, this new conveyor system helps improve efficiency and product throughput, while allowing an operation to grow into the future.
The AquaGard GT is available for configuration on DTools, where you can get a CAD drawing of your conveyor for fit verification and a free quote. Sign up for DTools here.
