Overview
Food processing, packaging, and bottling lines demand conveyor systems that meet strict sanitation standards without sacrificing throughput or flexibility. The AquaGard 7100 from Dorner is a stainless steel flexible chain conveyor built entirely with FDA-approved materials and 300 series stainless steel, making it suitable for dry food processing environments where easy cleaning, contamination prevention, and regulatory compliance are non-negotiable.
Unlike rigid conveyor systems that require separate sections for every direction change, the 7100 series supports multiple curves, inclines, and declines on a single conveyor frame. This modular design reduces the number of individual conveyors required in a layout, simplifies product transfers between lines, and allows facilities to route product through complex paths without gaps or manual handling points.
Features and Specifications
Every component of the AquaGard 7100 is engineered for sanitary environments. The smooth frame design eliminates recesses and ledges where food particles could accumulate, and the bolt-together modular construction allows sections to be disassembled for cleaning, reconfigured for new product lines, or expanded as production grows.
- Construction: 300 series stainless steel frame and components; all materials are FDA-approved plastics or stainless steel
- Chain Widths: 4½″, 7½″, 10″, and 12″
- Chain Options: Low friction, friction insert, roller top, metal, grip top, and cleated flexible chain types
- Load Capacity: Up to 700 lbs.
- Speed Capacity: Up to 222 ft/min
- Lengths: Up to 100 ft.
- Incline/Decline Modules: Up to 30 degrees
- Corners: Plain bend corners with 24″ on-centerline radius; wheel bend corners available for 4½″ width with 8″ on-centerline radius
- Guiding: Fully adjustable stainless high sides and adjustable outboard guides available
- Transfers: Powered transfers, roller transfers, and side-to-side transfer modules for seamless line transitions
- Drive: Compact drive module; ships in sub-assemblies for fast on-site installation
Modular Design and Transfer Options
One of the strongest advantages of the AquaGard 7100 is its ability to combine curves, elevation changes, and product transfers within a single conveyor system. Powered transfer modules move products smoothly between parallel lines, while side transfer modules enable side-to-side product handoffs without manual intervention. The idler tail features a flush design specifically engineered for side transfer applications, with bearings located inboard to maintain a clean, unobstructed transfer zone.
The bolt-together construction means sections can be added, rearranged, or replaced without rebuilding the entire conveyor. This modularity is particularly valuable in food processing and packaging environments where product lines change, seasonal production shifts demand layout flexibility, and future expansion needs to be planned from the start.
Applications and Industries
The AquaGard 7100 is designed for operations where sanitary construction, high-speed performance, and layout flexibility intersect. Common applications include dry food processing lines, packaging and secondary packaging operations, bottling lines, part handling in food-adjacent manufacturing, long conveyor runs requiring sustained high speeds, elevation changes between processing levels, accumulation and buffering zones, and product transfers between parallel or perpendicular conveyor lines.
Industries that deploy this flexible chain conveyor include food and beverage processing, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical packaging, consumer goods manufacturing, cosmetics and personal care packaging, and any production environment that requires FDA-approved materials and sanitary frame design.
Selection and Configuration Assistance
Configuring a flexible chain conveyor system requires careful evaluation of product dimensions, weight, line speed, elevation changes, transfer points, and sanitation requirements. Chain type selection — low friction, friction insert, roller top, grip top, or cleated — depends on the product surface, incline angle, and accumulation needs. Barron Equipment works with food processing and packaging operations to design complete AquaGard 7100 layouts that optimize product flow, minimize manual handling, and meet sanitary standards.
Request a quote today to discuss your food conveyor requirements with a Barron Equipment specialist.