Description
Product Overview
Plastic flexible chains form the backbone of modern lightweight conveyor systems across food processing, pharmaceutical packaging, beverage filling, and logistics. Unlike rigid flat-top chains that only run straight, flexible chains articulate horizontally, allowing a single chain to navigate curves without dedicated curve hardware. The two principal configurations in this range — plain chains and cleat chains — address fundamentally different conveying challenges: plain chains move product along a continuous flat surface, while cleat chains use raised barriers to separate, orientate, or positively drive products on inclined or high-speed sections.
EverPower plastic chain Australia Pty Ltd supplies the full range of System Plast-compatible flexible chain variants for the Australian market. All chains are manufactured from engineering-grade POM (polyoxymethylene) body and POM or PA66 top plates with austenitic stainless steel hinge pins — the standard combination for food-contact conveyor environments. Find the complete range on our plastic chain product page.
Plain Chain Family — Series Overview
Plain chains provide a continuous, uninterrupted conveying surface. They are the default choice wherever products require stable flat support without positive separation. The series designation reflects the chain body width, which must be matched to the conveyor frame and the smallest product base dimension being conveyed.
| Series | Width (nominal) | Max Speed (lub.) | Max Speed (dry) | Material | Primary Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N-S44P | 44 mm | 80 m/min | 50 m/min | POM/SUS304 | Light cans, vials, small packaging |
| N-S56P | 56 mm | 80 m/min | 50 m/min | POM/SUS304 | Small bottles, cosmetics |
| N-L63P | 63 mm | 80 m/min | 50 m/min | POM/SUS304 | Standard bottles, cans, cartons |
| N-L70P | 70 mm | 80 m/min | 50 m/min | POM/SUS304 | Wider format bottles, trays |
| N-M83P | 83 mm | 80 m/min | 50 m/min | POM/SUS304 | Cans, wide bottles, general packaging |
| N-H103P | 103 mm | 80 m/min | 50 m/min | POM/SUS304 | Large containers, cartons |
| N-140P | 140 mm | 80 m/min | 50 m/min | POM/SUS304 | Wide accumulation, trays |
| N-175P | 175 mm | 80 m/min | 50 m/min | POM/SUS304 | Pallet-assist, wide tray conveying |
| N-295P | 295 mm | 60 m/min | 40 m/min | POM/SUS304 | Very wide format, bulk accumulation |
Cleat Chain Family — Types and Functions
Cleat chains are plain chains with raised cross-bars (cleats) moulded or clipped onto the chain surface at regular intervals. These cleats serve three functions depending on the application: product separation (maintaining fixed spacing between items), positive driving on inclines (preventing backward sliding), and product orientation (aligning irregular-shaped items by contact with the cleat face). The cleat type designation (A, B, C, D, F, G) reflects the cleat geometry and attachment method.
| Cleat Type | Profile | Height | Key Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type A | Single perpendicular bar | Low | Gentle product separation, spacing on level runs |
| Type B | Double tab | Medium | Inclined runs, light product positive drive |
| Type C | L-shape (Left / Right) | Medium | Lateral product guidance, container alignment |
| Type D | Angled face | Low | Smooth accumulation with directional bias |
| Type F | Tall perpendicular bar | High | Steep inclines, positive product holding to ~35° |
| Type G (G1/G2) | Wide base paddle | Medium-High | Bag and pouch conveying, flexible packaging |
Specialty Surface Variants
Beyond plain and cleat configurations, the flexible chain platform supports several additional surface treatments that extend the range of conveying applications without changing the chain body or hinge pin specification.
Flocked Chain
A short-fibre velvet-like coating is applied to the top plate surface, raising the coefficient of friction to approximately 0.65–0.80 and providing cushioned contact. Flocked chain is the preferred choice for glass bottle side-conveying, where the chain grips the bottle body laterally, and for any application where product surface marks are unacceptable. The flocking material is food-safe and can be cleaned with standard CIP chemicals.
Friction Top Chain
A moulded rubber or textured POM surface raises the CoF to approximately 0.45–0.60 without the soft-fibre texture of flocked chain. Friction top is used for inclined runs where the product base is smooth plastic or glass and plain POM chain (CoF 0.20–0.35) cannot generate sufficient grip. Particularly common in pharmaceutical packaging lines where velvet flocking presents fibre-contamination concerns.
Steel Top Chain
A stainless steel top plate is fitted to the standard flexible chain body, combining the lateral flexibility of the plastic chain with a steel conveying surface. Used in high-temperature zones (pasteuriser outlets, oven conveyor runouts) where POM temperature limits apply, and in applications requiring the specific contact hardness of steel — such as glass cullet conveyors where abrasive fragments would destroy a POM surface within days.
Material Data and Operating Limits
POM-C chain body maintains dimensional stability from −40 °C to +90 °C continuous. Stainless steel hinge pins (austenitic, SUS304-equivalent) are resistant to CIP cleaning chemicals across pH 2–13. The standard operating envelope covers conveyor speeds up to 80 m/min lubricated and 50 m/min dry-run for chains up to N-H103 width; wider series have lower speed limits due to increased lateral mass. Do not expose plain POM chain to prolonged contact with ketones, esters, or concentrated strong acids.
Matched Components We Also Supply
| Component | Description | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Sprockets for Flexible Chain | N-L63, N-M83, N-H103, N-175 series — machined precision | ✓ In stock |
| Idler Wheels | Matched to each series, stainless steel axle | ✓ In stock |
| Aluminium Beams (Guide Rails) | N-S44 through N-H103 profiles, extruded aluminium | ✓ In stock |
| Replacement Cleat Inserts | Type A through G, all body widths | ✓ On request |
What Our Customers Say
“We converted our entire pharma labelling line to N-M83P plain chain from EverPower. The dimensional consistency is excellent — 14 months running and we have not had a single tension adjustment. The POM surface stays clean and dry even with our aggressive wash-down schedule.”
— Line Engineer, Pharmaceutical Packaging OEM, Sydney NSW
“Type F cleat chain on our 28° incline for frozen ready meals. Exactly the grip we needed without any chain slippage events. Previous solution was a rubber belt that wore out every 4 months — the cleat chain is approaching 16 months now.”
— Maintenance Coordinator, Frozen Food Producer, Melbourne VIC
“Steel top variant on our pasteuriser discharge section. We needed a chain that could handle the wet-heat transition zone and still convey glass bottles without surface marking. It has been running without issues for 11 months.”
— Project Engineer, Glass Bottle Dairy, Adelaide SA
