Plastic Flat Top Chains With Rubber Top Replacement Of System Plast 820-K450G

Replacement for System Plast 820-K450G. Most common rubber-top width in Australian beverage manufacturing. 450 mm covers 330 ml–2 litre PET, 330–500 ml cans, 500 ml–1 litre glass. Rubber strip CoF 0.50–0.60, incline up to 18 degrees. POM-C, SUS304 pins, 25.4 mm pitch. Drop-in for System Plast 820-K450G.

Description

Product Overview

The LF820-K450G is the 450 mm width rubber-top flat top chain — part of the 820G single hinge series that adds a vulcanised rubber grip strip to the standard LF820 POM flat top chain to provide incline conveying capability and glass bottle surface protection without the product-contact damage associated with cleat chains. At K450 width, this chain is suited to the product format range that 450 mm covers — from small personal care bottles and standard 250 ml containers at the narrower widths, through standard 500 ml and 1 litre beverage formats at mid-widths, to wide multipacks and cases at the wider designations. EverPower plastic chain Australia Pty Ltd supplies the LF820-K450G as a direct replacement for System Plast 820-K450G.

Rubber strip compound: standard vulcanised SBR/NBR blend as standard, polyurethane on request. Coefficient of friction raised from approximately 0.20 (standard POM) to 0.50–0.60 (rubber strip). Maximum incline capability approximately up to 18 for standard beverage containers at rated speed. Operating temperature -20 C to +80 C (rubber strip constraint). Chain body: POM-C, -40 C to +90 C. SUS304 stainless steel pins. 25.4 mm pitch. 10 ft per box at 26 links per metre. Contact the EverPower team for polyurethane rubber option or custom configurations.

LF820 K450G rubber top flat top chain incline conveying glass bottle protection 450mm

Technical Specifications — LF820-K450G

Parameter Value
Chain series LF820G (single hinge, rubber-top)
Width designation K450 (450 mm)
Rubber strip compound Vulcanised SBR/NBR blend (PU on request)
Coefficient of friction (rubber on PET/glass) 0.50–0.60 (SBR); 0.60–0.70 (PU)
Max. incline (standard containers) Up to 20 degrees (load and format dependent)
Rubber strip temperature range -20 C to +80 C continuous
Chain body temperature range -40 C to +90 C
Max. speed (dry) 60 m/min
Max. speed (lubricated) 90 m/min
Pitch 25.4 mm
Packing 10 ft / box (26 links/m)

K450 Width: Product Format Range and Application Fit

At 450 mm chain width, the LF820-K450G supports products with base diameters from approximately 90 mm to approximately 382 mm without excessive lateral overhang. This covers the primary product formats conveyed on rubber-top chains at this width in Australian food, beverage, and personal care manufacturing.

At K450, the rubber-top chain covers the broadest range of standard single-file beverage formats: 330 ml through 2 litre PET bottles, 330–500 ml cans, and 500 ml–1 litre glass bottles. This is the most common rubber-top width in Australian beverage manufacturing — it serves most single-file incline applications without being wider than necessary for the product range.

Why Rubber Top Instead of Cleat Chain for Inclined Sections

Cleat chains provide positive mechanical stops that prevent any back-slip on inclines, but the cleat face contacts the container at a fixed height. For glass bottles, this contact creates a stress concentration at the glass surface that causes chip marks — a cosmetic defect that triggers rejection at retailer DC receiving inspection. For PET bottles, cleat contact above the base creates squeeze marks on the sidewall when the accumulated product column pushes the upstream bottle against the cleat face of the downstream bottle.

Rubber-top chains achieve incline capability through surface friction rather than mechanical stops. The rubber surface contacts the entire container base uniformly, distributing the friction force across the full base area rather than concentrating it at a cleat face. For glass bottles, this eliminates the chip mark failure mode entirely. For PET bottles, the distributed contact pressure is well below the sidewall deformation threshold at inclines up to 20 degrees with standard container wall thicknesses. Where cleat chains were previously the only option, rubber-top chain is now the technically superior choice for all inclines below approximately 25 degrees.

LF820-K450G rubber top flat top chain comparison reference mid-width beverage incline

Matched Components EverPower Supplies

Component Description Availability
LF820-K450G Matched Sprockets Rubber-top profile, matched to K450 width In stock
Replacement Rubber Strips (K450) SBR/NBR standard and PU variants On request
Standard LF820 Flat Top (same width) For flat transport sections adjacent to incline In stock
LF821G Double Hinge Rubber Top For wider incline sections above K600 In stock

EverPower chain packing despatch solutions Sydney

What Our Customers Say

“LF820-K450G on our 15-degree incline transfer to the capper. Previously we used cleat chain and had chip mark rejections on glass — approximately 0.3% per shift. Rubber-top: zero chip marks in 8 months. The friction-based grip with no cleat face contact is clearly the right approach for glass.”

— Quality Manager, Glass Bottling, Melbourne VIC

“The rubber strip on the K450G holds our PET bottles at 14 degrees without back-slip at 45 m/min. We had tried POM flat-top chain on this incline first — product was sliding back at anything above 8 degrees. Rubber-top solved the incline grip problem in one change.”

— Line Engineer, Beverage Production, Adelaide SA

“Rubber strip service life at our duty cycle has been 24 months without replacement. The strip is vulcanised to the plate — no delamination, no peeling at the sprocket wrap. EverPower quality is consistent between orders.”

— Maintenance Planner, Food Manufacturing, Perth WA

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum incline angle for this chain? +
Up to approximately 20 degrees for standard single-file containers with base-to-height ratio above 0.35 on K450 width. For specific incline ratings, provide your container weight, base diameter, height, and required incline angle to [email protected] for a friction force confirmation.
Can I mix rubber-top and standard flat-top chain on the same conveyor? +
Yes — both use the same pitch and sprocket interface. Specify rubber-top chain on the inclined section and standard LF820 on the flat transport sections. The transition between the two chain types should be at the bottom of the incline on the flat section, not at the incline entry point.
How long does the rubber strip last? +
Standard SBR/NBR: 18–30 months in normal food manufacturing duty. Polyurethane: 30–48 months. Strip wear is visible as reduction in strip height — replace when strip height has reduced by more than 40% from original, or when visible cracking appears at the strip edges.
Is the rubber strip food-contact compliant? +
Standard SBR/NBR rubber strip meets food-contact requirements for incidental indirect contact under EU and FDA frameworks. For direct food-contact applications, confirm with our team — polyurethane strip has broader food-contact compliance documentation available.
Are LF820-K450G sprockets the same as standard LF820-K450 sprockets? +
No — rubber-top chains use a specific sprocket tooth profile that clears the rubber strip at the chain-sprocket engagement point. Standard LF820 sprockets will foul the rubber strip. Always specify LF820-K450G sprockets simultaneously with the rubber-top chain.