FDA-compliant e-chains® in hygiene-sensitive mushroom-harvesting system

• What was needed: TH3 e-chain® and chainflex® cables (CF211.038 and CF210.UL.15.15.02), supplied ready-made as a complete pre-fitted readychain® package, drylin® W linear bearings
• Requirements: Cable guidance systems for an environment with high humidity and regular sterilization with 80°C hot steam. FDA conformity. Quick and easy installation. Extended maintenance intervals.
• Sector: Food industry
• Success for the customer: With the TH3, the harvesting system can be operated automatically without any incidents occurring in the cable guidance system. The e-chains® are FDA-compliant, resistant to aggressive cleaning agents and chemicals, and corrosion-free. The TH3 also works reliably even in high humidity.

The mushroom industry has long struggled with a shortage of workers available for harvesting their products. To address this challenge, Axis Technology and Development Ltd. has developed an automated mushroom-harvesting system capable of taking over multiple steps in the harvesting process.

Once the picker selects the fungi from the growing bed, they are placed onto mushroom-holding fingers on a harvesting conveyor. The conveyor then transports the mushrooms to a processing unit, where the stalks are cut to the required length. Based on size, each of these is sorted into one of six boxes. When a carton reaches a predefined weight, it is automatically ejected and transferred to the dispatch area for wrapping and palletizing.

On average, this process is three to four times faster than conventional harvesting methods. In practical terms, while traditional harvesting yields approximately 21 kg (46 lb) of mushrooms per hour, the automated system achieves an average output of 60 to 75 kg (132 to 165 lb) per hour.

As with any automated system, a key challenge in the design phase was selecting the right components. Every movement and mechanism must function reliably to prevent costly downtime and manual intervention by engineers. These requirements had to be met under demanding environmental conditions: mushroom cultivation rooms typically operate at temperatures between 18 and 20°C (64 to 68°F), but both the room and equipment are sterilized twice a month using steam at 80°C (176°F). In addition, the hygienically sensitive environment required the use of FDA‑approved materials to reduce germ loads and simplify cleaning procedures.

Axis used a special e-chain® to meet the system’s high hygiene standards, along with drylin® W linear bearings.

Several blue, FDA‑compliant TH3 e‑chains® were suspended to guide cables over a travel distance of 3 meters each, at speeds of 30 to 40 mm per second. The TH3 was selected primarily to meet strict hygiene requirements, while also accommodating limited installation space and enabling fast, simple installation.

The TH3 series of e-chain was specifically developed for contact with food, and compliance with FDA regulations was crucial for the customer. The entire system is regularly washed and sterilized using hot steam. In addition to withstanding this harsh environment over the long term, it is essential that no parts fall into the processed product. If material fragments do break off, the blue color enables rapid visual detection before food contamination can occur. Rounded corners and threadless connections help prevent dead spaces where dirt and germs could accumulate. The design also avoids overlapping surfaces, reducing abrasion and material wear. The blue material is not only FDA‑compliant, but also highly resistant to chemicals and aggressive cleaning agents.

The initial order for the TH3 e-chains comprised 32 conveyor belts, totaling 96 meters. For the cables inside the system, the company selected chainflex® CF211.038 resolver cables and CF210.UL.15.15.02 servo cables. The preassembled TH3 energy chains with integrated chainflex® cables were pre-assembled as readychain® systems.