Vanderlande Industries has shown its new, environment-friendly blueveyor conveyor system for the first time at the Airport Show 2011, held from 31 May to 2 June at the Airport Expo in Dubai.

BLUEVEYOR is a next-generation conveyor system that takes a significant step forward in increasing the sustainability of airport baggage handling operations. The system minimises energy consumption, use of natural resources and environmental impact. Total cost of ownership for a BLUEVEYOR-based system is influenced positively by the energy savings, lower maintenance requirements and high rest value. As well as offering direct savings in operating costs, BLUEVEYOR also helps airports to meet their own sustainability targets.

BLUEVEYOR reduces the weight of the total conveyor system by about 50%, and is made almost completely of non-toxic, recyclable materials that can easily be separated. blueveyor is 100% PVC-free, replaced by recyclable polyester, thereby eliminating one of the main environmental threats posed by conventional systems of this kind. Each drive in the conveyor system uses 100kg less natural resources than conventional systems. The use of homogeneous materials allows all constituents to be returned to technical or biological cycles at end-of-life, in accordance with Cradle to Cradle® principles.

Energy savings of up to 80% compared with conventional conveyors are achieved by a redesign of the drive system used in the BLUEVEYOR. Key factors in these energy savings are the elimination of the usual complex belt routing through the drive system, and a new lean design that reduces both mass and the number of moving parts.

A further BLUEVEYOR advantage is the savings in maintenance time and cost, for example thanks to the modular concept that allows easy dismantling and replacement of key components. The simplified belt routing means no adjustment and tensioning are required, further saving maintenance time. And the lean concept means fewer spare parts are required.

BLUEVEYOR is the second Vanderlande Industries product to be inspired by Cradle to Cradle principles, and is a significant step in the company’s rethinking of design, assembly, installation and maintenance across its full range of baggage handling and other material handling systems.

The company is also realising improvement opportunities in both project execution and its own operational processes, with the aim of allowing all materials to be used in a way that enables their return to technical or biological cycles after use.

Please download Vanderlande Industrie’s free white paper for more information about the BLUEVEYOR.