Reverse Engineered Perforated Conveyor Panels
Think Perforation, Think Graepels. Precision Perforation for Perfect Results
When a food processing customer needed replacement hinged panels for a continuous food drying conveyor, the original component was no longer available. All they had was a small sample, worn and damaged through use.
Graepels reverse engineered the part from that sample, reproducing the perforation pattern, panel geometry and precision formed hinge in stainless steel to precision tolerances.
Why Choose Graepels?
We have almost 70 years of experience across the UK and Ireland, with expertise in perforated metal, woven wire, metal fabrication, laser cutting, and ISO 9001 certified manufacturing.
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The Project at a Glance
The Client
Name: Replacement Food Drying Conveyor Components
Location: International Markets
Industry: Food Processing
Contractor: Confidential
Date: TBC
The Project
Product: Hinged Machinery Parts for a Food Dryer
Material: Stainless Steel
Specification: GRAE F 015 RL150x025 DXT, elongated holes parallel to the direction of travel for maximum drying and smooth flow off
Finish: 2B Finish, with electropolishing available where a smoother surface is needed
Use Case: Continuous food drying conveyor in a food processing factory
We Are Fully Accredited & Award-Winning
The Brief
How Do You Make Replacement Parts When the Original Is Gone?
The customer had one small sample of an original conveyor component, damaged in service. They needed replacement parts built to the same standard, or better.
How Do You Copy a Perforation Pattern Exactly?
The job was to replicate the existing part, perforation pattern and hinged design included, while holding the tight dimensional tolerance that reliable conveyor operation depends on.
The Solution
Graepels reverse engineered the panels from the worn component the customer supplied. Our engineers inspected and measured the original, then produced manufacturing drawings covering the critical dimensions, perforation pattern, panel geometry and formed hinges.
Matching the Perforation
Reproducing the original perforations mattered for more than appearance. The elongated holes run parallel to the direction of travel, which is what gives the conveyor its drying performance and lets product flow off cleanly. We made bespoke tooling to match the specification exactly, so every panel comes out the same.
Forming the Hinges
The precision formed hinges were the harder part of the job. Using purpose designed hinge tooling, we produced the panels to a tolerance of just 0.05mm, which keeps alignment accurate, articulation smooth and the conveyor running as it should.
Reverse engineering, bespoke tooling and high tolerance perforated metal manufacturing together let us rebuild a critical component from a single used sample, with none of the original performance lost.
The Outcome
Graepels delivered a precision manufactured replacement built to match the original components, with the consistency and durability you would expect from new parts.
The tight tolerances and specialist hinge forming support smooth movement, less wear and a long service life. The reproduced perforation pattern keeps the airflow and product handling that continuous food drying needs.
The customer got more than a replacement component. A worn, obsolete part became a repeatable precision manufactured solution, made with our own engineering, tooling and perforated metal expertise.
Why Choose Graepels?
We have almost 70 years of experience across the UK and Ireland, with expertise in perforated metal, woven wire, metal fabrication, laser cutting, and ISO 9001 certified manufacturing.