MPE Reengineers Chain-Vey® CIP Drive and Turnaround Units for Easier Sanitary Access

Redesigned drive and turnaround housings improve access, cleaning coverage, and drainage; MPE tests customer-specific CIP applications in its Chicago lab 

CHICAGO — October 5, 2026 — Modern Process Equipment Corporation (MPE) has reengineered the drive and turnaround housings for its Chain-Vey® tubular drag conveying systems and will introduce them at PACK EXPO International 2026 in Chicago. The redesigned components combine revised cleaning-fluid delivery, flush and drainable internal construction, and simplified access for cleanout, visual inspection, and swab testing.

On the previous turnaround, the lid was secured with a perimeter pattern of more than a dozen bolts — an arrangement operators may need to open multiple times during cleanout, inspection, swab verification, and drying checks. The redesigned turnaround uses three latches. Its water manifold has also been moved off the lid, allowing the housing to open without water-delivery hardware attached to the lid and with less exposed hardware in sanitary areas.

“Most of what we changed came from listening to what operators encounter when they open and clean these housings,” said Alex Wolf, Vice President of Sales, Modern Process Equipment Corporation. “A dozen-plus bolts every time a housing needs to be opened is a design problem. So is a ledge you can’t see into. We treated access, drainage, and spray coverage as one problem instead of three.”

Customer-specific CIP application testing

MPE typically tests each customer’s CIP application at its Chain-Vey Testing Lab in Chicago before sale to help validate the proposed cleaning approach and inform the final system configuration. Working with the processor’s product, sanitation requirements, and verification procedures, MPE develops and evaluates a project-specific cleaning sequence.

A standard evaluation runs the customer’s product through the system to soil it, followed by rinse, detergent, rinse, and sanitation stages. MPE and the customer then assess cleaning results, including swab samples from selected points throughout the system, against the customer’s acceptance criteria.

For applications involving allergen controls, the test plan can incorporate customer-approved protein-allergen swab methods for relevant product-contact surfaces, including the chain and discs. Test conditions, sampling locations, methods, and acceptance criteria are established with the customer to reflect the product and the processor’s sanitation program.

“Cleaning performance depends on the product, system length, and the processor’s own sanitation requirements,” said Brian Willebrand, Vice President of Operations, Engineering & R&D, Modern Process Equipment Corporation. “Rather than rely on a generic result, we evaluate the customer’s material and CIP procedure against acceptance criteria developed for that application.”

Reengineered for access, coverage, and drainage

CIP water-delivery components are rated to 1,000 psi and designed for high-pressure service and chemical exposure. Systems are typically configured to operate in the 500–600 psi range, with final operating pressure, spray configuration, and CIP procedure established according to the application and the processor’s sanitation requirements. Both housings use a simplified hose design with high-pressure, stainless-steel braided hoses.

Drive unit

The redesigned Chain-Vey CIP drive includes:

• An additional 360° spray nozzle and revised internal nozzle placement designed to improve cleaning-fluid coverage throughout the housing, including the chain and discs.
• Flush-machined openings and backplates that create a flush internal surface and remove a previous ledge area.
• Flush-mounted, food-grade Lexan side inspection windows that provide direct visibility into the housing while minimizing internal ledges and potential harborage points.
• Revised gasket-transition geometry designed to help prevent compressed gasket material from protruding into the product area.
• A more compact dry-port design.

Turnaround unit

The redesigned Chain-Vey CIP turnaround includes:

• Additional 360° spray coverage and revised nozzle positioning designed to improve cleaning-fluid coverage of internal surfaces, the chain, and discs.
• A fully welded bottom housing, reduced internal hardware, and improved gasket geometry designed to reduce sanitary interfaces and potential harborage points.
• A three-latch quick-access lid that replaces the previous multi-bolt lid arrangement and simplifies housing access for cleanout, inspection, and maintenance.
• Sloped and rounded internal surfaces and side-mounted, flush-fit sight glasses designed to support drainage and drying after cleaning.
• A water manifold relocated off the lid, allowing the housing to be opened without water-delivery hardware attached to the lid.
• A linear-bearing slide plate and simplified round-bar guide arrangement engineered for smoother, more consistent tensioning movement and improved cleanability and maintenance access.
• A lower-profile sanitary air-relief assembly with sanitary-style connections.

Across both housings, the redesign is engineered to reduce exposed internal hardware and threaded areas in sanitary zones, reduce potential harborage points, and give plant teams more direct access to inspect internal areas and conduct swab checks as part of their sanitation-verification procedures.

Configuration

Full CIP configurations are available for Chain-Vey 4-, 5-, and 6-inch systems. Standard construction is 304 stainless steel, with a 32 µin Ra-or-better interior finish and a #4 brushed exterior finish. Alternative material grades and surface finishes are available upon request.

See it at PACK EXPO International 2026

MPE will display the complete redesigned Chain-Vey CIP drive and turnaround units at Booth LU-7314, Lakeside Upper, Food & Beverage Processing Zone, October 18–21 at McCormick Place in Chicago. The display unit will be mounted at viewing height with the lid available to open, allowing visitors to inspect key internal design features directly. A Chain-Vey tubular drag conveyor will also be operating in the MPE booth.

The reengineered Chain-Vey CIP drive and turnaround units are available for specification on new customer projects. Existing Chain-Vey systems can be upgraded with the new designs by replacing the complete drive and/or turnaround unit. Processors can also request customer-specific CIP application testing in MPE’s Chain-Vey Testing Lab to assess a proposed cleaning approach before final system configuration. For more information, visit chainvey.com or contact us at 773-254-3929 or solution@mpechicago.com.

About Modern Process Equipment Corporation

Founded in 1957, Modern Process Equipment Corporation (MPE) designs and manufactures precision particle-size reduction equipment, Chain-Vey® tubular drag conveyors, engineered conveying systems, and integrated process solutions for food, beverage, coffee, and industrial processors worldwide. Headquartered in Chicago, MPE combines application engineering, in-house manufacturing, and lab testing to address demanding processing requirements. Learn more at mpechicago.com and chainvey.com.

Editor’s Note: Engineering renderings of the reengineered Chain-Vey® CIP drive and turnaround units are available. Annotated product graphics and interviews with MPE technical representatives are available on request. Editors are invited to schedule a booth appointment at LU-7314 during PACK EXPO International to see the redesigned housings opened and walk through the design changes with an MPE technical representative. Contact Deanna Holmes to arrange a booth appointment, technical briefing, or post-show application-testing discussion.

Media Contact
Deanna Holmes, Marketing
Modern Process Equipment Corporation
773-242-2983 | dholmes@mpechicago.com