World-first intelligent slicer eliminates give-away, says company

The company’s A 510 system has an integrated weighing function that, when combined with its proprietary software, constantly compares the total weight of slices with the predefined weight to regulate their thickness during the cutting process. The equipment can also cut naturally grown products such as ham to exact and predefined weights, added the Germany-based firm.

The machine can help processors realise “enormous savings”​ and significantly reduce giveaway. Return on investment can be realised in less than a year, Andreas Gmelin, director of food processing, told FoodProductionDaily.com. The equipment has an average price of around €55,000.

Return on investment​

“Due to the very short control cycle of cutting and weighing the give-away is significantly reduced and the operator can in many instances record enormous savings,”​ he said. “By the processing of uncalibrated products there is an average off-cut of 10 per cent, which is added to the packages free of charge. By using the weighing function during the slicing process, this give-away can be eliminated.”​

Citing an example where the product has a kilo price of €11 at a volume of 10 tonnes per month, the operator can save up to €11,000 per month or 130,000 annually, added the Bizerba processing chief.

The new system, which was unveiled at the recent IFFA show in Germany, also speeds up the production process, said the company. Designed for small/medium-sized operators, the system is aimed for slicing of higher value products.

Product change times​

“Due to its combination of slicing and weighing and the resulting savings in time, the A 510 is especially attractive for larger meat, sausage and cheese producing companies,”​ said Gmelin. “Manufacturing companies can employ this machine as an attractive alternative for the processing of product launches or small charges. The product change takes considerably less than one minute.”​

The machine’s blade can be sharpened remotely, which means it does not have to be removed. This cuts downtime and is boost safety. Most product can be sliced at between +3 and +7°C rather than being pre-frozen.

The company said it had focussed on factors such as ease of operation, cleaning and maintenance for the machine. A colour touch screen with LCD display is clearly laid out and its ergonomics ensure convenient operation, - thanks the low tray and height of the conveyor belt make working with the machine easy.