Full line slicing solutions deliver for processors
Interfood has reported that the focus on full line solutions shows no signs of abating, with processors recognising the benefits of an integrated approach to their slicing requirements.
Tom Foran, divisional manager – Slicing for Interfood, said – “one of the most important factors in a successful line solution is the ability and ease for each component and module to communicate with the others. This is a fundamental consideration in the development of automated slicing lines to ensure maximum efficiency.
An example of this is the Weber/Textor full retail bacon line solution. With the proven Textor TS700/750 slicers at its heart, a full slicing line solution can encompass pressing, slicing and packaging right through to end-of line inspection and final case/crate packing, offering an option ideally suited to high-speed retail bacon production.”
Complete line integration is achieved via the Weber/Textor Power Control System” alongside “Weber One Control” giving the ability to view performance, interrogate and control individual line modules from any touchscreen on the line.
Central to the line is the Textor TS700/TS750, a high-speed slicer designed to meet the demanding requirements of the UK & Irish bacon slicing market. With natural variation and inconsistencies, bacon presents its own challenges, particularly in terms of a potentially significant reduction in yield if sliced using a machine which is not specifically designed to handle it.
As with any slicer, fundamental to success is the blade. Textor (and parent company Weber) operate an in-house blade manufacturing and technology department. This ensures that the blades are developed to meet the needs of specific applications, from all types of bacon (including wet cure and premium dry) in a range of portion presentations.
With its extensive experience across all elements of food processing, Interfood is able to offer a slicing line solution which extends from the Weber wePRESS through to end-of-line inspection from Sparc and case packing from Buhmann.
The new Weber wePRESS offers a turnkey solution with the flexibility afforded by a fully integrated press, slicer and thermoformer, all of which communicate with each other. As a fully servo-driven and controlled press, amongst the many advantages is the removal of the need for oil and cooling on the factory floor. Consistency and pressing quality are also closely controlled and maintained ensuring optimum shape to maximise slicing potential.
Depending on the application, a capacity of up to 15 cycles per minute can be achieved from a machine characterised by its small footprint and low energy consumption. The press can pre-size the product following pressing, determining the slicing lane to which the product should be sent, thereby balancing the products on the line and reducing the amount of empty pockets on the wePACK.
Scanning is an important element of slicing and the TS700/750 both offer highly accurate and consistent proactive scanning and weighing. The TS750 incorporates an integrated scanning and weighing system along with fully independent track related slicing right through the system to the point of loading in the packaging machine.
Automation can also be applied to product transport, loading and infeeding or pick and place through the Weber weLOAD and wePICK systems. These Weber automated loading systems incorporate line intelligence continuously communicating with both up and downstream modules to optimise line performance and efficiency.
