Abstract: A method for cutting sections from a specimen using a microtome wherein a cutting knife or specimen is advanced by an advancing carriage into a sectioning plane of a disk microtome. The advancing carriage is moved by a motor drive in order to bring the specimen into contact with an area sensor. When the specimen comes into contact with the area sensor, the position of the motor drive is determined and is compared with a stored position of the sectioning plane. The stored position is previously determined by manually locating the position drive motor when the specimen contacts the area sensor. Control signals for the motor drive are calculated from the two position values, and the advancing carriage is advanced into the sectioning plane by the motor drive taking these control signals into account.

Abstract: A microtome (1) having a motorized feed drive system (2) for generating a relative movement between an object (7) that is to be cut and a cutting knife (4). A control circuit (8) and a pressure-sensitive sensor (9) are provided for detecting a position between the cutting knife (4) and the object (7). The motorized feed drive system (2) is switched via the control circuit (8) when the sensor (9) responds. The sensor (9) is equipped with a sensor surface (14) that is at least exactly as large as the surface (16) of the object (7). The sensor surface (14) is arranged parallel to the cutting plane (17).