Abstract: A multi-track slicing machine, for slicing calibers into slices and producing shingled or stacked portions from slices, comprises a cutting unit, a feed unit for feeding at least one caliber to the cutting unit, a discharge conveyor unit with at least one portioning belt for discharging the portions in a passage direction of the slicing machine, and a spray unit with a plurality of nozzle units, wherein each nozzle unit comprises at least one spray nozzle for applying a liquid or powdery anticaking agent to a slice. The spray unit comprises a holding device, and a spray bar adjustably fastened to the holding device and extending in a horizontal transverse direction to the passage direction across all tracks of the slicing machine. The nozzle units are arranged independently of one another adjustably on the spray bar.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing an operational malfunction in a slicing machine comprises: displaying, using a display device of a user interface of the slicing machine, an operational malfunction area selection view, which includes multiple possible operational malfunction areas for the malfunction and a prompt to select at least one operational malfunction area, selecting, using an input device of the user interface, the at least one operational malfunction area, displaying, using the display device, an operational malfunction type selection view, which includes multiple possible operational malfunction types for the malfunction and a prompt to select at least one operational malfunction type from the multiple possible operational malfunction types, and selecting, using the input device, the at least one operational malfunction type, and displaying, using the display device, at least one operational malfunction resolution suggestion based on the at least one operational malfunction area and/or the at least one oper

Abstract: A method for positioning an article in a slicing machine having a discharge unit includes detecting actual position of the article on the discharge unit by an optical unit data-connected with a control of the slicing machine, automatically comparing the actual position with a predetermined target position by the control, and in the event of a discrepancy above a predetermined acceptance value, automatically displacing the article to the target position by a part of the discharge unit on which the article rests. A transverse position of the article is changed by moving a displacement belt of the discharge unit, and a rotational position of the article is changed by driving parts of the belt at different speeds. The displacement belt is a belt conveyor with belts controllable individually and independently of one another regarding running speed and/or deflecting pulleys displaceable individually and independently of one another in a transverse direction.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a slicing machine for slicing foods, comprising: a feed unit adapted to feed at least one product caliber in a feed direction, a cutting unit, and a control unit adapted to control at least the feed unit and the cutting unit. The control unit is adapted to be in signal connection with a processing apparatus separate from the slicing machine. The processing apparatus is adapted to process the product caliber before it is sliced by the slicing machine. The control unit is further adapted to receive at least one dimension and/or a weight and/or a density of the at least one product caliber or data representative thereof from the processing apparatus and to control the feed unit and/or the cutting unit based on the at least one dimension and/or the weight and/or the density. The disclosure relates further to a system and to a method.

Abstract: In order to keep anticaking agent-related dead times of a slicing machine as low as possible, excess anticaking agent suspended in the air is sucked off by a suction unit so that as little as possible is deposited on parts of the machine which subsequently have to be cleaned frequently, and/or instead of a single reservoir, several different reservoirs are used, which are switchable in their connection to a spray opening to be supplied, whereby it is easy to switch from an empty to a full reservoir, while the change or refilling of the emptied reservoir can be carried out without dead time during a cutting operation.

Abstract: A slicing machine for slicing a predetermined number of product calibres into slices and producing portions from the slices includes a cutting unit for separating the slices from the predetermined number of product calibres, a feeding unit for feeding multiple product calibres to the cutting unit, a buffer unit to receive the multiple product calibres, a weight detection unit to detect a weight of each of the multiple product calibres received in the buffer unit, and a controller to obtain from the weight detection unit the weight of each of the multiple product calibres and control the buffer unit to feed the predetermined number of product calibres from the multiple product calibres to the feeding unit such that the weight of each of the predetermined number of product calibres has at most a predetermined deviation from the weight of each other of the predetermined number of product calibres.

Abstract: In order that grippers on individual tracks of a multi-track slicing machine can be moved and controlled independently of one another, they are not all mounted on a same gripper slide guided on the only slide guide present. Instead, at least two slide guides may be present, each of which carries at least one gripper slide, which in turn either carries several grippers or several gripper slides.

Abstract: In order to be able to manufacture differently designed support frames, often of different lengths but also of different widths, for different slicer designs with lower bearing and logistics costs, they are assembled from—differently designable—lateral support modules on the one hand and transverse support modules of different lengths on the other, but the transverse support modules are only detachably connected to the lateral support modules, usually by bolting. These modules in turn can be composed of submodules, which in turn can be composed of individual elements, whereby connection to the entire modules can also be made by welding.

Abstract: In order to avoid that, in a spray unit for applying liquid or powdered anticaking agent between shingled or stacked slices, free-running supply lines to each individual nozzle in a contamination-intensive area of a slicing machine run freely and are also difficult to clean, the spray nozzles and shut-off valves, which are usually also provided for each nozzle, on the other hand, as well as corresponding sections of the supply lines, are protected and tightly arranged inside a hollow, pressure-tight spray bar which extends over all tracks of the slicing machine and is held at one end by means of a flexible and adjustable holding device and is supported relative to a base frame of the slicing machine.

Abstract: In order to keep anticaking agent—related dead times of a slicing machine as low as possible, excess anticaking agent suspended in the air is sucked off by a suction unit so that as little as possible is deposited on parts of the machine which subsequently have to be cleaned frequently, and/or instead of a single reservoir, several different reservoirs are used, which are switchable in their connection to a spray opening to be supplied, whereby it is easy to switch from an empty to a full reservoir, while the change or refilling of the emptied reservoir can be carried out without dead time during a cutting operation.

Abstract: In order to be able to shingle articles individual slices or partial portions of slices shingled in a longitudinal direction in a transverse direction relative to the running direction of conveyor units on which these articles are transported, the two conveyor units, on each of which one of the two articles is fully supported, are not brought to overlap in order to achieve the transverse shingling, but one of the articles is transported on its conveyor unit with a lateral overhang to the other conveyor unit, and the other article placed there on the edge side with such a height difference that the two articles can finally overlap and be placed on top of each other. However, the two conveyor units only have to be guided closely next to each other for this purpose without overlapping themselves. This simplifies the design of the overlapping unit and reduces its overall height.

Abstract: In order that grippers on individual tracks of a multi-track slicing machine can be moved and controlled independently of one another, they are not all mounted on a same gripper slide guided on the only slide guide present. Instead, at least two slide guides may be present, each of which carries at least one gripper slide, which in turn either carries several grippers or several gripper slides.

Abstract: In order to automatically correct the transverse position, rotational position and, if necessary, the folded position of articles, an actual position may be determined as far upstream as possible, preferably already on a portioning belt of a discharge conveyor unit, and depending on this, a change in position towards a target position may be carried out with a belt of the discharge conveyor unit, which preferably follows downstream. The aim is to make the discharge conveyor unit as short as possible and with as few conveyors as possible, in particular preferably with only three belts, of which a weighing belt or the portioning belt may be used as a detection belt, and the next belt may be used as a displacement belt, regardless of whether it is arranged in the second or third position.

Abstract: In order to be able to shingle articles individual slices or partial portions of slices shingled in a longitudinal direction in a transverse direction relative to the running direction of conveyor units on which these articles are transported, the two conveyor units, on each of which one of the two articles is fully supported, are not brought to overlap in order to achieve the transverse shingling, but one of the articles is transported on its conveyor unit with a lateral overhang to the other conveyor unit, and the other article placed there on the edge side with such a height difference that the two articles can finally overlap and be placed on top of each other. However, the two conveyor units only have to be guided closely next to each other for this purpose without overlapping themselves. This simplifies the design of the overlapping unit and reduces its overall height.