Vision boost for Thurne's compact bacon slicer

Thurne-Middleby Ltd has boosted the capabilities of the popular IBS1000 Bacon Slicer with a Vision System, enabling processors to achieve enhanced first time on-weight percentages.

This is the first time Thurne has deployed vision technology on one of their compact 1000 Series slicers. The system uses a high-speed camera and processing system that is able to adjust the thickness of each slice to significantly improve first time on-weights. The increase in first time on-weights reduces rework rates and improves overall yield, as there is less giveaway.

“Thanks to the IBS1000’s new vision system, low and medium volume bacon processors can now benefit from on-weight percentages in excess of 90%,” explains Andrew Neal, Sales Director of Thurne, “And that’s in addition to the advantages the gripper fed IBS1000 slicer already delivers: market leading throughputs for a slicer of its class and minimum butt ends of less than 100 g.”

A completely new control system, utilising the latest platforms from Allen Bradley, provides the processing power to support the IBS1000 Vision’s slicing accuracy even at the highest blade speeds and comes with enhanced on-board diagnostics and production data capture, all accessed via the new larger, easy to use controls.

The IBS1000 Bacon Slicer complies with “ready-to-eat” hygiene standards and uses a high-yield, semi-automatic gripper feed, providing reliable slice thickness control and high-quality product presentation. The slicer is loaded manually via a fast reload mechanism with automatic butt-end removal, which, paired with high blade speeds up to 1650 rpm, enables the slicer to surpass throughputs of 1.8 tonnes/h.

Thurne’s pioneering role and track-record in utilising vision technology to maximise weight control and yield has made Thurne slicers the preferred choice for bacon processors. High volume retail, foodservice and precooked bacon producers are reaping the benefits of vision technology on their IBS 2000 and IBS 4600 Slicers, as well as on Thurne’s new generation one bacon and two bacon Slicers.

Thurne is a market leader in fresh and precooked bacon slicing equipment, and offers a comprehensive range of slicing systems for cooked and cured meats and cheese applications.