The machine is based on Thurne’s Polyslicer 1000 platform, and has been optimized for more efficient cheese slicing.
Better slice thickness control
Kathrin Farr, marketing executive, Thurne, told DairyReporter, the CS 1000 features a range of cheese specific components and blades that reduce friction and product build up, providing better slice thickness control and product presentation.
“We released the Polyslicer 1000 in 2010 and the slicer has been successfully installed in factories around the globe,” she said.
“Our customers use it to slice a range of retail and food service products, from beef carpaccio and processed cooked meats to pizza toppings.
“Over the last five years, Polyslicer 1000 was also installed in several cheese factories, producing interleaved and non-interleaved packs.
“Optimising the slicer to suit the unique properties of each cheese application yielded a number of adaptations that ensured optimum product handling and cut as well as maximum performance.
Cheese processing industry
“The Polyslicer 1000 for Cheese, CS 1000 for short, brings together these adaptations in an optimised specification for the cheese processing industry.”
The machine is available with an orbital and involute head, to slice stacked (<100mm) and shingled retail and food service packs at speeds up to 1500 rpm.
An optional Interleaver can be added as a retrofit if required to support multi-lane interleaving of shingles and stacks up to 80mm at speeds up to 700 slices per minute.
“Our Interleaver works differently from other systems in the market,” added Keith Shackelford, VP US sales, Thurne.
Two separate cutting mechanisms
“The product and the interleaving material are cut by two separate cutting mechanisms, to choose the product blade best suited to the hardness and texture of the cheese to be sliced.
“This circular or involute blade will deliver consistent product placement and pack presentation and – without reducing its edge by also cutting paper or film – stay sharp and perform well for longer.”
Shackelford said having a separate cutting mechanism for the interleaving material has the added benefit of enhanced control over the positioning of the paper or film, and provides easy access for fast reel changes, maintenance and cleaning.
Thurne has manufacturing facilities in Norwich, UK, and Chicago, US. The company will be exhibiting at the International Cheese Technology Expo as part of Middleby Corporation and its sister brand RapidPak.