Ultrasonic knife minimises product stress, cuts waste and cleaning time

17 Oct 2011

Bosch has said its new guillotine cutter is equipped with ultrasonic technology that minimizes stress to preserve product quality, as well as reducing waste and cleaning times.

The company announced its WRQ 0400 US cross-cutting machine has an ultrasonic guillotine device that is suitable for difficult-to cut outputs such as bars and cakes.

The system uses the ultrasonic device to slice product arriving in mass ropes into individual bars, Bosch Packaging Technology said.

The firm said the equipment applies minimum stress and pressure during the cutting process which helps preserve product quality. The ultrasonic system is capable of 80 cuts per minute (CPM), compared to the 180 CPMs with a standard blade.

“Due to its high-speed micro vibration, the ultrasonic technology results in clean cuts with sharp edges and smooth surfaces for further quality benefits,” said Frank Jansen, Bosch product manager.

Ultrasonic knife

The ultrasonic-powered blade ensures product does not stick to the surface of the knife – and has been designed to aid cutting for sensitive, sticky, laminated or layered products.

The system has an open design that allows easy access to all parts with product contact, which enhances hygiene. Good accessibility enables quick cleaning after production as well as easy inspection before the start of production, said the company.

These attributes produce “aesthetically pleasing products and also results in reduced cleaning times and minimal product waste, said a Bosch statement.

The advanced component can be retrofitted to the company’s range of WRQ machines.

Flexibility

The speeds of the independent in feed and discharge conveyor belt can be adjusted to ensure that food producers can set the gap between product rows for packaging.

“Flexibility is achieved with two independent and linear servo axes controlling the knife movements, for precise rectangular cuts at any speed,” said the firm. “The controls allow for rapid set-up and quick changeover to handle various bar lengths.”

It added the ultrasonic guillotine has the ability to be adjusted to handle cutting lengths in a standard range from 20 to 200mm. The standard cutting height has a maximum of 30 millimeters and any working width within a standard range from 400 to 1,600mm is possible.

An optional feature includes, it has the ability to provide customized cutting profiles such as matched marks, said Bosch.

“For sticky and layered bar products, traditional cutting challenges can be quickly overcome with ultrasonic technology,” said Jansen. “Our machine combines this innovative cutting technology with the benefits of flexibility, hygiene and ease-of-use.”

Source: Bosch