GEA launches the new GEA OptiSlicer 6000, which includes a range of technological advancements to slice meat and cheese products more efficiently resulting in higher productivity, less downtime, easier maintenance, and the lowest possible Total Cost of Operation, according to a press release.
GEA has developed a slicer that is fast and accurate in slicing performance with a bigger cross-section than the existing slicer type GEA MegaSlicer XXL. Therefore, the positioning of the new slicer is in between the Mega and DualSlicer of the company. The OptiSlicer 6000 has a higher capacity, better blade design for smoother cutting action, eye-level electronics, and a new clear-view operator panel. The machine is easy to maintain, ultimately reliable, and benefits from GEA’s leading remote maintenance service. Regularly shaped products, such as calibrated sausage, salami, cooked ham, and cheese, even products that are known to be difficult to slice, can be handled easily without the need for crust freezing. The OptiSlicer 6000 can also be mirrored in left and right-hand versions to minimize footprint and enhance productivity.
The OptiSlicer 6000 operates at up to 1500 rpm where the application requires. The wide cross-section, up to 500 mm width x 200 mm height is capable of handling multiple product logs, of up to 1,850 mm length simultaneously, giving the highest capacity in the sector. The new FlexGripper from GEA avoids the need for the logs to be manually trimmed, simplifying the machine operation, saving time, and potentially reducing product losses.
The new machine uses the same 40° slicing angle as its predecessors, providing outstanding slicing quality. However, the blade on the OptiSlicer 6000 avoids balancing weights to improve hygiene and minimize noise. The wide inner hole allows to the integration of the counterweight into the rotor. The fixation screws close to the blade edge enable to make it slimmer, more stable, with a smoother cutting action. It’s also easier to maintain and exchange. The blades themselves have optimized geometry and a new coating, GEA Resyst, for an even smoother, more accurate cut and better portion control. The machine also features GEA’s pioneering idle-cut rotor that moves the blade, not the product, during idle cuts to improve productivity and minimize product losses.
The combination of advanced blade and machine design have enabled even critical products to be sliced on the GEA OptiSlicer 6000, without the need for crust freezing. This eliminates the need for a freezing unit and the associated CO2 or N2 consumption. Productivity is thus decisively improved, as product preparation time is reduced, and the overall footprint of the line is downsized.
The OptiSlicer 6000 is available as a standard version (operated from the left side) and a mirrored version (operated from the right side). This allows the machine to be adapted to production restrictions due to floor space or logistic needs. It also allows the mirroring of two machines to be run by the same operator, improving productivity and significantly reducing the overall footprint of the line.