The need to provide accurate portion control of food products continues to grow each year, with this in mind, Marlen offers two distinct methods to make meat portioning easier, including volumetric or static portioning and dynamic or inline portioning.
Dynamic Meat Portioning
Dynamic portioning is achieved by accurately metering the product flow out of a Marlen vacuum stuffer and pumping system along with a Marlen cutoff device to portion the product at a fixed time interval. Marlen guarantees a portion accuracy of +/- 2% of the total portion weight for dynamic portioning applications.
Volumetric Meat Portioning
Volumetric portioning is by far the most accurate form of portioning today and is achieved by pumping food product at a constant pressure into a fixed volumetric cavity. Once the cavity is filled the portion is cut off and redirected to downstream equipment. Marlen guarantees a portion accuracy of +/- 0.5% of the total portion weight for volumetric portioning applications. Marlen’s volumetric portioning solutions include a COV portioner, rollstock portioner and VPT portioner.
COV Volumetric Portioners by Marlen
Marlen’s COV portioners are ideal for any meat product and are used primarily for feeding a Cryovac 8490 packaging system or feeding sizers. Marlen offers two models of COV volumetric portioners providing the capability to portion weights from 3 to 40 pounds (1 to 18 kgs). With these portioners product enters the 4-inch inlet under constant pressure from a required pressure sensitive pump such as the Marlen Opti Vacuum Stuffing and Pumping series machines. As the portioning piston reaches its set point at the desired volume, the rotor turns pneumatically to close the inlet from the pump and opens the passageway to the 4-inch outlet ready for discharge to the downstream equipment. Once the proper signal is received the portioning piston is lowered pneumatically and discharges the entire volume of the chamber downstream. The rotor then returns to its filling position opening to the 4-inch inlet and begins receiving product for the next portion.
Multiple Marlen COV portioners can be fed from a single OPTI series vacuum pump. Each COV can produce up to 20 portioners per minute with a guaranteed portion accuracy of plus or minus 0.5%.
Meat Portioning with Marlen’s RS Volumetric Portioner
The Marlen RS Portioner is used primarily for depositing products into a thermoform packaging machine. This portioner processes up to two portions with weights up to 15 pounds (or 7 kgs) at a rate of 15 cycles or 30 portions per minute. Product is fed at a constant pressure from any OPTI series vacuum pump through a 4-inch inlet at the back of the RS portioner. Product is evenly distributed to each of the portioning pistons when both portion and pistons reach their set point at the desired volume, the pistons rotate to their respective 4-inch discharge opening. Upon receiving, the machine signals for the thermoform packaging machine and both pistons lower pneumatically to discharge the entire portions into the packaging machine cavity. After discharge when the pistons have bottomed out, they return to their fill positions to receive another charge of product from the pump. Multiple Marlen RS portioners can be fed from a single OPTI series vacuum pump.
Each RS meat portioner can produce up to 30 portions per minute with a guaranteed portion accuracy of +/- 0.5%.
Marlen VPT Portioner
The Marlen VPT portioner is used in a wide variety of applications. Portioning from one ounce to two pounds with the standard model. Depending on product viscosity and portion size, the VPT can deliver up to 60 portions per minute.
Product enters the 2-inch inlet under constant pressure from any OPTI series vacuum pump. When in the fill position, product passes through the discharge piston into the volumetric portioning cavity of the VPT. When the portioning piston reaches its set point for the desired volume, the discharge piston raises up to block the inlet from receiving more product while allowing the portioning piston to discharge through the bottom of the VPT. As the portioning piston bottoms out at the end of the stroke, the transfer piston lowers pneumatically to complete the discharge of the portion to downstream equipment. When the transfer piston reaches its down position, the inlet from the pump to the volumetric portioner is opened again and begins to fill the next portion.
Multiple Marlen VPT portioners can be fed from a single OPTI series vacuum pump. Each VPT can deliver up to 60 portions per minute with a guaranteed portion accuracy of +/- 0.5%.
In summary, Marlen offers a complete line of meat portioning equipment to satisfy almost any scenario. From exact weight and volumetric portioners to dynamic and transducer options, we have a solution to fit almost any application.
While we deliver accurate portions based on the food processor’s requirements, we believe it’s important that processors educate consumers that a key part of healthful eating means choosing appropriate amounts of different foods. When it comes to deciding how much to eat, a portioned size versus a serving size doesn’t mean the same thing. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics shares some helpful tips.
