KFT slicers cut up to 14 times per second thanks to the CC-Link IE TSN network

The Spanish company KFT Food Machinery (Besalú, Catalonia) manufactures cutting machines for the food industry: slicers, systems for sausages, and co-extrusion equipment.

In food production, long shifts, rapid changeovers, and consistent slice thickness at maximum speed are essential. The traditional approach—using separate networks for motion control, discrete I/O, and pneumatics—adds complexity to the control cabinet, installation, and commissioning. KFT required a single deterministic network capable of handling both axis control and diagnostics.

The most demanding models synchronize 10 or more independent servo axes and perform up to 14 precise cuts per second. To maintain such speed and accuracy throughout a long shift, the company transitioned its slicers to the open industrial Ethernet network CC-Link IE TSN—a technology from the CC-Link Partner Association that is actively supported by the Mitsubishi Electric ecosystem.

KFT has integrated CC-Link IE TSN into its line of slicers. This network, featuring gigabit bandwidth and Time-Sensitive Networking, provides:

• deterministic synchronization of all servo axes;

• simultaneous transmission of real-time control data and diagnostics over a single cable;

• a unified architecture for motion control, I/O modules, pneumatics, and safety devices.

Martí Clos, CEO of KFT, notes that integrating servo and motion systems via CC-Link IE TSN proved to be the definitive solution. Thanks to Gigabit speeds and TSN, the protocol delivers high performance, axis synchronization, and the ability to handle both control and diagnostics over a single network. This simplifies communication, reduces setup time, and facilitates machine expansion—including the integration of pneumatics and safety systems.