Complex cutting lines for moulded parts made of polyurethane or other foams are made up of a number of separate machines which, in the ideal case, ought to be able to communicate with each other Setting out to achieve greater flexibility in program and data management on a horizontal splitting machine, one manufacturer decided to standardise the automation concept for the horizonal cut on an operating unit with a colour graphics display Data exchange on horizontal splitting machines has thus been implemented on the operating unit in a direct and straightforward manner via Ethernet.