Ice machines produce a variety types of ice for a range of applications. More than 80 percent of ice machines sold in the U.S. make cube ice. Flake ice comes in chips or flakes that contain up to 20 percent liquid water. Flake ice tends to conform to the surface of items that rest on it and is typically used in supermarket display cases, on fishing boats, or anywhere food needs to be preserved for short periods. Flake ice may also occasionally be used in soft drinks.
Crushed ice consists of small, irregular pieces made by crushing larger chunks of ice.
Its primary use is for keeping drinks cool. Ice nuggets, made by extruding and freezing slushy flake ice into small pieces, are also used primarily to cool drinks. Types of machines . Integrated units are the simplest to install, but usually come with a fixed capacity. The capacity of nonintegrated units can be increased by stacking additional ice-making machinery on top of the first machine or by placing a second machine next to the first on top of a larger bin.