The vario-changer is a variable electrode changer system for several clamping systems. The alignment of of stacjing levels is flexible and up-gradable. With a changer that has been equipped with an identification system, initialization takes approximately 35 seconds for a fully stacked level (20 electrode trays). This amounts to about 2.5 minutes with a fully populated 100-fold vario-changer. Unstacked trays and levels will be skipped, thus reducing the time of initialization. The vario-changer allocates the next electrode in advance with its two-hand gripper, turning the changing process into a simple exchange of the electrode at the sleeve.