Grinding coffee beans needs high-end technology
Published by Angst+Pfister on December 2022
In order to develop the full aroma of a coffee bean in espresso, a sophisticated grinding process is required before the extraction process can begin. Angst+Pfister Sensors and Power provides innovative and cost-effective solutions for coffee grinding motors and grinder adjustment motors.
Eversys is one of the most innovative manufacturers of fully automatic coffee machines and a master in creating “True Espresso with a touch”. The demands on main components inside the machine are correspondingly high. Eversys recently introduced a new machine called “Legacy” which requires very little space to produce a high number of excellent-quality coffee per day. The newly developed grinder is thus also particularly compact. The ceramic grinding disks are driven by a powerful and quiet electric motor, which was jointly developed between Eversys and Angst+Pfister Sensors and Power. Electronic control and monitoring of the machine improve quality and constantly maintain the optimum grinding process. The customer can enter the desired amount of coffee and water, as well as the brewing time, and the grinder is automatically adjusted to achieve the best grinding result. The grinder adjustment is achieved by a stepper motor also provided by Angst+Pfister Sensors and Power.
The coffee grinder motor
End customers wish to produce a maximum number of coffee servings per hour with minimal space requirements. Motor requirements: the motor must be compact and mechanically integrated into the grinding system. Reducing the number of components within the grinder was one of the goals. Solution: the motor bearing also serves as bearing for the grinding unit. The grinder disk fits on the motor shaft, the grinder housing is screwed directly to the motor flange. Compared to machinery industry, the drive can be referred to as “direct drive”. Thanks to the modular structure up to four coffee grinders can be vertically integrated into one coffee machine.
End customers wish a low-maintenance and reliable coffee machine. Motor requirements: the motor must be reliable and maintenance free. An Eversys coffee machine may produce several hundred servings of coffee per day. Therefore, a brushless (BLDC) motor is used – its service life is only limited by the service life of the reinforced bearings. Removing superfluous components (such as the grinding disk bearing) increases reliability. Eversys requirement: the coffee machine shall be exported in all countries around the world without modifications.
Motor requirements: the motor should be powered by the wide input universal power supply integrated in the coffee machine. A low-voltage BLDC motor is therefore used. The speed/torque curve has been optimized to support the load curve of the grinder.
Automatic adjustment of the grinder disk
The end customer wants to be able to choose a precise amount of coffee and water as well as the brewing time. Due to calibration function, the grinder shall be automatically adjusted to achieve the best grinding result. A cost-optimized, compact, reliable system for adjusting the grinder that is mechanically and electrically easy to integrate had to be developed.
Solution by Eversys together with Angst+Pfister Sensors and Power: a compact, reliable and cost-optimized stepper motor drives a worm wheel which adjusts the distance between the grinding discs. The motor shaft is specially tooled to fit the worm shaft by the customer.
Synergy in collaboration between Eversys and Angst+Pfister Sensors and Power
The Eversys coffee grinder system is a world first and an absolute innovation. During engineering and integration phase, the solution was constantly improved and optimized. In the prototype – for example – the parallelism of the grinding disks was not within the desired tolerance. A constant coffee powder quality could not be guaranteed. By using a bushing on the motor housing, Angst+Pfister Sensors and Power found a solution that maintains the desired parallelism of the two motor bearing plates within the desired tolerance.
Jonathan Besse, Head of Development at Eversys
“In Angst+Pfister Sensors and Power, we have found an innovative manufacturing partner we can rely on in every situation. Their quick responses and technical competence are of particular importance in our collaboration.”
Conclusion
By leveraging advanced solutions such as brushless motors and precise grinder adjustment mechanisms, the Eversys coffee grinder system sets a new standard in this industry. The seamless integration of these components, coupled with continuous improvement and optimization during the engineering phase, gives an excellent example of the synergy that can be achieved through collaboration.
Eventually, the result is more than just a coffee machine; it's a testament to the power of innovation and partnership in delivering exceptional coffee experiences to customers worldwide. Through their joint efforts, Eversys and Angst+Pfister Sensors and Power have redefined what is possible in coffee grinding technology, paving the way for a future where quality and efficiency go hand in hand
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