Company D produces a large range of commercial kitchen equipment, focusing on heating equipment. When a competitor launched a new model of steam convection oven, the company tested it against their own product. Mr. E of the Engineering Department shares with us the results:
"We compared it against our upcoming flagship model, which was then in development, but we found that unfortunately the combustion efficiency of our own model was inferior. Therefore, the Engineering Department felt it necessary to review the internals and consider a new unique structure to develop an oven that would be competitive."
Company D focused their efforts on developing the new model, but immediately faced challenges.
"The fan used for the combustion mechanism of our current model was custom-made. When we contacted the supplier that had been entrusted with production in the past, they replied that it was difficult to continue production, so we decided to consider replacing the fan. During development, we reviewed the internal structure, and also set a goal for miniaturization and weight reduction," explained Mr. E.
Company D tried to select a fan for the development of the new model, but it was difficult to find a fan that met their conditions.
In such a situation Mr. E visited an exhibition, where he stopped by the SANYO DENKI booth and discussed his problems with a sales representative. The SANYO DENKI representative listened carefully to Mr. E's problems, and proposed their San Ace Blower.
"We had been looking at a variety of fans, trying to find one that had the same performance as our current fan, and that would let us miniaturize and reduce the weight of our product. The 9BM type Blower proposed by the SANYO DENKI sales representative had high airflow and static pressure, and the size was just right, so I felt that it could help us reduce size and weight. Also, problems such as heat resistance could be overcome by revising the oven's internal structure, so we would be able to install a resin fan," said Mr. E.
Soon after, Company D made a prototype containing a SANYO DENKI San Ace Blower. They achieved their initial target, a combustion efficiency improvement, and also made the oven smaller and lighter.
"The PWM control function of the proposed blower was also a key factor. We expected that we could use this to improve the combustion efficiency by adjusting the airflow. To tell the truth, I had never worked a DC fan before, and my understanding of PWM control circuits was lacking. But I consulted SANYO DENKI many times and with their advice we succeeded in making the PWM control circuit in-house," exclaimed Mr. E.
Following internal verification, Company D decided to use the San Ace Blower.
"This time, by making a bold revision to the internal structure, we developed a steam convection oven that can stand against the competition. I am very grateful to SANYO DENKI for their speedy service, from making a proposal to technical support. Looking forward, we plan to continue installing the same type of blower in other models to increase the competitiveness of our products," said Mr. E.
