Aitor Gogorza: "The great revolution comes to the Ultra line with the brushless motor"

To find out more about our new lines of vegetable preparation machines, cutters, emulsifiers and combi machines "which will revolutionise the market", we met Aitor Gogorza, an engineer at Sammic who has been one of the team responsible this new range.

Why this new family of vegetable preparation machines, cutters, emulsifiers and combi machines? 

The market is evolving and users have new requirements. For us, knowing how to respond to them is a duty and a challenge that we take on every day. This new range has been created gradually, and has evolved over the years; now we are able to launch a very comprehensive enhanced family.

What are the features of these new machines?

There are two lines in the family: Active and Ultra. The Active machines, with single-speed motors, evolved directly from the previous machines. Their design has been carefully researched and the tolerances have been adjusted, resulting in an even more perfect cut. In addition, improvements have been made to discs and grids, ensuring a perfect result whatever the product and desired cut.

However, the great revolution arrives with our Ultra line where we have incorporated brushless technology for the first time. This latest generation motor gives the machine a number of advantages, making it the perfect solution for busy hotels and restaurants.

 What is a brushless motor?

Brushless motors are the latest generation of motors. Until now, they were mainly used in industries such as automotive, aeronautical and renewable energy. They operate based on a rotor formed by magnets, avoiding the friction problems experienced by conventional electric motors. They are more efficient, which contributes to energy saving and to more sustainable development. When we started designing these machines, we asked ourselves, "If industry 4.0 uses these motors, why shouldn't we?"

And what advantages does this motor bring to the Ultra machines?

To begin with, thanks to this motor, our machine maintains torque across its full range of speeds and thus becomes a much more efficient machine. This efficiency also leads to reduced energy consumption, making the machines more environmentally friendly. And they run more smoothly and quietly than conventional motors (72 to 63 dbA), improving the workplace environment. Therefore, thanks to this motor, our machines are much more efficient, more environmentally friendly and less noisy.

But, as I understand it, these are not the only advantages offered by the brushless motor.

No, no, you're right. Brushless motors have several important advantages. They are smaller and lighter than conventional motors, so we get smaller and lighter machines. Specifically, the height of the new machines has been reduced by 22 mm and the weight has decreased by up to 20% compared to the previous range. This makes it easier for the user to move the machines around. They also occupy less space in the kitchen.

It is also to do with the durability of the machines.

That's right. For one thing, due to the high efficiency, the motor doesn't get hot and so no ventilation is needed. This means the ventilation grilles can be dispensed with for the new machines, making them more watertight and preventing water and dirt from entering through the vents. Thus, the useful life and durability of the machine are increased. 

And what has been the market reaction?

As always, all the machines have been tested in a range of real environments and the feedback we have had has been outstanding. Users have shown themselves to be delighted by this new technology and we believe it will be warmly received in the market. In addition, we believe it will be indispensable in the kitchens of busy hotels and chain restaurants, since, thanks to the new motor and the new advanced control panel, we have incorporated the exclusive "Force Control System". Thanks to this system, the user can see on the screen the force that the motor is exerting during use and can program an audible warning when the machine exceeds a given force. Thus, users can always exert the optimal force to obtain the best quality of cut for each product. They can standardise processes and obtain a cut which is optimal, uniform and without losses.

A technology which offers so many advantages will come at an extra cost, I suppose.

The initial investment in these machines is higher than with other more conventional technologies but the return is very rapid thanks to all the advantages mentioned above. I'd also like to emphasise that these machines reduce energy consumption and improve the user's environment, as well as achieving optimum results.