Title
Electronic Controlled Hot Water High Pressure Washers
User friendly Washers with improved functionality using PCB-based Control
Technologies used

PCB, SMT

Industrial sector (PRODCOM code)
    29 Machinery for special purposes
Abstract
"ITM Italia S.r.l"., a SME, founded in 1981, with 50 employees, develops, manufactures and sells high pressure washers and space heaters with an annual turn-over of 12 MEUR.
The industrial sector is: "Machinery for special purposes"(PRODCOM code: 2950).
Scope of this AE was to develop the electronic control in a new series of "Hot Water High Pressure Washers". The actual machine containing no electronics had to be improved technologically and the new product included process sensors in the machine and control electronics on a PCB. The FU expertise lies mainly in mechanical engineering and manufacturing technology. The main technical experience of ITM is in the fields of mechanics, including construction and thermal processes (burners).
The main fields of applications of such machines are for washing and hygienic cleaning in the food, transportation and construction industry and in agriculture, other than for hobby uses. Present with local agents in more than 50 countries, the export quote in 1998 reached 65% of the production and sales.
Through the electronic control, extra safety functionalities were added and the reliability of the machine increased with lower maintenance costs. More than cost reduction, improved functionality is the main issue in this AE. Thanks to this, the market position can be maintained and even improved through the sales increase.
Since special care had to be taken considering the environmental conditions in which such a machine works, the intrinsic safety part of the boiler control is realised using SMD technology and the SMD-board is covered with insulation material in order to be insensible to humidity and dust (IP65). This board is plugged on the main board inserted in an IP54 box.
It has to be noted that thanks to this solution it was possible to overcome the difficulties already faced in a previous experience with electronics which proved to be unsuccessful and then prevented the company from undertaking an innovation in electronic before this AE.
The AE lasted for 8 months (plus one month summer vacations), for a budget of 36 kEUR.
With the new electronic controlled machine an increase in 10% of the sales of the Mondial-series should be achieved. With the estimated price and costs, a payback of approx. 8.5 months is expected. Considering the medium product life of 3 years, a ROI of 645% is expected.
Company
ITM Italia s.r.l.
via Tasso 35/39
I-37010 Albaré di Costermano
Italy
Detailed information
You can also benefit from microelectronics

PCB, SMT technology provided ITM Italia s.r.l. with the means of improving its products and enhancing its market position. You can also achieve significant benefits by acquiring the right microelectronics technology and utilising it in your product or manufacturing process. You can get help from FUSE to realise this.

FUSE is a technology transfer programme, funded by the European Commission to stimulate the wider use of microelectronics technologies by European enterprises to increase their competitiveness and enhance their economic growth. The demonstrator described here is one of many examples in the public FUSE portfolio covering the whole spectrum of microelectronics technologies and spanning a wide range of applications and industry sectors.

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