PROJECTS

The integral Timmerije-approach for the Technivorm Moccamaster
Amerongen - Technivorm-Moccamaster has for years specialised in the development and manufacturer of coffee machines. These coffee machines are mainly assembled by hand and individually tested. The quality of the Technivorm coffee-makers is, moreover, closely monitored and satisfies the stringent standards of the "Norwegian Coffee Brewing Centre" and the "Specialty Coffee Association of America and Europe", for example, with respect to coffee-making temperature and contact between water and coffee. Technivorm may use the quality certificates of both of these institutes and is, of course, especially proud of this.

With strict quality philosophy, extremely durable products and environmentally-aware production, Technivorm-koffiemachines now makes millions of tasty, aromatic and freshly-made cups of coffee all over the world. In cooperation with Timmerije, Technivorm developed a three-in-one device for grinding and/or dosing coffee. A beautiful example of the integral approach that Timmerije stands for.

With a few sandwiches and a cup of tea ...
Gerard Smit of Technivorm said that Technivorm and Timmerije have cooperated for a number of years. "We are certainly not strangers to each other", said Smit. "Yet there was another dimension with this new device; we cooperated - more than previously - from the very beginning to the end of the project. This was because we had at that moment a lack of drawing and construction capacity at Technivorm. I therefore spent a great many hours in the pre-production phase in front of the CAD/CAM monitors at Timmerije. I usually worked through lunch with a few sandwiches and a cup of tea. This partnership was very pleasurable and inspiring for me, and involved a desire to make the best imaginable product together".

Fully-functioning prototype
Mr Smit said that all the 2D and 3D drawings were made for approximately 13 components based on a fully-functioning hand model and (detailed) drawings. With stereo-lithographic models and flow simulations, one could also look directly at the final moulds. We could try out a lot virtually and assess the correctness. Mr Smit: "Would the grinding and dosing be as good as with the hand-made prototype? Can you hang up the device easily? Incidentally and for as far as the wall mounting is concerned, Timmerije suggested a better solution than we had first thought of. They thought with us across a wide front and extensively shared their knowledge with their customer. With the result that we can now offer a very special device in the market".

Versatile device
The Technivorm Moccamaster is a versatile device that grinds as well as doses. The grinding part and the dosing part are also available separately. The device can - as desired - grind coffee beans to the customary filter fine, which is frequently used in the Netherlands. But it is also possible to choose an espresso ground that satisfies the standards of the well-known Italian espresso brand Illy. For a delicious cup of coffee, the most important advantage of the beans is that, according to Mr Smit, there is no better place to store the aroma than in the coffee bean itself. This is why the ground coffee is passed directly into the dispenser without the ground coffee being exposed to the external air. In this way, the characteristic aroma of the coffee is best preserved.

Besides grinding, the Moccamaster also doses. Just as with the familiar measuring spoon, approximately 7 grams of coffee per cup of coffee is dispensed by the dispenser and from there it can be placed straight into a filter sack or espresso device. For people who would rather not grind the coffee themselves, the Moccamaster can also be supplied as a single dosing device. It replaces the customary coffee tin and measuring spoon in the kitchen cupboard with a handy dosing device on the wall.

Showcase for the future
For Timmerije, this Technivorm device is a "showcase for the future". An integrated
a-to-z approach, critical and challenging limiting conditions with respect to makability and satisfied customers. This is precisely the path that Timmerije has marked out for itself and which the company uses to distinguish itself from others.