One of the more interesting developments in the beverage market recently has been Molins Technologies' new 'Cafusa' coffee bag machine, which brings the same convenience and quality to coffee as teabags do for tea. Essentially, the machine assembles and fills coffee sachets that can be used to make a cup of freshly ground coffee in almost the same time as it takes to make instant coffee.
The sachet, containing around 40 ground coffee beans, takes the form of a double-chamber filter with external tags that keep it in position within the cup. The Cafusa machine's main drive is provided by a Lenze 2.2kW GKS06 helical bevel geared motor. Selected from Lenze's G-Motion range of geared motors, the GKS06 delivers torque some 20% greater than that of previous models - all from an extremely compact frame.
In addition to its high power/volume ratio, the unit's modular construction helped Molins to fit the drive to the machine, rather than the other way round! Moreover, choosing a particular motor/gearbox configuration had no adverse effect on the delivery time. Thanks to their modularity, G-Motion drives are available on a fast delivery basis, whatever their configuration.
Other advantages offered by the Lenze units include high efficiency and quiet operation. Thanks to its helical bevel gearbox, the mechanical efficiency is in the region of 95%, which translates directly into lower power consumption and cooler running - factors that contribute towards the unit's 16,000 hour life (about two years application in an intensive production environment).
And with an operating noise level below 50dBA, the GKS06 can be considered 'silent' in engineering terms. The new ground coffee sachets are currently available from all Sainsbury's supermarkets in the 'Premium Blend' own-brand range.