New tekMATE™ Chemical Dispensing System – Available Now
- May 12, 2006 -

New this year, Ultimate Technology, Inc. (U-Tek) is rolling out the tekMATE™, a revolutionary chemical dispensing system bridging the patented, field-proven flow-meter technology and robust components of its predecessor, Accuchem, with modular component technology and feature-rich enhancements. 

The tekMATE™ features “hands-free” automatic backup, full-color, touch-screen displays with diagnostic imaging, new alarm warnings for error identification, and streamlined mechanical design for ease of service and maintenance. All this is balanced with an updated machine interface and new data retrieval and reporting package.

The engineering and design of the tekMATE™ comes from years of customer feedback for an all-inclusive system to work in today’s automated plant environment. With reliability, serviceability, dependability, built-in redundancy on major components, a user-friendly system, and a strong support program as characteristics of a design platform, U-Tek’s engineering group set to work. It was through extraordinary engineering efforts in design, functionality, performance, and operation that led to the birth of the tekMATE™.

Approaching the concept two years ago, one of U-Tek’s priorities was to create a quality product that would set a new standard in the industry. If the attempt was to set the standard, then there had to be a high value of ownership for the customer. U-Tek asked one simple question: Will the total benefit of the product outweigh the cost of operating the product? With such engineering efforts focused on quality and productivity, this question was handled with sensitivity. To help answer this question U-Tek looked to its customers. U-tek’s research defined characteristics of a chemical dispensing system most important to plant managers, plant engineers and chemical company service representatives. Their findings were incorporated in the design to provide proof of delivery, accuracy, ease of use and prevention of wash-floor downtime.

To make this happen, the engineers first focused on a way of moving from the industry standard of two chemical dispensing machines; one primary and one backup, to a single machine with redundancy. The tekMATE™ employs a single-frame chemical dispensing system with intuitive “hands-free,” fully automated backup capability. The tekMATE™ can deliver up to twelve chemicals to twelve washers, and allows eight chemical injections with up to four chemicals per injection. The system runs with an A and B side so that if a chemical injection gets interrupted during delivery, the system will perform an automatic backup sequence and complete the balance of the injection without having to be reset and redeliver the original programmed injection. All of this occurs without any downtime to the wash-floor, and with comprehensive chemical tracking, there are no repeat injections. The user also has the capability to force a manual backup to allow for service or repair of one side or the other of the redundant component parts. If the primary system goes into error, there is no need to lose production time setting up the redundant system.

It was after they had developed the concept of a redundant system that U-Tek set their sites on accuracy. The engineers worked diligently to create a system that delivered the correct amount of chemical. The delivery of chemical through the tekMATE™ is designed using specific algorithms to have accuracy per delivery that is uniform across all delivery ranges. “In repeated laboratory tests, the tekMATE™ system has produced outstanding results across the entire delivery range,” says Matthew Newman, Lead Engineer for U-Tek. “Testing results have shown the system to be repeatable and accurate to a 1/4 ounce on every delivery, from one ounce and up. This means no more guessing at the quantities required for delivery due to a variable percent error that is dependent on the quantity requested, with 500 ounces having much greater error than 5 ounces. Possibly the greatest benefit of the system is that you can count on your reports to accurately maintain inventory levels.”

The touch-screen contains a user-friendly menu and a single graphic display that allows for simple setup of on-line machines. A user can be self-taught using the full operations and training, menu-driven manual at the push of a button. There is no need for bulky systems manuals that are typically lost or misplaced. Through multiple diagnostic screens, all components can be manually operated for troubleshooting purposes through the touch-screen interface. “The tekMATE™ offers the ability on a service and maintenance level to manually override the mechanical and electrical flow of the system when diagnosing a problem,” says Tom Lovett, Senior Field–Service Engineer for U–Tek. “The plant manager, plant engineer or chemical company service technician will no longer have to deal with alpha–numerical diagnostic codes. The tekMATE™ offers well-defined error messages backed up with further troubleshooting libraries that can be accessed through the touch of a window drop-down screen. When it’s eleven o’clock at night who are you going to call? The system offers twenty-four hour self-service,” says Lovett. U–Tek also provides phone support, remote diagnostics and upgrades.

The signalMATE™ and dataMATE™ were designed to accompany the tekMate™. The signalMATE™ is U-Tek’s new washer interface control. It comes in two versions, junior and senior. Both versions take their power from the tekMATE™ PLC so no electrical service drops are needed. Both units optically isolate any washing machine voltage and convert it to 24 volts DC. That information is then communicated to the tekMATE™ using binary coding. The senior version however, offers a few more features than the junior. The senior version allows load weights to be entered and manual formulas to be run.

The dataMATE™ communications system is a complete data retrieval and report generation system to be used for capturing real-time wash-floor critical information to optimize wash-floor management. This software package interfaces with the tekMATE™ PLC and continually monitors the tekMATE™ activity. It is a robust database software package and can be customized to contain wash-floor machine description with user-defined graphics.

There are a multitude of reports that can be created through the report selection screen. Actual weight produced by machine, chemical usage by formula or machine, errors by error code, errors by machine and start and stop by formula are just a few examples. The dataMATE™ generates CSV (comma separated variable) files, so all report data can be downloaded to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet or other database software packages.

Chemical deliveries for the tekMATE™ can be programmed at the dataMATE™. The system allows up to 99 chemical formulas per group with a maximum of 99 groups (F class). This allows for simplified chemical formula management, and the formulas themselves can be created on-site or from a remote location.

To make all of this comfortable for the user, the dataMATE™ is visually appealing. For example, there are color-coded machine graphics for production and alarm conditions on the monitoring screen. On the Machine Status Screen you will find pictures of machines running on a specific tekMATE™. Changing color-coded graphics indicate the status of each washer running on a particular tekMATE. The dataMATE™ is able to manage six tekMATE™ units with twelve machines per tekMATE™. There is a picture of the machine with the codes green, yellow, red. Green means a formula is running, yellow means a machine is between loads and red indicates an alarm condition. A drop-down list beneath each graphic contains the last five significant events for that machine.

The modularity of the tekMATE™ lends itself to hassle-free preventative maintenance and repair without interruption to the wash-floor. It is designed for a user to be able to repair or replace any part on the machine within fifteen minutes at the most. With its open-frame and modular manifold design, a quick turn of a thumbscrew, and a few other parts, a repair or replacement can be made to an errant section of the manifold. The same holds true for the modular design of the Omron PLC with its quick disconnect sections. The machine diverter valves have full unions on all ports, and there are even quick change air solenoid valves

The tekMATE™ system provides efficient chemical distribution, wash floor management and improved inventory management. Its robust and modular design for ease of repair and maintenance, “hands-free,” fully-automated backup capabilities, touch-screen controls and its user-friendly customized reporting package add total value of ownership to any company’s wash-floor

“When the company was purchased in the summer of 2004, we knew that an investment in product development was necessary.” Says Richard Clark, President and Owner of Ultimate Technology, Inc. “Building on the company experience and patented process of the existing chemical dispensing equipment, we set out to develop the next generation of equipment. Our first job was to find the right talent and build the right team. Once this was achieved, we were on our way. The result is something that we are very proud of and ready to release into the industry. The tekMATE™ is the beginning of our story and we believe that this product will set the standard for our future development efforts.”

Please feel free to inquire with our staff to receive specific technical or performance information that may be critical to your specific needs. Ultimate Technology Inc. is at the ready to provide, product, service, and support.

We can be contacted by phone, fax, mail, or email attention John J. Letourneau.
Ultimate Technology, Inc. 30 Waverly Street Taunton, MA 02780
Phone: (508) 880-2400   Fax: (508) 880-2413
Email: Johnl@u-tekinc.com   Web Site: www.u-tekinc.com.