The Technology – Part One – The IM11 Controller
Written By: Asa Cheetham, National Business Manager
2nd September 2024
I previously wrote & explained about my introduction to the Imesa Range of Equipment, the history, and the people. I touched on their engineering background and how everything is typically over engineered and built to a very high standard. The thing I have yet to touch on is the technology that is an integral part of the machines Imesa make. For ease of reading (and writing) I will split this over two parts as there is quite a lot of information to absorb and understand. I will focus on the washing machines in this piece as they occupy the largest part of the range of products and have the latest generation of technology within them. At the heart of the range of washing machines is the IM11 Controller unit, which provides the machines with their functionality. The IM11 Controller works in tandem with the Imesa Portal and these together give the machines their advanced functionality.
When a new Imesa washing machine is sold, the serial number and machine details are put on the Imesa Portal, allowing full visibility of the machine, it’s programmes and activities.
Imesa IM11 Washer Control Panel.
As you will see from the picture above, you have a 7’ inch touch screen on the machine displaying either 3, 4 or 6 programmes depending on your preference.
You have the ability to add, edit or change these programmes on this screen to suit your needs. Now, this is where things start to get more interesting, each Imesa Washing Machine is Wi-Fi enabled out of box, it’s just needs to connect to your network when its being installed.
So, what’s the benefit of that? Once the machine is sat on a Network, it will talk to the Imesa Portal feeding back it’s operating data and what programmes is has run and more importantly, you can talk to it.
For example, you have your newly installed machine, and you get an error on the screen, and operative or engineer can log into the portal remotely and view the machine and see what has gone wrong. Is it a fill error, does the fill time need extending? Is it a spin error due to overloading, so the customer needs to be advised. Is it a wash quality problem, do the dosing levels need to be tweaked, does it need de-stainer in the prewash? All of these things can be done remotely. You want another programme added or a current programmed needs an additional rinse adding, again these things can be done remotely with out an engineer needing to travel to the machines location to work on it saving masses of time. If the cost for utilities and chemicals are added on set up, running costs can be provided at any point based on the figures that have been put in. Number of loads can be views by day, week, and month as well as the programmes used to ensure best practice and compliancy.
This is something that needs to be seen & experienced, particularly how the machine and portal work in unison together. I will talk about the Web Portal in my next piece and expand on how it works with the machine.
Thanks for Reading,
Asa Cheetham
Contact Your Nearest Dealer
Do you want to know more about Imesa UK
or our products?