Case Study

Invertek Drives, a leading manufacturer of variable frequency drives (VFDs),and Sumitomo-Cyclo Indonesia is playing a key role in ensuring precise and reliable coffee roasters for PT Patmanunggal Reka Abadi (Pratter) in Indonesia.

Used in Pratter's range of premium "Pratter" branded roasters, the Optidrive E3 VFDs deliver accurate control of the gear motors, enabling consistent and high-quality coffee roasting across cafes, roasteries, and industrial settings.

The success of any coffee roast hinges on meticulous control of temperature and airflow.

VFDs step in to provide just that. By precisely controlling the speed of the gear motors powering the rotating bean drum, motor blower, and cooling agitator, they ensure each batch achieves the desired roast profile with consistency.

This creates exceptional drink quality, roast after roast, ensuring Pratter's reputation for excellence.

When testing and trialling the products in 2018 they had used another VFD manufacturer's drive. It was when SM-Cyclo worked with them, combining the Optidrive E3 with its Hyponic and Astero gear motors that they saw the benefits.

Each roastery includes two VFDs, a Hyponic gear motor and an Astero drive motor.

Their range boasts an array of models designed to meet diverse needs. At the heart of their operation lies the rotating bean drum, meticulously controlled by the VFD. This cast iron drum gently agitates the coffee beans as heat envelops them, coaxing out their unique flavours and aromas. The VFD ensures precise temperature control, preventing scorching and achieving the desired roast profile with unwavering consistency.

The motor blower accurately regulates airflow, ensuring even heat distribution and preventing unwanted hotspots. Meanwhile, the cooling agitator quenches the roasted beans, locking in their new flavours and preventing over-roasting. This intricate mix of heat, air, and cooling, controlled by the VFD, transforms green coffee beans into aromatic beans, ready to be brewed and enjoyed.

"The Optidrive E3 has been instrumental in streamlining our production process," said Indrawan Samuels of PT. Patmanunggal Reka Abadi. “The durability of the VFDs allows me to provide assurance of the performance stability of the Pratter products in every use.

"The user-friendly setup allows for quick integration and adjustment, ensuring our roasters are up and running efficiently. Importantly, the reliable performance and precise control have significantly elevated our brand image, showcasing our commitment to quality and consistency." 

"The user-friendly setup allows for quick integration and adjustment, ensuring our roasters are up and running efficiently. Importantly, the reliable performance and precise control have significantly elevated our brand image, showcasing our commitment to quality and consistency.

This powerful combination delivers exceptional energy efficiency, unmatched reliability, and unparalleled motor control, ideal for the demanding world of coffee roasting.

"The synergy between Invertek's innovative VFD technology and Sumitomo's high-performance gear motors creates an unbeatable solution for Pratter," explains Carwyn Jones, Asia Pacific Technical Sales Manager for Invertek. "Together, they provide the precise control and unwavering reliability needed for exceptional coffee experiences."

Bambang Suharyadi, of SM-Cyclo Indonesia, said: "The combination of drives and motors offers the perfect balance of power, precision, and efficiency. We are proud to play a part in Pratter's success story."

This collaboration holds even greater significance considering the context of Indonesia's coffee industry. As the world's fourth-largest coffee bean producer, Indonesia boasts a rich coffee culture and a rapidly growing speciality coffee market.

Pratter, with its commitment to quality and innovation, perfectly supports this growth.

The roasteries cater to coffee connoisseurs across various settings, from cafes to roasteries to industrial-scale coffee production.

The technical specifications of the Optidrive E3s used are 0.37kW, 1PH and 0.75kW, 1PH.