Every now and then, a product or technology comes along that compels people to reconsider their traditional way of thinking. Watlow's revolutionary EZZONE ST integrated control loop architecture is doing just that by combining multiple control functions into one single package.
Traditionally, design engineers would have to specify and integrate up to six control products to achieve the functions that can now be accomplished with EZ-ZONE ST technology. The result is improved reliability, a smaller footprint, easier installation, reduced terminations and troubleshooting and simplified initial specification.
"There are a significant amount of tangible benefits, but perhaps the most important benefit is the peace of mind that comes with the reliability and simplification of the control loop process," explains product marketing manager Don Commare. "This is an important evolutionary step that will change the face of control panels and the future of temperature/power controllers."
EZ-ZONE ST is the first product design to combine a PID temperature controller, solid state power controller, properly sized heatsink, over/under temperature safety limit, definite purpose mechanical contractor/disconnect, current measurement and digital communications into one complete and professionally engineered package. For increased usability, an intelligent remote user interface can also be incorporated with the product.
"No more crowded, messy and cumbersome control panels. No more components that lack status information. No more dealings with multiple suppliers for various discrete components," Commare says. "EZ-ZONE ST just made the specifiers' and users' life a whole lot simpler because the controller package decreases design and assembly time, minimizes system complexity and best of all, lowers total cost of ownership."
The EZ-ZONE ST is modular and scalable, allowing the user to pay only for what is needed, which helps achieve a lower cost of ownership. EZ-ZONE ST can be stacked into multiple configurations, giving the flexibility to standardize on the product's platform to solve a wide range of application needs. With scalability, you do not have to settle for under or over specifying what is required to do the job in the application. Watlow's applications engineering team can help customers determine the appropriate configurations for their needs.
In the typical architecture of one zone of temperature control, there may be up to six discrete components, creating numerous termination points necessary to wire together, not to mention space and time to mount all of the discrete components. With the new architecture of Watlow's EZ-ZONE ST integrated control loop, only one component is required. The product decreases installation time and troubleshooting and increases reliability because it is already professionally designed and tested and uses fewer wired terminations.
EZ-ZONE ST offers many other benefits including:
Elimination of the trial-and-error design approach; Time savings and reduced design workload enabling customers to focus on other things; Virtually no training needed; A reduction in component count, inventory and leadtime management as compared to using multiple discrete components; Faster time to market; System level diagnostics results in reduced maintenance and service costs; Reduced downtime resulting in higher yield, throughput and cycle counts; Ease of purchasing, service, support and installation; Fewer suppliers for the multiple components previously required.
The primary industries that will be impacted by EZ-ZONE ST include plastics processing, packaging, environmental chambers, rubber processing, semiconductor, chillers and general equipment. Customer segments include panel builders, distributors, original equipment manufacturers and design engineers.
"EZ-ZONE ST is a better solution," Commare says. "It's a more reliable product at a competitive price. I encourage manufacturers, distributors and customers to learn more and be at the front-end of this technological development."
The EZ-ZONE platform is available now. More information can be found at www.watlow.com/ EZ-ZONE or by calling 1-800-WATLOW2.
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