The water taps from Akvatur in Silkeborg, Denmark, hide their true power underneath the kitchen sink: A hidden boiler securing access to boiling water at all times. In addition to boiling water the Akvatur taps also provide ice water together with regular hot and cold water. A sophisticated temperature controller developed by EKTOS ensures – among other things – that the boiling water is heated silently, without the rumbling produced by e.g. a conventional kettle.
– The collaboration between Akvatur and EKTOS is unique in so far as we, on top of developing the control electronics, also have been given the responsibility for testing, certification, and manufacture of them, says EKTOS CEO Jesper Holst.
“Our collaboration is unique in so far as we, on top of developing the control electronics, have been given the responsibility for testing, certification, and manufacture also”. Jesper Holst, EKTOS
– We developed the first version of the control unit about three years ago and are now working on a new version. And again Akvatur has trusted us with responsibility for the whole chain of delivery, from the initial design all the way to the final product. Furthermore we are taking care of a hassle-free transition in production from version 1 to version 2.
Bent Iversen, CEO of Akvatur, elaborates:
– Akvatur does not have the in-house electronics know-how to develop this kind of control unit. So right from the start we decided to trust EKTOS with that responsibility. And it has worked very professionally. The EKTOS people keep the promises they make, both when it comes to the technology and when it comes to meeting the deadlines we agree on. Especially in the beginning of the project we had a very tight deadline: The first 100 units, together with all test documentation, had to be ready two months after signing the contract. That was quite a challenge, but we made it.
“Delivery has been on-time, the control unit is working as expected – everything has been handled super professionally”.
Bent Iversen, Akvatur
According to Jesper Holst from EKTOS it has been especially beneficial that the EKTOS production team was closely involved in the design of the control unit. Consequently they knew everything about the requirements the control unit had to meet. That is why EKTOS was able to make an efficient transition from design to manufacture, together with a fast production process in the EKTOS prototype factory in Western Ukraine.
Akvatur and EKTOS are now collaborating on designing version 2 of the water tap. According to Bent Iversen, the new tap will have the same functionality as its predecessor with the ability to deliver both boiling water and ice water. But the design of the boiler underneath the kitchen sink will be new.
– We are replacing the polystyrene shell of the current model with a shell in solid material. Furthermore we are changing the boiler so the electronics controlling water temperature, water level and safety no longer is placed on the outside but inside the boiler.
Akvatur expects to launch the new version of its boiling water tap by the end of 2018.
Silkeborg-virksomheden Akvaturs vandhaner gemmer på en hemmelighed under køkkenvasken: En skjult varmtvandsbeholder, der sikrer konstant adgang til kogende vand. Ud over det kogende vand leverer armaturet isvand samt almindeligt koldt og varmt vand. En avanceret temperaturstyring, udviklet af EKTOS, sørger bl.a. for, at det kogende vand opvarmes lydløst, uden den buldren man kender fra f.eks. en konventionel elkedel.
– Det unikke i samarbejdet mellem Akvatur og EKTOS er, at vi ud over udvikling af selve styringen også har ansvar for test, godkendelse og produktion af den, forklarer Jesper Holst, direktør i EKTOS.
– Vi udviklede første version af styringen for omkring tre år siden og arbejder nu på version 2. Her har Akvatur igen givet os ansvaret for hele leverance-kæden, fra udvikling og hele vejen frem til produktion. Desuden sørger vi for en problemfri overgang i produktionen fra den nuværende version til version 2.
”Tiden har passet, det virker, det varmer – det er super professionelt.” Bent Iversen, Akvatur
Direktør i Akvatur, Bent Iversen, uddyber:
– I Akvatur har vi ikke de nødvendige elektronik-kompetencer inhouse, så vi besluttede helt fra start, at EKTOS skulle stå for den del af udviklingen. Og det fungerer super professionelt. EKTOS holder hvad de lover, både når det gælder det tekniske og når det gælder de deadlines vi aftaler. Især i begyndelsen havde vi en meget kort tidshorisont: De første 100 eksemplarer med al tillhørende testdokumentation skulle ligge klar to måneder efter kontrakten var underskrevet. Det var en udfordring, men det lykkedes.
Ifølge Jesper Holst fra EKTOS har det været særlig fordelagtigt for produktionsforløbet, at EKTOS’ produktionsteam har været involveret i udviklingen af styringen. Det betød, at de vidste alt om, hvilke krav, styringen skulle leve op til. Derfor kunne der laves en særlig effektiv overlevering fra udvikling til produktion og et særlig effektivt produktionsforløb i EKTOS’ prototypefabrik i Vestukraine.
“Det unikke i vores samarbejde er, at vi ud over udvikling af styringen også har ansvar for test, godkendelse og produktion.” Jesper Holst, EKTOS
Akvatur og EKTOS samarbejder nu om udviklingen af version 2 af armaturet. Det nye armaturs funktioner vil ifølge Bent Iversen være uændrede: der vil fortsat være både kogende vand og isvand i hanen. Men selve konstruktionen af beholderen under køkkenvasken er ny:
– Vi erstatter den nuværende models bløde skal af flamingo med en skal i et fast materiale. Desuden ændrer vi beholderen, så elektronikken, der styrer bl.a. det kogende vand, vandstanden og sikkerheden, ikke længere sidder udenpå men indeni beholderen.
Akvatur forventer at lancere den nye version af sit avancerede køkkenarmatur ved udgangen af 2018.
