The Requirement
Our client supplies temperature monitoring units for refrigerated vehicles. These compact devices log temperature readings at regular intervals throughout a journey, recording both the temperature and the corresponding time.
Whether transporting perishable food, medical vaccines, or cut flowers, these devices provide:
- Peace of mind that goods have arrived in perfect condition.
- Regulatory compliance, meeting legal standards for temperature-controlled transport.
The Challenges
Beyond data logging, users needed a way to prove that goods were maintained at the correct temperature throughout the journey. A printed record was deemed the most practical solution, requiring the integration of a thermal printer mechanism within the compact temperature monitor.
Additionally, when combined with vehicle telematics, the system needed to provide real-time insight into vehicle performance and journey conditions, helping fleet operators optimise logistics and resource management.
The Design and Solution
The temperature monitor is vehicle-mounted and comparable in size to a car radio. Integrating a printing function into this small housing required a highly compact thermal printer.
- Printer Mechanism: The client selected Seiko Instruments’ LTP02, originally designed for EFTPOS card-payment machines and already widely used in the banking sector.
- Control Chip Integration: By using Seiko’s Printer Control Chip, the client minimised design complexity and efficiently fit the printer and circuitry within the limited space, all while keeping costs within target.
This combination enabled the device to provide built-in printing functionality without increasing its footprint or compromising performance.
The Result
- High Production Volumes: From the outset, anticipated sales volumes were high, allowing the client to reduce component costs and amortise design expenses across a large number of units.
- Global Deployment: Following certifications and approvals, the new temperature monitors are now deployed by refrigerated transport fleets worldwide, achieving tens of thousands of units sold.
- Compact, User-Friendly Solution: Integrating the thermal printer eliminates the need for a separate plug-in device, simplifying operation for end users.
- Long-Term Reliability: Seiko Instruments’ thermal printers are known for extended product lifetimes, often spanning decades, ensuring the client can rely on the same printer mechanism for years to come.
The result is a highly reliable, compact, and user-friendly temperature monitoring system with integrated printing, providing fleets and customers with confidence in the integrity of their temperature-sensitive goods.
We like to make life easier ….
Our technical & commercial team members will always provide you with valuable but impartial advice around the products and services that BVM supplies. With their collective backgrounds, they’ll provide you with the benefit of their knowledge and experiences when & where you need it. We’ll always help you in the first instance and get back to you when additional information is required.
You can 📞 Call us on +(0) 1489 780 144 and talk to one of the team or 📧 E-mail us at sales@bvmltd.co.uk