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Nico Moede (Project Development Manager) alongside the Neptune 1000
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The Neptune 1000 incorporates the latest technologies in an environmentally sustainable way
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Modern advances in UX grant complete control of every step of the roasting process—meaning roasters get more out of their beans.
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Marco Petry (ASM Germany)
Probat’s Latest Coffee Roaster Robust Offering: Introducing The Neptune 1000
Coming mid-May is the latest addition to Probat’s Neptune drum roaster series. The Neptune 1000 fills a gap in the market that small to medium-sized roasters have been waiting for. STiR sat down with project development manager, Nico Moede, and Marco Petry, Area Sales Manager Germany to hear all about it. “Our customers were looking for a roaster like this,” said Nico, “The previous model had a 500kg/h capacity and the one above it was 1,500kg/h or 3,000kg/h.” He explained that it was too big of a step up for small roasters looking to expand. Probat knew a more measured approach would be required.
They put their heads together and came up with the Neptune 1000—aptly named after its 1,000kg/h roasting capacity. But it’s a lot more than just a bigger coffee roaster. The Neptune 1000 might look familiar on the outside but under the hood are a slew of technological updates.
Up next: Nico and Marco spill the beans.
Build Your Own Neptune 1000, With Modular Design
Marco explained to STiR that the NEPTUNE 1000 has a modular design system. That means customers purchase a base model with optional features for your specific roasting needs.
Coffee roasters worried about air purification might purchase the base model with the PROFORTE module. The PROFORTE system is a regenerative thermal oxidation system that’s by far the most efficient air purification system that Probat offers.
Neptune 1000 also has an optional recirculation system. That means part of the (now cleaned) exhaust air is sent back into the system. This helps the roasters save energy. And that’s a key concern for roasters looking to cut down on operating expenses.
Neptune 1000 was designed so that the engine sits on the top of the cooling sieve. Which makes the sieve much easier to clean because a motor is no longer in the way. And, from a practical point of view, the engine can be easily switched out for cleaning purposes replaced should it come to the end of its natural life span.
The internal and external parts of the machine were designed to be easily accessible to clean. That makes it more hygienic—a concern for anyone in the coffee roasting business, but it also means that there’s less downtime.
Clean machines run more efficiently. And machines designed for easy access require less downtime—it’s far easier to open up and clean internal mechanisms. This is vital for any business where energy and running costs are at a premium.
The Neptune 1000 has flexibility built-in from a design, control, and roasting point of view. Most normal roasts last between 8 and 20 minutes. The Neptune 1000 has an extended roast time (6 to 20 minutes) which allows roasters to impart different aroma profiles in their beans. The batch size range has also been increased from 110kg to 220kg. But a coffee roaster is only as good as its control system. This is where Probat shines with the PILOT 2020 control solution.
The PILOT 2020 is controlled by a web application allowing roasters total control over every conceivable aspect of the Neptune 1000’s roasting process. It’s optimized for touch screen and has a long list of features:
- Near unlimited range of recipes for roasting
- Control over every aspect of the roasting system
- Energy management system uses battery buffers to reduce downtime
- Real-time visual representation of OS status so you can see at a glance what’s going on with the machine, and what’s wrong in case of emergency
The Neptune 1000 is a powerful machine that fills a gap in the market. It will be launched digitally on May 18th. You can check it out on Probat’s YouTube, Facebook, and Linkedin.