GRINDING ADJUSTMENT

As we have described in our previous article, the grinding, done by the grinders, is a fundamental step in order to obtain an excellent result in the cup.

In addition to the type of burrs, conical or flat, another element to take into consideration is certainly the grinding adjustment, which is carried out by the burrs.

1.What is the grinding adjustment and how is it done?

The coffee beans inside the hopper are not all the same and, as a result, may react differently to the cut that the burrs make during the grinding process.

Each grinder or coffee group is equipped with two burrs (flat or conical) that cut the coffee beans into powder: the closer the grinders are, the smaller the size of the ground coffee particles is.

The finer the particles are, the more they can be compressed, making it more difficult for water to pass through and slowing down the extraction time of the espresso. Conversely, if the burrs are moved away from each other, the grind becomes coarser and these larger particles, once pressed, will remain further apart; this results in a faster passage of water through them, which in turn will speed up the extraction of the espresso.

In the ho.re.ca and vending machine sector, it is necessary to discern between classic professional coffee machines for bars and those that are not.

The former usually have an external grinder-doser that allows the barista to adjust the grind as desired and, for the more experienced professionals, easily and quickly.

The latter usually have the grinder, as part of the coffee group, inside the machine and different methods, depending on the manufacturer, for adjusting the grinding.

There are no fixed rules, and everyone must try to find the best adjustment that guarantees an excellent result in the cup, starting from the customers’ needs which depend on the country where they live. 

2.Time and volumetric grinding control

Within the whole range of our vending machines, we have chosen to have both the same coffee group and the same grinder with conical grinders and the customer can choose between two main grinding settings, the time and the volumetric one.

Let's see them in detail: 

Time Grinding: allows you to set a precise time within which the coffee is ground, after which it moves on to the next step of coffee extraction.

Time grinding is less precise than volumetric grinding because it is influenced by several factors including  the degree of wear of the grinders and the size of the coffee beans. During our  more than twenty years' experience, we have seen this type of grinding used mainly by customers outside Italy who prefer the quantity of coffee to the quality of the result in the cup. 

Volumetric grinding: in this case you set the weight of coffee (e.g. 7-8 g) to be grinded. Regardless of the size of the coffee beans, the amount of coffee ground will always be as set. 

Volumetric grinding is therefore more precise and is mostly used in countries where, like Italy, the taste and quality of the coffee in the cup is very important.

However, volumetric grinding is also influenced by the condition of the grinders and the quality of the raw material, the coffee. 

There is no 'right or wrong grind', it all depends on the consumer's needs and expectations.

We will now briefly explain how the grinding adjustment is carried out in our coffee group.

3.Grinding adjustment in the Flymax coffee group

Already in its early years in 1996, Flymax developed, created and produced its own coffee group, which, even today after 25 years, is still very popular with customers. 

Flymax has chosen for the manual grinding adjustment in its coffee group, trying, over the years, to make this procedure easier and easier for the customer.

(for more information on this:  https://www.flymax.com/en/news/grinder-manual-adjustment-19)

Always in order to meet the needs of its customers, in some new models of vending machines, Flymax has decided to insert the electronic grinding adjustment: you can easily adjust the grinding directly by the machine touch screen without opening the door to turn the handle.

Customers have found this system very efficient and effective from a maintenance and service point of view.

If you need more information, please do not hesitate to contact us !