At Elan, we solve complex problems with smart technical solutions, it's what we do best. We go beyond developing appliance control solutions, we help you overcome the challenges that stand in your way. Whether you’re dealing with rising costs, unsupported controls, a mess of wiring, supply chain issues, service inefficiencies, shifting customer demands, or a look that just doesn’t sit well with how you see yourself in the marketplace, we partner with you to find smart, effective answers
What’s slowing you down? What do your customers need? How can we help you grow? We listen first, then collaborate to develop the right solution, and follow through to make it happen.
Sometimes the problem hasn’t been named yet. But when we spot an opportunity to improve, we act. Explore the examples below to see how we’ve helped other companies overcome obstacles and drive progress.
Bulb and capillary thermostats have been the industry’s standby for decades—but “longstanding” doesn’t always mean “long-lasting.” Their limitations are well-known to those who work with them every day, and they create ongoing challenges for OEMs in both design and performance.
Short Lifespan
Mechanical wear is their Achilles’ heel. Over time, metal fatigue leads to inaccuracy—and eventually failure. Many are rated for just 200,000 cycles. Our electronic thermostat? We ran it to 1.5 million cycles and stopped only because we needed our temperature chamber back. The point was made.
Inconsistent Performance
Bulb & cap units often require tedious calibration during manufacturing—and even then, two identical products can behave differently in the field. Where the unit is installed, how it’s handled, and even the surrounding environment all add variables.
One-Size-Fits-One
Each mechanical unit is built for a single temperature range and calibrated to a single point. That means OEMs must stock multiple—sometimes dozens—of different thermostats just to cover their product line. The eSTAT10i can replace multiple SKU’s, temperature range, variable offsets, even the desired accuracy.
Fragile by Design
That slender sensing tube might look harmless, but it’s easily damaged in transit, during assembly, or out in the field. Nick it or bend it the wrong way, and the only “repair” is full replacement. The eSTAT10i uses a reliable, accurate RTD. Damage it? Simply unplug it and replace it, without need of fishing a long capillary tube through an appliance back panel.
Design Limitations
The physical tube can limit appliance design. Positioning a thermostat and knob far from the sensing point can be tricky—and may require adding yet another SKU just to make it work. The eSTAT10i can accommodate whatever the designer desires. Thermostat in a panel, temperature probe in a tilting kettle? No problem.
Temperature Offsets Gone Wrong
Because bulb & cap probes can’t sit where the food is, every installation needs a temperature offset. But offsets don’t stay fixed—they change with both setpoint and location. A 10°F offset at 350°F might become 15°F or 20°F at 500°F. Since mechanical thermostats can only be calibrated at one point, accuracy—and cooking results—will be spot-on at that one temperature only. Anywhere else (or at higher elevations), customers won’t get the same performance. The eSTAT10i operates to the exact temperature offset curve you determine for your equipment. We even provide you our WatchVariables™ software to make your job easier.
At Elan, we’ve studied these pain points in depth and designed technology that solves them—delivering accuracy, durability, and flexibility mechanical systems simply can’t match.
You’ve got a solid product. Looks good, performs well — but under the surface? It’s a bit of a patchwork. One thermostat from this supplier, a temperature gauge from that one, a timer thrown into the mix. It all works… until it doesn’t.
The more parts you bring in, the more chances there are for something to go sideways — during assembly, during shipping, or once it’s out in the field. And when it does? The customer doesn’t care which part failed. They see your name on the equipment. Your reputation takes the hit.
Why overcomplicate things when there’s a better way?
Fewer parts. Fewer problems. More reasons your customers trust your equipment — powered by Elan.
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The Challenge:
Off-the-shelf PLCs are great, if you’re building one-off machines with constantly changing specs. They’re flexible and widely supported. But when you stick with them as your production volume grows, challenges creep in:
• More I/O than you need (and more cost).
• Bulky components that eat up panel space.
• Clunky, dated graphics that don’t reflect your brand.
• Complex wiring that adds cost and complexity
The Solution:
A custom control and UI from Elan.
When your machine design stabilizes, even at volumes under 500 units per year, a custom solution can save you money, simplify production, improve serviceability, and elevate the user experience.
Elan has millions of custom controls in the field, across industries. Chances are, your “new” control is just a smart evolution of something we’ve already developed. That means faster timelines, lower development costs, and a smoother process.
We don’t just design and ship, we partner. We walk your line, talk to your teams, and shape a solution with the right I/O, interface, and field-ready features. Your control will look great, work beautifully, and be a whole lot easier to install and support.
Bottom line: It’ll thrill your customers, scare your competitors, and cost you less.
Let’s talk. We’d love to see if your application is a fit for a custom Elan solution.
WatchVariables is a software development tool that helps engineers optimize appliance operating parameters. Included for free with every development program, engineers can plug into WatchVariables to quickly analyze performance, program functionality and adjust functional parameters of appliances in real time. Do you need data on heating curves, motor speeds, or temperature cycling? WatchVariables can deliver operational details and a whole lot more.
With WatchVariables, you can speed up your software development, feature testing, and code validation. See exactly what the control is doing. Use data to make modifications and launch new models. The log file is perfect for troubleshooting and makes testing and optimization a breeze.
Engineers tell us they love WatchVariables, and we think you will too.
Based on our already popular WatchVariables technology, our system scanning technology can monitor your customer’s appliances for anomalies. This lightweight but powerful technology can quickly diagnose problems and notify the consumer and service team that service is required.
With our monitoring software, there’s no more mystery. Service technicians can review the data, know what is wrong in advance, bring the right parts, and fix the problem immediately. The disruption and inconvenience of multiple service calls will be a thing of the past.
Your customers will enjoy having their appliance back online with minimal disruption and they will be impressed with their service experience.
Interested? Give us a call, and we’ll provide you with all the details.
