THE CREATION OF THE TIMEMORE SCULPTOR 078 ELECTRIC GRINDER

1. WHY DOES TIMEMORE MANUFACTURE ELECTRIC COFFEE GRINDERS?
Most people think that Timemore – a unit that only produces manual brewing equipment – will only focus on hand-held coffee grinders. But in the last months of 2022, many people were surprised to see that we suddenly launched a commercial version of an electric blender.

Actually, this did not suddenly come by itself! In 2018, when the Timemore G1 hand grinder was launched with a new design, many coffee lovers around the world asked us: “When will Timemore produce a grinder?” electricity?”. That question makes us wonder, is using electricity the final destination of high-quality coffee grinders?

2018, we can all still travel around the world without having to wear masks. At that time, Timemore revealed the first design of the Sculptor electric blender at several sharing sessions in Thailand, Shanghai, Australia, America… Luckily, everyone was very appreciative, making us really look forward to it. on the date of release of this product.

Timemore’s goal is to design an electric blender with a simple and sophisticated design but not lacking in professionalism so that it can be placed in a coffee shop at home. Professional but home-use sounds a bit contradictory. But the professionalism that Timemore aims for is not in terms of industrialization but in terms of expertise in manual coffee making methods.

2. DIFFICULTIES IN THE ELECTRIC GRINDER DESIGN PROJECT
2.1 DESIGNING A BLADE FOR AN ELECTRIC GRINDER IS REALLY A DIFFICULT PROBLEM

We are very familiar with conical blades on hand blenders. But for electric blenders, Timemore expects the grinding disc to have unique characteristics that are different from other electric blenders on the market.

There are many ideas, but the problem is that they cannot be quantified and verified before implementation. Therefore, the design of grinding discs has at times almost reached a dead end. It’s clear that Timemore’s design team lacks a lot of experience!

2020, fortunately we have approached and established a professional blade development team. Timemore named the team GrindingLabs – Engineers created a completely new blade structure:

Let us explain a bit: The principle of the flat grinding disc is that the coffee beans enter in the middle and are gradually chopped as they go out. Theoretically, the larger the diameter of the grinding disc, the more evenly distributed and uniformly sized the coffee powder will be. But it is clear that the diameter of the grinding disc cannot be unreasonably large. So how can the grinding process go smoothly in a grinding disc with a limited diameter without the coffee being pushed and crowded on the outer edge of the grinding disc and then crushed over and over again?

Our engineers finally did it! They call it “Swirling Knife”. It combines the characteristics of a flat grinding disc and cutting teeth: The inner side is a flat knife that breaks down the coffee beans gradually while the outer teeth quickly cut the coffee pieces into small particles and discharge at high speed through the drain before the powders are forced together, causing unnecessary further grinding. This combination will help preserve coffee powder size uniformity because they are ground as little as possible before exiting the grinding disc.

Thanks to the above factors, we have a set of grinding discs that create extremely uniform particle size distribution with very little fine powder. Uniform size is the most intuitive factor in achieving consistent extraction and cleanliness in coffee flavor. A pair of SU440 steel grinding discs with a diameter of 78mm is the heart of this Sculptor grinder.

2.2 THE PROBLEM OF POWDER RESIUDALS IN THE GRINDER NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY SOLVED

100% of current electric grinders always have a certain amount of powder remaining in the hopper after the grinding process. If left untreated, powder will accumulate at the outlet. If it’s a hand blender, just pat it gently and the powder will fall out. But the electric grinder cannot be lifted up to pat. No one wants to drink a cup of coffee that retains its old aroma from the powder from the previous grind. This is a vital issue that must be resolved for an electric grinder that prioritizes discovering the original flavor of coffee.

The powder drainage holes of industrial grinding discs are usually quite large, but for a small blender, large drainage holes are not suitable. Some blenders design an external percussion device to create vibration to get the remaining powder in the blender. But it’s not really effective. We have even completed a removable device called Fenk that attaches to the blender to clean it. But in the end, the plan to mass produce this device had to be stopped because its effectiveness did not meet the strict requirements of powder deposition below 0.2g.

Just rotate 2 to 3 times, the vibrating spring will push the powder out, leaving only about 0.2g of coffee left in this grinder – which is extremely insignificant compared to most grinders. electricity available on the market (usually stops at 0.5g)

2.3 PROBLEMS ABOUT THE MOTOR IN THE TIMEMORE SCULPTOR 078 GRINDER
A good engine is the simplest problem when designing a Sculptor, because it can be solved with money!

If you want a durable, stable and adjustable speed motor, there are many available on the market. We chose a brushless motor with a speed inverter. Actually, this type of engine is quite expensive!

Meanwhile, DC brushless motors are more popular in today’s grinders. They have carbon brushes that come into contact with the motor during rotation, so there will be some wear and tear. Brushless motors will not have this abrasive contact, leading to a natural lifespan and greater stability. That’s why they are also often used in high-end products.

We integrate a circuit board with automatic adjustment function through PID algorithm. It can make the motor reach the desired speed quickly and stably. Changes take place almost instantly according to the inverter knob on the back of the blender. Machine speed setting can be freely adjusted from 800 to 1400 rpm. Different rotation speeds will create subtle changes in coffee flavor.

Coffee ground at a low speed will have a clean flavor when brewed, while grinding at a high speed will have a layered, complex flavor. This can be explained from the different powder uniformity ratio between grinding speeds leading to different extractions. It can even be seen clearly with the naked eye if you compare the grinding speed between 800RPM and 1400RPM. We will let users test and experience this for themselves.

2.4 DESIGN IS ALSO DIFFICULT – BUT WE OVERCOMED TOGETHER
We continuously tested and optimized the design throughout the life of the electric grinder project. The body ranges from plastic to completely cast in aluminum alloy. The coffee bean compartment ranges from transparent to black Tritan plastic that matches the machine. The dial ranges from small to covering the entire front of the machine… There are no screws or protrusions on the blender body. Even if you are a repairman, it will take quite a while to find a way to open the device. We believe you will feel the research and sincere effort that went into the design of this machine.

What surprised us was that at the time of releasing the device to the market in 2022, someone thought we were “copying the look and feel of a certain brand”. Timemore’s design patent filed in March 2019 is well documented. At that time, there was no information about a similar grinder available on the world market. In fact, the design process of this machine is completely independent and we have great respect for international manufacturers. The similarities may come from the similarities in the design philosophies of each side.

No matter what happens, I always have faith that our design ability and sincerity will make all coffee lovers acknowledge the true quality that this electric grinder brings.

2.5 IT’S VERY DIFFICULT TO CHOOSE AN EXTREME STYLE OR COMPROMISE WITH MEDIUMLISM
When the Sculptor grinder was released, many people asked us if it could grind coffee for espresso?

Oh my god, right when we decided to design this machine we were struggling with whether we should make it grind coffee for espresso or simply for manual brewers. The demand for espresso grinders in the market is huge and if we can get this machine to meet that demand it means our sales will be higher.

However, what is missing in the current professional coffee grinder market is the absolute pursuit of a certain style. If our grinder was compatible with every brewing method it would be trivial. We decided to go to the extreme and focus on craft coffee. Best of all, it will be perfectly compatible with Timemore’s strategic product ecosystem and help us stand strong in our position.

There are also units specializing in the production of grinding discs that have proposed to cooperate to create a set of Espresso discs specifically for Sculptor. I firmly believe that in time, there will be more great solutions to make this a reality. But at the present time, we cannot say anything in advance. Let’s just focus on the main goal Sculptor is aiming for.

Personally, I think the Sculptor electric grinder is suitable for coffee shops that aim for manual brewing methods

3. THE REASON THE NAME SCULPTOR WAS BORN
Sculptor – Sculptor: It shows our respectful attitude towards each coffee bean.
Coffee has gone through a long process to reach the drinker. This grinder meticulously carves each coffee bean so you can discover each rich flavor note hidden within the way you want! I must emphasize again: You can explore exactly the way you want based on the ability to customize the size and grinding speed that Sculptor offers.

4. WHO WILL LOVE THE TIMEMORE SCULPTOR ELECTRIC GRINDER?

During the comparison test with other high-end coffee grinders. We found that the uniformity and low fine powder ratio helps the coffee to be able to extract more original flavors, without negative flavors appearing. This helps improve product stability, which is what every coffee shop is aiming for.

 

After that, Sculptor is suitable for advanced coffee players who pursue exploring every deepest corner of coffee. The intense focus on one type of brewing method makes it possible for players to have a wide variety of experiments. For example: Try brewing filter coffee at a very fine level for the entire dough. Or mix different ratios of powder fineness to uncover hidden layers of flavor in coffee.

Overall, the Sculptor is a coffee grinder with a beautiful design and high build quality. It even has a bit of a technology product feel to it.We hope that these narratives will contribute to a relatively satisfactory answer for those who love and support Timemore products. It may not be perfect, but we will continue to try to have more worthy products for coffee lovers.

Ps: Sculptor 078 has been born, its younger siblings 064, 064S, 078S are also in the process of completing the design!