Appliance Design - September 2007 - (Page 33) COMMERCIAL APPLIANCES with troubleshooting. Because of the growing importance of network-capable equipment, the commercial appliances industry has developed many proprietary systems such as the UniLinc system. In an effort to standardize protocols, the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) developed its own protocol. Charlie Souhrada, director of member services for NAFEM, says the association’s protocol, first developed in 2003, is an open protocol communication that allows for communication to and from a computer and kitchen equipment regardless of the manufacturer of the particular unit. If a restaurant owner wanted to monitor three different brands of equipment with one computer, it could be done as long as all three brands of equipment were embedded with the NAFEM protocol. It offers bidirectional communication. For instance, if sensors determine that a piece of equipment is not operating to specification it can send an alert. “A failure could be a major problem, especially if a unit is failing and no McDonald’s is looking to network all of their kitchen equipment. Eventually the network may include building equipment such as HVAC and lighting systems. one is in the store,” says Souhrada. A recent upgrade to the NAFEM data protocol is its ability to integrate with a cash register. In the past, this communication was difficult because the register at the point of service uses XML language while the kitchen equipment runs on simple network management protocol (SMMP). Open a Window of Opportunity. See for yourself what the premier foodservice equipment and supplies industry event has to offer. Visit www.thenafemshow.org to register for The NAFEM Show, October 11–13, 2007, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Co-located with The NAFEM Show Join nearly 20,000 foodservice professionals from around the globe for a three-day showcase of the latest foodservice E&S solutions and technologies. For more Information Enter 118 AD08074NAF.indd 1 www.applianceDESIGN.com applianceDESIGN 7/17/07 2007 33 September 11:44:00 AM http://www.thenafemshow.org http://www.thenafemshow.org http://www.appliancedesign.com
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