How to bowl a strike in peace

How to bowl a strike in peace. Commander improves customer experience at London bowling alley

Bowlers at a unique London venue can now rack up strikes in peace thanks to Commander drives from Control Techniques, part of the Nidec group.

All Star Lanes, in Bloomsbury, had been suffering with significant vibrations from its ventilation systems, which was a major disturbance to diners and bowlers at the unique underground alley. Due to its location, the bowling alley needs a constant flow of fresh air and relies on its fan system to bring clean air in from above, and to extract fumes from the kitchen.

The problem

Srdan Stojilikovic, technical manager for All Star Lanes, said: «Behind the seating area in our restaurant we have a wall, made of Perspex panels, which divides our bowling lanes from the restaurant area. With our old ventilation system, the panels would shake constantly from the fan motor, making an off-putting noise for our diners.»

The solution

The solution came in the form of Control Techniques’ Commander drives, which provided an instant boost in performance. The drive mounts to the wall using a NEMA bracket, which protects all the cables going in providing added safety for the general public. The new Commander drive is also half the size of the existing one, creating extra space at the installation.

Previously, the system ran continuously at 30 amps; the new system, led by Commander, runs at a much lower rate of 10-15 amps, generating significant savings of 50% and resulting in a much better flow of air.

Previously, the system ran continuously at 30 amps; the new system, led by Commander, runs at a much lower rate of 10-15 amps, generating significant savings of 50% and resulting in a much better flow of air. The previous system also had too much vacuum, which caused buckling and made it vibrate like a drum. By tuning the drive to a lower level, not only does it use less power, but it also stops noisy vibrations going through the ducting.

No more noise thanks to Commander drives

Mr Stojilikovic added: «The fan motor works at a lower rpm than the old drive and has made a great difference in our restaurant area. With the new drive, the wall has stopped shaking and the venue is not noisy any more.»

The installation was carried out by APS Engineering, recognised as one of Control Techniques’ top system integrators. Per Lutteman, from APS Engineering, said: «From our point of view, this was a simple project but one that has made a big impact. Setting the Commander drive up is very easy, including the programming. It was up and running the way we wanted within half an hour, and we know the support – if we ever need it – will be first class.» www.controltechniques.com