Nuova Simonelli unveils the Aurelia Wave UX with a new engine and technology that’s set to improve the workflow and user experience while maintaining peak performance in a sustainable, simple way.
When Nuova Simonelli first introduced the Aurelia espresso machine in 2004, the flagship model represented the beginning of a new era of innovation for the Italian-based espresso machine manufacturer.
The model has received a series of facelifts over the years, resulting in the launch of the Aurelia II in 2012 and Aurelia Wave in 2017 with the introduction of new materials and T3 technology. And now, the model has evolved one step further with the unveiling of the Aurelia Wave UX.
“We call the new Aurelia Wave UX, ‘the workflow optimiser’, because it really does improve the user experience of our customers,” says Lauro Fioretti, Simonelli Group Project Manager. “It is very flexible, adapts to busy environments, allows the barista to have great consistency in an easy and fast way, focuses on their interaction with the customer, and lets the machine take care of the rest.”
Fioretti says it’s in the DNA of Nuova Simonelli to continue to improve its products, and with the company evolving and growing very fast, it was time to work on the next model Aurelia Wave.
“We understand that the world is changing, globalisation is increasing, there is more desire for interconnection with people, a greater volume of coffee chains on the market, and they each have new needs and requirements,” Fioretti says.
Post-pandemic, Fioretti says high volume chain outlets are looking for a machine that’s solid, stable, powerful, made with long-lasting materials and technology, is easy to operate and maintain, and ergonomic.
With this in mind, the Nuova Simonelli team developed a new machine to improve the overall user workflow, experience, and coffee and milk-based drinks menu.
The result is a model that retains the same wave-shaped design of the Aurelia Wave, but with a completely new engine and technology called the ITC – independent temperature control. The ITC, in the UX model, independently controls the temperature of each group in a simple way.
From a technical standpoint, the ITC uses single boiler technology with a heat exchanger. A thermostatical mixer with shape memory alloy stabilises the inlet water. When it comes in the group, the water is further stabilised and refined thanks to a thermostatic probe managed by PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) controllers.
“With this new ‘less is more’ approach, we were able to drastically reduce the total power of the machine – minus one kilowatt for each group. At the same time, we reduced the CO2 emissions compared than the previous model,” Fioretti says.
“The beauty of UX is that it grants high performance, efficiency and power, but with less energy consumption. It’s a bit like when the automotive industry moved from Euro 5 to Euro 6 standards on automotive engines – it reduced the pollution the car extracts but not the power in the engine.”
Fioretti says this is a great result to meet the new needs and standards of large coffee, non-coffee oriented chains, and the Horeca sector: a fluid and harmonious workflow and a consistent widespread quality at any time of the day with lower impact.
He adds that the main reason for launching the UX was to make the machine more efficient for mainstream chains to operate.
“With the Aurelia Wave T3, the main target audience is coffee professionals who want to deep dive into the machine and explore its parameters, inner workings, and have complete control themselves,” Fioretti says. “But given the high volume and working demands of mainstream coffee chains, you also need a machine that still controls the temperature of each group, sets parameters, takes advantage of the machine’s ultimate power, but can be used in a simple way.”
As such, Fioretti says the UX is more inviting for the chain market because they don’t need extended period of trainings to learn how to operate the machine, meaning anyone can use it to its full capacity.
The European Institute of Psychology and Ergonomics certified the original Aurelia Wave as ergonomic for Baristas. Simonelli has worked with the institute for the past several years since and says the UX version will also adapt the same ergonomic principles.
This includes a new user interface that is simple to use and set, easy-to-use steam controls, push/pull levers, auto-purge system, light sensors on the steam wands which can manoeuvre 360-degrees, and the option for Cool Touch steam wands.
The portafilter handles are also inclined downwards in line with a barista’s natural hand position, and the brew groups allow for smooth locking and unlocking of portafilters to ease hand and wrist pressure.
The ITC model can be fully connected to Wi-Fi, enabling operators to connect with Simonelli’s telemetry system via ‘the cloud’. This way, they can control and read parameters such as internal group temperatures remotely, and across multiple sites. The telemetry system, which will be available in the coming months, can even be used to assess workflow at peak times, compare the volume of beverages sold, and overall coffee shop performance.
“The more we can monitor the performance of the machine and of the barista, the more the operator will save costs on call-out fees and maintenance work,” Fioretti says. “It’s simplified technology, solid engine and use of long-lasting materials will also reduce maintenance by up to 50 per cent compared to other traditional models.”
Fioretti says the development of the Aurelia UX was accelerated during COVID-19. While other companies stopped work or relied on government stimulus, Simonelli Group didn’t accept any financial assistance and decided to work on new projects.
“We never stopped working and have continuously worked every single day and every hour of the week to maintain production. And because we couldn’t travel, it gave us the ability to focus on new products, plan new strategies and focus on the future,” he says.
“We worked very hard, with great teamwork, and had constant communication about the projects we were working on. Thanks to Simonelli Group’s flexibility and ability to adapt to the evolving situation, we are now able to release more new products to the market.”
With the Italian and European market close to reigniting its coffee, office and restaurant operations once more, Fioretti says Simonelli will be ready to meet the needs of the market.
For more information, visit www.nuovasimonelli.it/en or www.nuovasimonelli.it/aureliawaveux