Passing the torture test!!

Last week David, Bill and Tony took our wireless devices on a road trip. We decided it was time to take them out of their cushy home environs and see how they worked in what would be the most inhospitable environment they were likely to see - a massive boiler room housing dozens of boilers. In this industrial boiler room were all types of electrical and metal interference. What took place for most of the day was a high-tech game of "Hide and Seek". We took two of the Field Devices and tested how well they would communicate in a variety of scenarios. We had tests for when they were close or far away (260 ft.). We had tests where the devices could "see" each other and when they were obstructed. We had people walk through the test area on cell phones, carrying metal objects, and running equipment throughout the day. For these tests the FD's were battery-powered so we could move around with them. So we would hide behind diferent boilers with both devices to see how that would affect communication. Every time the test came back with a 100% success rate! We couldn't have been happier with how they turned out. However, we decided to run one last torture test. One that we were sure would make us fall short of 100%. In this particular boiler house they had an unused boiler on one end of their shop. We took one of the FD's placed it in the combustion chamber of that boiler and closed the door. Then we took the other FD and moved it over 260 ft. away. We fired up the communication and waited to see what happened. Immediately, the devices started communicating. However, this is only part of the test. We knew they could overcome great distances and still get some communication through. The previous night we had the devices a 1/2 mile from each other and got some communication through. The real test would be if we could get an acceptable percentage of our information communicated while the FD was entirely concealed inside of that boiler. We were happy to get some information sent, but under worse conditions than we would ever see in the field, could that percentage reach an acceptable range (+85%)? After the test was completed we ran the numbers, and for the first time all day we did not reach 100%. Through two 1/4" steel plates, insulation, a boiler door, 6 wireless networks, and 250 feet of space the best we could accomplish was 97.1%. I think we can say that our wireless communication passed the torture test with flying colors!!

Big Week/Big Opportunities

This week at TPC brings great opportunity. We are writing quotes for product most every day, and now orders are starting to come in from those quotes. During this time we are also starting to show up on specs around the country for some very high-profile jobs. I am working on writing a spec to be able to bid on a job for the corporate headquaters for "Yum!". Yum! is the corporation that owns KFC and Taco Bell. It would be especially gratifying to get this job because it would be nice to see some of the money back that I have spent at these establishments over the years. I figure they would have to buy 3 controls to payback the Nachos Bell Grande alone! In the past few days we have been contacted about hospitals in New York and multiple buildings in Arkansas. We have quoted on jobs in Colorado, New Mexico, and of course, Indiana. The TPC mechanical room plant master controller is starting to make waves all over the country, and we are just getting started!

Beta Testing is going very well on the new platform, and we look solid for an April 21st delivery of product. Until then I am busying myself with three major projects. First, I am continuing to set up our distribution network. There are some major players in this industry that I am trying to meet with. The trick is being introduced to the right people, which I hope will happen this week. Second, I am working on the technical documentation. Part of the sales process in the Plan and Spec market is to get submittals approved. A submittal is a fact sheet about the product: what size it is, what it looks like, what it does, what it is made of, and power requirements. In the next few days I will finalize the submittal for the new product that will move our already existing orders on to the next step of the process. I also am putting together the Installation and Owners manual for the new product. This is a huge project because it has to cover everything we do and explain it in a way that installers and owners can use. This is going to be a big book, and I think I should get an author credit when it is done. Also, if control sales get going fast enough I am going to submit it to see if I can get on the NYT best seller list. However, I don't think they have a category called "Non-fiction, technical, Best Stinking Control on the Market List", but I'll see if they will add one just for me. Third, I am working on a series of very innovative sales presentations that will work for the individual market segments we are trying to reach.

Bill is very busy with the jobs that come with product support and production. In the last week he has started up jobs in Arkansas and Indianpolis. He has also built a control to satisfy an order for one of our last PLC based controls. Bill has spent time helping to tweak the prototype case designs to ones that will work for our final revision product offering. As far as production goes, Bill has much to do to be ready for an April 21st delivery and it is taking alot of his energy. He is also building a database and configuring a server to track all of these controls that will fly out the door.

David has undertaken the huge job of planning and executing the IQOQ of the new control platform. He has basically taken every testable point of this control and figured out a way to test it. There are thousands of points that need to be tested to make sure this is right when it leaves the factory, and if you know David you know that he will track every detail down to make sure that everything works right! In fact, for the next 5 weeks David will do little else, so if you need to talk to Dave - please don't! Of course, I am just kidding, but this is the home stretch of getting this product out of our door and into mechanical rooms across the country/world.

I will be keeping you updated here with the latest news from TPC. If you have questions leave them in the comment section and I will answer them as soon as possible. Thanks!!

Crossing the Lillibridge

In another banner day for TPC this week we commisioned the first of what we hope might be many buildings for Lillibridge. Lillibridge, Inc. is a company that does facilities management for hospitals and medical facilities all over the country. In Indiana alone they have over 100 buildings they are responsible for over 10,000 properties nationwide. On Monday Tony was at the Carl Erskine Center to train their staff on the Flow Intelligent mechanical room control they just purchased. In attendance were David Johnson, Sr. of Wells Boiler Works (contractor), Rex Groeller (a Lillibridge senior staff member), Scott Messer (a manager of another Lillibridge property), and several members of the Facilities Maintenance staff of St. John's Hospital (the Erskine building sits on their campus).



One of the things that make this a unique installation is that we are bringing together boilers of three different sizes (750 MBH, 1500 MBH, and 2000 MBH), two different styles (modulating/two stage), two different types (condensing/non-condensing) and three different metallurgies (cast iron, cast aliuminum, and copper fin-tube). On top of that, Lillibridge chose a special option that only is available through TPC ~ Delta-T control. For those of you who are new to what we are doing, Delta-T is engineering jargon for temperature differential. For instance, if the water coming into a boiler is 100 degrees and the water leaving the boiler is 120 degrees you have a Delta-T of 20 degrees. So, a greater Delta-T across a boiler means more energy transfer has happened while that water is in the boiler, making the whole process more effecient. Or as we like to say, when you light a fire in the boiler, that energy should go into the water instead of out the stack. Because of TPC's Flow Intelligent control breakthroughs, we are the only control that can keep a consistently high Delta-T across a boiler at all times regardless of firing rate or building conditions while protecting the boiler's heat exchanger from possible damage caused by low-flow rates. This piece of control wizardry has boiler manufacturers standing up and taking notice. Boiler manufacturers that would not consider allowing variable speed pumping through their boilers are begining to seriously consider it because of the efficiency this can bring to their projects.

Lillibridge was very impressed with the energy savings that TPC provides and with the ability to seamlessly integrate so many different types of equipment. That's one of the things that makes us so attractive to companies like Lillibridge because they have 10,000 properties nationwide that they had little or no input in how they were designed. That means they have inherited all the problems those facilities have, and are looking for solutions that a company like ours can provide. The Indiana division of Lillibridge has already had us in to look at doing work in two other of their facilities and we look forward to working with them on a nationwide basis.

TJ

Your Source for TPC information

Welcome to our blog. This is a place where we will be updating the latest in TPC progress. As we grow, there will be installations to talk about, new distributers to brag on, and updates about training and R&D. Here you will get posts by the people doing that work. David will be providing updates on new breakthroughs, Bill will be telling us what is new in tech support and production ,and Tony will keep up with the breaking news that seems to happen here on a daily basis. Sometimes we will be funny and sometimes we will be technical, but mostly we want to have a place where our friends, investors, and supporters can see what is going on and ask questions or leave comments. So please don't be shy about speaking up because we look forward to your comments.

Our blog is only a few minutes old and I have big news to break. TPC has just opened new offices at 5935 Kopetsky Dr. Suite C, Indianapolis, IN 46217. For those of you in the area please drop by and bring any miscellaneous office furniture you may have. Seriously, we are excited about the new facility. For those of you who have visited our previous "Evil Lair" you know that this space was needed if we were going to be able to grow to meet the demand for our product, and we are greatful that this spot opened when it did. We still have the same phone number ~ (317) 780-5743, but the phone company doesn't seem quite as excited as we are about the new location and they are having a hard time making the phone work. They are supposed to be by later today to fix the problem. I hope they are not as late as the sterotypical cable guy.

Of course we also just got back from the AHR-Expo in New York, New York. At that show we displayed the new platform of our control. If you haven't heard us talk enough about it, please drop by our web site for an explanation. The upshot is that all the incredible patent-pending programming we have brought to the market is now on our wireless platform. The show was an astounding success. I'll throw in some highlights, but I will also leave some room for Dave and Bill to tell you their experiences in future posts. We couldn't believe the excitement that we saw from contractors, reps and boiler manufacturers. Everyday at our booth something exciting was happening. I had some of the biggest rep firms in the country asking (almost begging) for the opportunity to sell this product throught their firms. We had two presidents of boiler companies come by to talk about OEM agreements (of course we didn't make those deals), and a third boiler company that sent 3 of their 4 regional managers by to ask if their reps could have access to our product. We talked to our own reps who had opportunities and orders to talk about, and we have had numerous opportunities to quote product in just the few days following the show. There were other cool things that we just can't talk about yet, but in the weeks to come we will be glad to share those. Opportunities for TPC are everywhere and we just can't wait to take advantage of them.

For those of you who invested in us - the faith you have shown by your contribution is about to pay off in a big way. For those of you who encouraged us - in all the late nights and early mornings that we have put in (and for all of those we are still putting in) your kind words and support have meant more than you know. For those of you who have prayed for us - Don't Stop! We are not so arrogant as to take for granted all the good things that have happened so far or so naive to think that we got here on our brains and talent alone. I can't count the many times we have looked at each other and said, "This is nothing but the goodness of God!" Our task is by no means over, and we still have many hills to climb. If you are only identified in one of the above categories consider joining the other two, because while there is a lot of work left to do, we believe that many hands joining together will make that work load easier.

Tony Johnson