Costa Rica. An automation project was recently developed at align Technology's facilities, located in the town of Cartago, in which Reliable Controls participated through its authorized distributor, Solmatec.
Align Technology started in 1997 with five employees in Redwood City, California, and one simple goal: to leverage technology to straighten teeth. A few years later, in 1999, Align introduced the Invisalign system and from there it grew into a global medical device company that has helped 10.9 million patients. Today, Align is driving the evolution of digital dentistry with the iTero intraoral scanner.
The company expanded to Costa Rica in 2001 and now employs more than 2,800 people at its headquarters in Cartago. Align has invested nearly $50 million in its Costa Rica operations since 2018, including a multimillion-dollar facility at Centro Corporativo La Lima, a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient business complex in Cartago. Align's Carthage operations are primarily focused on 3D design.
Solmatec was responsible for integrating a new automation system with equipment into an existing structure and installing controls in a new building. To connect larger mechanical equipment to the building automation system, Solmatec implemented a MACH-ProCom controller and a MACH-ProWebCom controller. The MACH-ProWebCom, a combination of BACnet building controller, BACnet operator workstation and a powerful web server, allows facility managers to conveniently access and control equipment over the Internet.
The multi-protocol capabilities of MACH-ProCom and MACH-ProWebCom, along with multiple network ports, allowed Solmatec to integrate numerous third-party devices, such as energy meters, UPS units, air conditioners for computer rooms, and more.
For VAV control, Solmatec installed 10 MACH-ProAir devices, each of which includes an airflow sensor and an integrated damper motor that eliminates the need for separate sensors and actuators. Eight MACH-ProZone controllers, ideal for controlling medium-sized ceiling and heat pump applications and small mechanical room equipment, provide highly scalable inputs and outputs in a compact space. And 32 MACH-ProView LCD controllers provide attractive, high-resolution graphical interfaces throughout the facility that allow users to access, control, and monitor convenience and power usage.
Building operators use RC-WebView software for scalable visibility and system control at a glance. RC-WebView is a browser-based building management solution that combines the power of business tools with a simple interface accessed through single sign-on. RC-Archive software continuously downloads building data records to a SQL database, providing a robust record of building performance for facility stakeholders, who rely on RC-Reporter software to bring clarity to the data collected with readable and reliable reports.
And RC-RemoteAccess BACnet Secure Network software enabled Solmatec to simplify IT management and improve data communications for Align in a scalable, secure and affordable way.
Solmatec used a 3P approach to quality management of this project, allowing it to design and implement the new building automation system in a way that optimized the time, materials, and capital resources needed. This lean approach to project management, combined with the efficiency of the Reliable Controls system, means align expects a return on investment in just 3 years.
Project data
Market segment
Healthcare
Location
Cartago, Costa Rica
Project type
New construction and remodeling
Installation type
air conditioning
Total area
2,634 m2 (28,350 ft2)
Protocol
BACnet
Integrated Team
Eaton, Liebert, JCI, York, Schneider
Total System Objects
455
Software
RC-File®RC-Archive®
RC-RemoteAccess®RC-RemoteAccess®
RC-Reporter®RC-Reporter®
RC-WebView®RC-WebView®
Hardware
MACH-ProAir™10 MACH-ProAir™
MACH-ProCom™1 MACH-ProCom™
MACH-ProView™ LCD32 MACH-ProView™ LCD
MACH-ProWebCom™1 MACH-ProWebCom™
MACH-ProZone™8 MACH-ProZone™
