Dinex Perfect Temp User manual

WWW.DINEX.COM 800-523-9752
Perfect•Temp
Users Guide
Revised July, 2007
INTERNATIONAL, INC. 628-2 HEBRON AVE, GLASTONBURY, CT 06033

Perfect•Temp User’s Guide
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Thank you for purchasing the
Dinex Perfect•Temp System.
For more than 35 years, Dinex has been the leader in contemporary,
innovative products for healthcare foodservice.
Today, Dinex is the industry standard for healthcare systems,
equipment and tray-top products throughout the United States and
Canada.
The Dinex range of products extends from basic traytop ware and
disposables to high-tech induction heating and cook-chill
rethermalization systems.
We appreciate your business.

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Table of Contents
Introduction
Perfect•Temp System Overview........................................................................... 3
Perfect•Temp Principles of Operation................................................................... 3
Advantages of Cook-Chill .................................................................................... 4
Equipment
Perfect•Temp Cart................................................................................................ 6
Perfect•Temp Main Controller............................................................................ 10
Operation and Programming ……………………………………………………… 11
Perfect•Temp Trays and Dishware
Overview............................................................................................................ 24
Classic................................................................................................................ 25
Classic II………………………………………………………………………….. 29
Menus and Plating Recommendations
Menus ................................................................................................................ 34
Garnishes and Sauces ......................................................................................... 35
Plating Recommendations .................................................................................. 37
General Plating Guidelines and Procedures......................................................... 38
Production Specifics........................................................................................... 39
Plating Diagrams (Food Placement).................................................................... 42
Meal Assembly and Delivery
Tray Assembly ................................................................................................... 47
Rethermalization ................................................................................................ 50
Sanitation ........................................................................................................... 51
Satelliting........................................................................................................... 54
System Troubleshooting......................................................................................... 57
Product Warranties................................................................................................ 59

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Introduction
Perfect•Temp System Overview
The Perfect•Temp system consists of a walk-in or roll-in refrigerator, a Perfect•Temp
rethermalization cart, an electronic controller, a set of serving trays with insulated covers,
and an assortment of reusable and disposable dishware.
The purpose of this system is to permit cold plating of patient meals in advance so as to
achieve maximum productivity from the kitchen staff. The cold plating of the meals enables
the staff to prepare three meals per standard eight-hour shift, thus eliminating the evening
shift that previously prepared the dinner meal. Plating the meals in advance allows the staff
to prepare the next day’s breakfast meal the day before, eliminating the need for the work
shift to start at 5:30 or 6:00 a.m. Normal 7:00 to 3:30 work shifts are possible.
Principles of Operation
The front of the serving tray has two open compartments (“Classic or Classic II”
server) into which a ceramic, reusable plastic or disposable dish is placed. The rear of the
serving tray has a large cold compartment. These compartments are enclosed and separated
from each other by either insulated tray covers or insulated domes, so no temperature transfer
occurs. The open wing of the tray is used for silverware, condiments, and a frozen dessert or
a hot beverage. The Classic tray style incorporates individual dome covers for the entrée
dish and soup/cereal bowl and the Classic II uses insulated tray covers.
The ceramic, reusable plastic or disposable dishes protrude below the bottom of the
serving tray. When the tray assembly is completed, an insulated cover is placed on the tray
or domes on the soup and entree, and the whole assembly is then inserted into the
Perfect•Temp cart. The dishes protruding from the tray automatically align with the
individual heating pads.
When the Perfect•Temp cart has been filled with the desired number of trays, the cart is
placed into a refrigerator to keep all the food on each tray at a safe temperature.
Approximately thirty-five minutes before the meal is to be served, the rethermalization
cycle begins, activated either manually or automatically. During this cycle, the heater pads
warm up and transfer their heat to the dishes. By the end of the cycle, the food in each dish
will have reached 170°F. or higher.
The insulated cover (or dome) confines the transfer of heat to the entrée and soup,
while the cold foods on the tray stay cold. The residual heat in the heater pads helps to
maintain food temperatures during meal delivery.

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Advantages of Cook-Chill
The Perfect•Temp meal delivery system is based upon cook-chill technology, which
allows food to be prepared in advance of service, rapidly chilled, and held in chilled
inventory (food bank). Patient meals are plated chilled and held under refrigeration. Just
prior to service, foods to be served hot are rethermalized.
Advantages:
1. Rapid chilling and chilled storage techniques simplify handling to such an extent that
fluctuations in daily workloads can be virtually eliminated.
2. Since all meals are prepared in advance, production can be scheduled to make the best
use of equipment, space and staff. “Cook to order” is eliminated.
3. Chilled food’s nutritional value, appearance and texture is better than that of food
produced conventionally and held hot for long periods prior to service; and compared to
frozen food, chilled food suffers only minimal storage effects.
4. Food can be purchased in bulk, resulting in lower food costs.
5. Waste decreases due to flexible stock control, recipe standardization, increased menu
variety, and greater ability to respond to population fluctuations.
6. Staff working conditions are improved due to less peak mealtime tension. Daily tasks
proceed at a more even pace and the staff can focus on the quality and appetizing
appearance of food presented.
7. Labor costs are reduced. The success of cook-chill relies on the improved use of both
skilled and unskilled labor. By concentrating food production, meal assembly, and meal
delivery into self-sufficient, central units, each unit can operate at maximum efficiency.
Production can occur on a five-day schedule, and meal assembly for breakfast, lunch and
dinner can be done during a single, eight-hour shift. All of this means reduced labor
costs.
8. Consolidation of production and assembly for several patient units into a single operation
can further enhance the benefits of cook-chill.
9. Savings also can be achieved in costs associated with space.

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Equipment

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Equipment
The Perfect•Temp Cart
The Perfect•Temp rethermalization cart is the culmination of many years of
development and testing. Its design has addressed the deficiencies of similar
rethermalization systems on the market and has produced a rethermalization cart that
surpasses the competition in appearance, flexibility, durability—and most importantly,
performance.
Feature Highlights:
•Solid 3/8” aluminum top and bottom surfaces provide exceptional wear resistance and
caster support.
•Aluminum extrusions provide maximum strength and durability while offering a
clean, efficient appearance.
•Individual heater pad design eliminates sagging of the heater shelf and reduces costs
and downtime when replacing heater pads.
•Nonstick heater pad surfaces improve sanitation and reduce cleaning time.
•The simple, effective selector switch to activate heater pads is not sensitive to tray
motion during transit and does not require tray reversal for cold meals.
•The selector switch is available in two or three position versions so that any tray can
hold a cold entrée (sandwich) but still hold hot soup and a side dish.
•Selector switch positioning makes it possible to change the heat program for any tray
without removing the cart from the refrigerator.
•The “quick disconnect” electrical connection is at eye level, eliminating doubt about
power connection to the cart and the need to run test sequences.
•A multi-function power controller provides maximum flexibility on rethermalization
times, rethermalization duration, and hold cycles.
•Switch shields prevent tray slippage and eliminate accidental contact with selector
switches.

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The Perfect•Temp Cart Structure
The Perfect•Temp cart has a solid aluminum base, 3/8” thick, which has been machined
to accept the aluminum corner extrusions. The top of the cart is the mirror image of the
bottom, which securely locks the vertical corner extrusions into place.
The side panels of the cart incorporate a sandwich design consisting of an aluminum
outer panel, a 3/8” thick, honeycomb panel, and another aluminum inner panel. All three
components are bonded together, then secured in the channel raceway of the corner
extrusion.
The side wall, which includes the tubular aluminum handle, is actually two walls with a
hollow core. This core is used as a raceway to run the electrical wiring harness and to
enclose the panel-mounted main electrical connection.
Along the side walls are track angles that support the trays when they are inserted into
the Perfect•Temp cart. Each tray is slid along the tracks until it travels over the heater pads.
A tray stop prevents misalignment of the tray, which would cause improper rethermalization.
Along the two open sides of the Perfect•Temp cart are large numerals that designate the
number of the tray level. This serves as an aid when determining which tray levels are to be
activated or deactivated by the selector switches.
At the top of the cart, centered between the tubular handles, is the electrical connection
to the main controller. The main controller is supplied with a cable assembly that includes a
4- or 5-pin, quick disconnect bayonet plug. The plug connects directly to the receptacle on
the cart to ensure a positive electrical connection. This connection must be made whenever
the cart is to be used to rethermalize meals.
All vertical edges of the Perfect•Temp cart are capped with high-strength aluminum
alloy extrusions. Each extrusion (6 total) includes an integral, replaceable PVC vinyl
bumper, which runs the entire height of the cart for optimum performance.
Adjacent to the selector switch location, pivoting between the top and bottom plate, is
the aluminum switch shield extrusion. When rotated to the “open” position, full access to the
selector switches is possible. When “closed,” the switch shield hides the selector switches
from view, preventing accidental contact or tampering.
The switch shield also acts as a tray stop to prevent serving trays from sliding out of the
cart during transport.
The Perfect•Temp insulated tray cover features the patented “cold cone,” which
promotes superior cold food temperatures, yet works to retain food temperature integrity
when the tray is in transit. Since food trays will be delivered and served from the
Perfect•Temp cart, hot food will actually stay hotter longer, since the heater pads are
insulated and help reduce cool-down from below the dishes.
Tray presentation to patients is enhanced by the availability of insulated covers in a
variety of colors with matching mugs, placemats and china dishware. The full cover in the

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Classic II system permits the placing of salads, desserts, and so on, directly on the tray
without cumbersome and unattractive plastic over-wraps. Patient perception is enhanced;
convenience is improved for both patients and dietary staff; and clean-up is reduced. The
ability to use disposable, reusable plastic, or china dishware interchangeably is helpful in
fulfilling specific patient needs.
The limits of dietary staffing require staggering the delivery of Perfect•Temp carts to
patient areas. The “Station Commander” controller enables the system to stagger completion
times as needed, preset the frequency and duration of holding cycles, and run automatically
or manually. An indicator on each controller verifies that the cart has been placed in the
refrigerator, has been electrically connected, and is ready for the rethermalization cycle to
begin. Once started, other indicators on the controller indicate rethermalization, holding, or
ready status. A 10-second buzzer sounds at the end of every heating or hold cycle.
Perfect•Temp Cart Heater Pad Design
Each tray level on the Perfect•Temp cart is equipped with two heater pads. The small
pad is primarily for the rethermalization of hot cereals and soups. The larger pad is for the
entrée.
The heater pad assembly consists of an engineered resin casting, a computer-designed
heating grid, a layer of insulation, thermostat and thermal fuse. The entire assembly is
permanently sealed to prevent water penetration and eliminate potential residue build-up. .
The heater pad fixture serves a dual purpose. First, it provides a protective shell into
which the heater pad is assembled. Second, the casting is designed to be fastened
mechanically in the cart, offering superior strength and durability.
The heater pad fixture is fabricated with a flanged end that mates to a box channel
running the width of the cart at each tray level. All electrical wires run inside the box channel
and connect to each heater pad. The heater pad casting is then secured with two screws that
pass through the flange of the casting into the box channel.
The top surface of the heater pad is a layer of coated (nonstick) aluminum. A
computer-designed heater grid is vulcanized to the underside of the aluminum. The design of
the heater grid is specific to the heating requirements, which means that the grid pattern for
each of the pads is different. The purpose of changing the grid pattern is to develop the
thermal patterns necessary for each application. The needs of the soup or hot cereal heating
pad are not the same as the needs for the entrée heating pad. Three different grid patterns
resulted.
Beneath the top layer of aluminum and its bonded heater grid is fiberglass insulation to
help direct the transfer of heat toward the dish and to shield the tray and cover below from
unnecessary thermal conductivity.
The insulation is protected from moisture by the bottom of the heater pad fixture. The
resulting assembly is then completely sealed with silicone sealant.

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The design of the heater pad assembly offers the advantage of being field replaceable
without affecting the adjoining heater pads. Separate pads also minimize heat conductivity to
the Perfect•Temp cart body, reducing electrical loads and improving efficiency.
Heater Pad Control (On-Off)
Depending upon the cart model, each Perfect•Temp cart will have 16, 20 or 24 tray
levels. Each tray level consists of two heater pads. Each level is controlled by one or two
selector switches.
On the outside of the Perfect•Temp cart, along the vertical extrusion closest to the
handles, are the selector switches. The toggle switches have three positions: all pads hot, all
pads cold, or side dish pads hot. An optional two-position , two switch per server is
available. This allows individual control of each heater pad.
Cart Lexan Door Option
An optional set of Lexan doors is available for the Perfect•Temp rethermalization cart.
The purpose of these doors is to enclose the tray areas of the cart to reduce or eliminate the
need to over-wrap exposed plated foods. The doors also restrict incidental contact from
unauthorized personnel or patients, reducing pilferage of food products from the patient
trays.
Each Lexan door is secured along one vertical edge by an aluminum extrusion which
provides rigidity and acts as the hinge. The remaining three edges of the door are chamfered
to provide a smooth appearance and eliminate sharp edges.
When closed, the doors are held in place by the switch shield extrusion that encloses
the switches, as well as the edge of the door. To rotate the switch shield, lift the plunger pin
which is secured to the top plate of the cart.
When fully open, the two doors are nested, one in front of the other, against the front
wall of the cart opposite the handle. Once again, release the plunger pin to nest or de-nest the
doors.