Clay, 

Thank you!  We received the diagrams and refrigeration specs rather quickly after you reached out. 

I am thinking either the cooling system needs a recharge ( there were no specs for our tech to review when they looked at it) or we need a new evaporator fan motor as it sounds like the bearings are failing.  Places to start. 

Thank you again.  If anyone needs the docs, I have them. 

Maura:

This is one of the two main reasons I stopped representing FBM back in early 2020. It makes no sense that they won’t provide the documentation so that owners can perform minor repairs.

This is especially short-sighted as FBM has decided not to invest in the resources to fix these machines in the US. Last I knew, TCF does not have the technical staff to do the work.

What is the nature of the problem? It’s been a while since I last worked on a machine, but many people know my past relationship with FBM and I get contacted regularly for (free) guidance. My success rate is pretty high.

What I will also do is send the URL of this post to FBM to Ariana’s and Francesca’s bosses to see if that breaks the logjam.

How do you like your ICB machines in production? Which ones do you have? I know of the Top 11 and the Icebelt for it, but I don’t think I’ve ever spoken with anyone who owns one. How is it for depositing and enrobing?

 


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updated by @clay: 06/19/25 09:45:10

Clay, Thank you for your response!

Tom at TCF Sales said you are the best of the best.  Alicia from TCF reached out to Francesca Testa at FBM for me.  Through their website, I have reached out to Arianna Giodice from the Commercial Department who said  she knows TCF sent the user manual and that is all they will send. 

We fix our ICB tabletops ourselves and they have great documentation and technical assistance.  I am a bit frustrated with this as it is slowing our production.   It's been sitting unused for months now. I would truly appreciate your help in this matter. 

- Maura

Maura:

I wrote that user/troubleshooting manual!

In my experience, FBM has never been very responsive to requests for detailed wiring diagrams or parts lists, and all TCF Sales can do is contact FBM.

That said, who at FBM have you been in touch with?

Technical support? I can still reach out to the president and international sales manager to escalate this for you. Let me know and I will send you my email address to the email address of your account.

And welcome to TheChocolateLife Forums community!

/Clay

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updated by @clay: 05/28/25 13:14:55

Howdy!  First post here.  We run a small bean to bar chocolate shop in OKC and have been at it since 2018.  

We have a 2015 Unica 40 tempering machine and are looking for a technical manual so we can do repairs on the machine.  I've contacted FBM in Italy and TCF in Austin (who have been most helpful) but have received only a basic user/trouble shooting manual.  

We fix most of our equipment in-house and would really appreciate detailed technical documentation and wiring schematic.  Thank you in advance. 

Maura