The Sync System: Technical FAQ

The Sync System is a collaboration between La Marzocco and Mahlkönig that connects an espresso machine and grinder so they can communicate data back and forth. This allows the barista to set a recipe, including coffee dose weight, beverage weight or volume, and shot time. The Sync System then automatically adjusts the grind size using that recipe data and an internal motor combined with digital sensors that make up the Disc Detection System.

Here are some common questions and answers about the Sync System.

How does the Sync System connect the Mahlkönig Grind-by-Sync grinder to a La Marzoco Espresso machine?

The Sync System acts as a bridge between the separate data clouds of La Marzocco and Mahlkönig. Both La Marzocco espresso machines and Mahlkönig espresso grinders have IoT cloud connectivity that allows each machine to have its own data system. By connecting the two clouds, the Sync System allows the equipment to send data back and forth.

When you program a desired shot time, how does the grinder know how far to adjust burrs?

In simple terms, the espresso machine sends the actual brew time to the grinder via cloud communication. The grinder compares the moving average of the actual brew time to the recipe target time. If the moving average is different from the recipe target, the grinder will make an adjustment so that the next espresso shot is within the recipe target.

How big is the range of tolerance for the programmed shot time? 

Because the Sync System is consistently monitoring every espresso shot pulled, the grinder is consistently tweaking the grind size based on shot time. The grinder is programmed to react whenever the espresso shot is outside the exact recipe programmed.

How can you tell what grind setting the grinder is currently set to? 

You can click into the currently activated recipe on the grinder and retrieve all information on the desired shot time, coffee and espresso weight in grams, and disc distance. The current micron setting can also be directly read from the screen (grey number with Icon on top).

How does the Disc Detection System work?

The Disc Detection System uses two sensors for precision and accuracy. One sensor detects the position on the cone shaft that drives the axial movement of the main shaft, which is connected to the rotating burr. A second sensor is on the electric motor that drives the cone shaft. With those two sensors, the grinder lets you set the degree of fineness with the utmost precision and perfection based on the actual distance between the burrs. The indication allows a precision of 0.001mm.

Can you adjust the grinder manually?

Yes, once you are in the recipe menu, you can adjust the distance between discs to your desired setting by selecting Custom DD or Recipe DD with the use of the rotary knob. Rotation of the knob drives the electric motor to your desired disc distance. This allows the grinder to be used as any standalone traditional grinder. Any recipe can be set manually or through “Enable GbS.” If a recipe has been set to Enable GbS and this function is subsequently disabled, the synching history for that recipe is reset.

Is there a micron setting that’s ideal for the best-tasting shot of espresso?

There is no ideal micron setting, as different coffees will pull different shots at different grind settings. All coffees should be dialed in by recipe and taste, using coffee weight, espresso weight, and shot time as the guideline. The micron setting visible on the grinder’s display is for reference and to show how the grinder is adjusting itself over time.

How often does the Sync System adjust the grind size?

The Sync System reacts to data it receives from the espresso machine concerning shot times and beverage weight. That means the Sync System will adjust the grind size whenever necessary. In some instances, it might not make any adjustments for an entire shift if the shots stay true to the recipe. During other times, the grinder might be consistently adjusting every few shots.

How do you know the automatic grind size adjustment is working?

The Sync System displays the burr distance in microns on display, and during a grind adjustment, you can see the old setting and the new setting that the grinder is moving to. You can also hear the grinder’s adjustment motor moving the burrs if you listen closely enough.