We Didn't Just Start Measuring Yesterday!

THE BEGINNING: Product development began in the garage of Bryan D. Ulch whose experience with electronic systems and product development was gained through positions as a product developer and Engineering Vice President for such companies as Rusco Electronic System, FMC Corporation, Anchor Automation, Security Control Systems, PerfectData Corporation, and Mosler Corporation, accentuated by contractor engagements for numerous other companies and governmental agencies.

LIMITED PARTNERSHIP: Florite International, Inc. started in December as a limited partnership to employ fluid flow measurement technology in a cost-effective system to determine the useful life of water filter cartridges. This initial concept was developed to become "SMART Filtration Systems - A Customer Service Invention for Water Purification", enabling filter manufacturers to provide customer services and to sell more filters.

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NSF REGULATIONS: Marketing studies indicated filter cartridge manufacturers warrant their products based on National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) quality/rate/time certifications. The goal was to devise simple and inexpensive methods to send these measured parameters as service messages to automate filter replacement services. "We did it."

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Florite’s First Model 2000: instrument became the forerunner to the 700 Series products that would follow, featuring a slim line easy mount plug-n-play two key microcomputer based pulse fluid sensor monitor-controller. Dual high precision accumulators enabled independent pre-filters and post fine-filter quantity tracking. Fabricated devices were field tested while marketing and sales tasks progressed.

Statistical signal processing software algorithms were created for the Model 2000 to track and detect systematic decreases in fluid flow rate to estimate filter system clogging conditions.

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FIRST SHOW: We introduced the Flo-Rite™ Model 2000 Volumetric Flow Measurement System data sheet at a Las Vegas food services trade show.

700 SERIES: The M750 was begun based on the Model 2000, and was evolved to become a stable platform, enhanced with a keypad, display and high precision programmable values enabling purified water to be sold by the gallon. Local and remote networked data collection was completed.

500 SERIES: The model M540 was evolved from the M750 to meet price requirements without display having a two key pad for limited reset functions. This version represented the lowest cost stand-alone product able to report information from remote locations, and was branded specifically for water filtration systems.

CLONING: A field installation and support capability was incorporated to allow programming and reading values to and from the M540 by using an M750 without need for a local computer.

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INCORPORATION: Florite International, Inc. was incorporated in California and continued its product and market development, and associated sales and technical publications.

M2C2™: "M2C2™ Technology" was evolved from our initial system concept to be known as intelligent integrated Measure, Monitor, Control, and Communication (M2C2™), as a new paradigm for platform based instrumentation solutions.

PUBLISHED: We published our first M2C2™ document entitled "For Measuring, Monitoring, Communication, & Control Solutions.” bylined as "The New Standard in systems Management Technology".

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WEB SITE: Florite International, Inc. established its first web site; www.florite.com

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP: Florite International, Inc. contracted its first strategic partnership with a fluid sensor manufacturer to act as our first value added distributor.

PUBLISHED: "Marketing M2C2™ Based Products to the Food Service Industry", and published product press releases for food service, bio-medical and industrial applications.

REAL-TIME CLOCK: Real-time clock reporting was incorporated into our products so maintenance and management information could be sent, captured and logged by central computers at exact pre-established times.

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900 SERIES: The 900 Series products began evolution by incorporating manual/serial batch control and signal filtering in the 700 Series to become the 900 Series - and then later the embedded Model N920.

The 900 Series was conceived from the N920 by incorporating selectable analog or digital input and output with industry standard control functions, high precision floating point capability, interpolative input/output scaling, scalar/quantity measure type selection and selectable rate time base.

920: We Introduced the 900 Series universal process controller.

P920: Introduced as a new version of the 900 Series, the Model N920 was designed for general OEM embedded applications.

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FLO+TEL: Introduced FLO+TEL™ software program for PC-Based monitoring and configuration to enable Florite users to conveniently use M2C2™ technology from any PC world wide.

The 900 Series technology was leveraged to create a six port instrument for advanced measurement and control applications. The product became the M990 Intelligent Integrated Instrument System, serving our customers needs for standardized platform configured solutions with extensive communication capabilities.

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990: After two years of development and testing, we introduced the Model 990, a six port universal process controller.

FIMIS™: Introduced Florite International Management Information System, (FIMIS™) - a web-based subscription service enabling Florite users to acquire information and perform control of their Florite instruments via the world-wide web.

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994: Began a variant of the Model 990 to become the M994, four port universal, all metal tough environment, 3/16 DIN panel mounted, preserving the powerful multi-port attributes of the Model 990.

WEB SITE: Revised, updated and rewrote our Web site.

PUBLISHED: Feature article in Industrial Water World, Integrated System Monitors pre-and-post filter water usage, May 2001

DEVELOPED: External process signal adapters to expand our special signal measurement capabilities for Ph, TDS, T/C, ORP, bridge and variable reluctance magnetic.

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ONBOARD DATA LOGGER: Introduced an onboard data logger optional accessory for use with 900 Series Model 990 and Model 994 instruments. 

The logging function is enabled by installation of a large permanent storage memory and additional firmware that enables the memory to log active input port measurements. When the 900 Series, Model 990 and Model 994 is installed with the WAN option - logged data may be accessed remotely from anywhere in the world. Operation can be completely controlled from the integral keypad on the 900 Series, Model 990 and Model 994 - or by local or remote serial log control commands.

MULTIPLEXER: Incorporated a Multiplexing interface product enabling many thousands of scalar measurement channels to be selected or scanned from a single Model 990 and Model 994 instrument.

ENHANCEMENTS: Enhanced Model 990 and 900 Series instruments with selectable built-in control functions for quick-tune PID, batch and dose control, manual output control, installation test, and our standard monitor and alarm support.

PUBLISHED: Control Methods feature article in Control Engineering Magazine, Product Quality Requires Accurate Ingredient Blending, December 2002; general feature in Arab Water World Magazine, Florite’s 990 and FIMIS System, July/August 2002; general product feature in Sensors Express, Monitoring Systems, October 2002.

M2C2™: ISA request and show presentation, Del Mar, California, presentation of a study entitled The M2C2™ Model.

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994: Introduced the Model 994, a four port universal process controller.

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Continuing To Grow......