Transforming the Bar with Real Time IoT Control

A flexible, cloud connected dispensing platform that gives every bar owner complete insight, precision and control over their drink operations.

ConDoor QA

𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆
𝗖𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱

From panel to proof. Every door. Fully documented.

Chapter 1 — The Introduction

A Fully Connected Solution for Smarter Bar Operations

Van Duijnen Horeca wanted to transform the way bars, restaurants and event venues manage their drink operations. Together we built the Dashbar: a SaaS and IoT platform that gives bar owners complete transparency, control and consistency across every tap, drink and location. The system is designed to increase margins, reduce waste and enable staff to serve perfect drinks with minimal training.

A modular IoT platform that adapts to every bar configuration

Dashbar combines cloud software, edge firmware and flexible hardware modules into one unified solution. It enables Van Duijnen to configure and install complete bar environments entirely on their own, without requiring engineering support from Synadia. From automated beer taps to self-serve tables to full stadium workflows, every use case can be deployed and managed through one platform. The result is a scalable, reliable and future proof system that supports thousands of taps, events and locations.

Chapter 2 — The challenge

Creating a universal dispensing platform for every bar environment

Bars differ massively in layout, hardware, drink types and operational complexity. Van Duijnen needed a single solution that could control any tap, any drink and any workflow — from high volume stadiums to small cafés — while remaining reliable, fast and easy to install.

Supporting endless bar configurations

Bars and event locations all run different setups: varying numbers of taps, mixed drink systems, custom cooling, self-service tables and POS integration requirements. The challenge was to build a system flexible enough to adapt instantly to any environment. Every input, output, tap handle and sensor needed to be configurable from the cloud so Van Duijnen could install new sites without custom engineering. This required a completely modular hardware architecture with cloud driven configuration.

Reliable dispensing with real time IoT control

When serving drinks, downtime is not an option. Even a few seconds of failure means lost revenue and frustrated customers. The system needed to guarantee that drinks could always be poured, regardless of cloud connectivity issues or local conditions. At the same time, taps needed to be precise: the system must stop pouring exactly at the configured volume, even if the bartender leaves the handle open. This meant combining deterministic edge logic, real time MQTT communication and safe fallback modes.

Scalability for future growth and new features

Van Duijnen required a platform they could build on for years. Besides supporting beer, the system needed to handle wine, cocktails, soft drinks and entirely new use cases such as self pour tables, RFID prepaid systems and stadium wide lockouts. It also needed to scale from a few taps to thousands across the country. This demanded a cloud native, serverless architecture that could grow without performance bottlenecks or infrastructure overhead.

Chapter 3 — The project

A fully configurable IoT ecosystem for taps, sensors and drink workflows

We built the Dashbar as a complete IoT platform that seamlessly connects firmware, edge devices, cloud software, operator workflows and POS integrations. Every component can be configured from the cloud, enabling Van Duijnen to deploy new bar environments without Synadia engineering involvement.

Flexible edge firmware with cloud driven hardware mapping

At the core sits a custom edge device with firmware that can dynamically map any hardware setup. Whether a location has one tap or one hundred, the device detects and configures inputs, outputs and sensors based on definitions in the cloud. Tap type, flow meter, temperature sensor, solenoid valves — everything can be assigned and activated remotely. This dramatically reduces installation time and ensures consistency across sites.

Cloud architecture built for real time, high volume operations

The cloud platform, built on AWS serverless components, handles configuration, telemetry, dispensing rules, permission control and analytics. All dynamic behavior — such as disabling taps, controlling pour sequences, adjusting volumes or pushing updates — is managed remotely. The system uses MQTT for bi-directional communication, enabling instant command execution with minimal latency. This architecture supports event centers, stadiums, cafés and franchises alike.

Complete workflow automation for bars and event venues

Dashbar supports a wide range of use cases:

Disable taps when a shift ends
Enforce pour volumes, pauses and delays
Lock down all bars in a stadium with one button
Connect directly to the POS to ensure every drink is accounted for
Enable prepaid self-pour tables using virtual or RFID cards

The same platform powers fully automated setups in Center Parcs, self-service experiences for guests, multi-bar configurations in large venues and precision pouring in traditional pubs. All features operate from the same unified platform.

Chapter 4 — The result

A reliable, scalable and fully automated dispensing platform

The Dashbar is now deployed across a wide range of hospitality environments — from small bars to major stadiums — providing consistent performance and complete operational transparency.

Real time insight into every drink poured

Bar owners finally see exactly what happens behind the bar: how much is poured, when, by whom and at what speed. Integrations with POS systems ensure that every drink is accounted for, closing the gap between poured vs. sold. Unregistered pours and free drinks no longer disappear unnoticed.

Massively reduced waste and higher margins

Dashbar has significantly reduced beer waste across installations. Taps automatically stop at the correct volume, even if the bartender forgets to close the handle. This ensures consistent servings, fewer corrections and less foam waste — crucial, since beer is more expensive per liter than gasoline. Even inexperienced staff can serve perfect drinks.

A scalable platform powering new business models

Van Duijnen can now onboard new bars and deploy entirely new features without hardware redesign. Self-serve concepts, prepaid RFID systems, automated bar shutdowns and new beverage types are all supported by the same infrastructure. This gives Van Duijnen a long term SaaS revenue model and a strong competitive advantage in the hospitality technology market.

Chapter 4 — The benefits

More control, less waste and new revenue opportunities

The Dashbar creates measurable value for bar owners, event venues and Van Duijnen’s business as a whole.

Key advantages delivered by the Dashbar platform

Real time visibility into every pour and transaction
Dramatically reduced beer waste and higher profit margins
Seamless POS integration for accurate billing
Automated workflows for taps, temperature, access and shutdown
Self-service models using prepaid or RFID cards
Flexible configuration for any bar or stadium layout
Cloud scalability for thousands of devices and installations
A sustainable SaaS model for Van Duijnen with recurring revenue