Hotpoint BC 312 AI UK User Manual

Fridge/freezer combined

Installation and use

BC 312 AI UK

Fridge/freezer combined

GB

Instructions for installation and use

To maintain the EFFICIENCY and SAFETY of this appliance, we recommend:

- call only the Service Centers authorized by the manufacturer

- always use original Spare Parts

Safety - a good habit to get into.

ATTENTION

Read your manual carefully since it contains instructions
which will ensure safe installation, use and maintenance of
your appliance.
Your Refrigerator is built to International safety standards
(EN60) and has been awarded the European approval mark
(IMQ) for compliance with UK electrical safety requirements.
It also meets the EC standards on the prevention and elimi­nation of radio interference (EC directive 87/308 - 02.06.89).

1. This appliance must not be installed outdoors - not even
in an area protected by a roof. It is extremely dangerous to
leave it exposed to rain or storms.

2. It must only be used by adults and exclusively to refriger­ate and freeze foodstuffs, following the instructions for use
contained in this manual.

3. Do not ever touch or handle the appliance with bare feet
or with wet hands or feet.

4. It is highly recommended that you do not use extension
cords or multiple socket adapters. If the refrigerator is in­stalled between cabinets, make sure that the cord is not
bent or dangerously pinched or compressed.

5. Never pull on the cord or the refrigerator to remove the
plug from the wall socket - this is very dangerous.

6. Never touch the cooling components within the appli­ance, especially with wet hands because this could result in
injury. Never put ice cubes just removed from the freezer
into your mouth because they could stick to your mouth
and cause burns.

7. Never clean or perform maintenance on the appliance
without first removing the plug from the socket; in fact,
turning the knob for adjusting the temperature to the " "·
setting is not sufficient to eliminate all electrical contact with
the mains.

8. Before having your old refrigerator picked up for disposal,
remove or make inoperable any locking devices to prevent
children who might play in or around the appliance from
being locked inside.

9. Before calling for service/assistance in the case of mal­function, consult the chapter entitled “Is There a Problem?
to determine whether it is possible to eliminate the prob­lem. do not try to repair the problem by trying to access the
internal components of the appliance.

10. If damaged, the power supply cord on this appliance
must necessarily be replaced by our service centre because
special tools are required for replacement.

11. Do not use electric appliances inside the compartment
for food storage, if these are not those recommended by
the manufacturer.

12. At the end of the functional life of your appliance –
containing cyclopentane gas in the insulation foam and
perhaps gas R600a (isobutane) in the refrigeration circuit –
the latter should made safe before being sent to the dump.
For this operation, please contact your dealer or the Local
Organisation in charge of waste disposal.

Installation

To ensure that the appliance operates properly and to
reduce energy consumption, it is important that the
appliance is installed correctly.

Ventilation

The compressor and condenser generate heat and, there­fore, need to be ventilated properly. Rooms with less than
perfect ventilation are not very suited for installation of the
appliance. Therefore, it should be installed in a room with
an opening (window or French window) that provide the
appropriate amount of air re-circulation. It is also important
that the room not be too humid.

Away from Heat

Avoid positioning the appliance in a place where it is directly
exposed to sunlight or near an oven, cook top or the like.

Electrical Connection and Earthing

Before proceeding with the electrical connection, make sure
that the voltage indicated on the rating plate, located at the
bottom left near the vegetable crisper, corresponds to the
mains voltage in your home and that the socket is fitted

with a standard earthing wire in accordance with safety
standards for 46/90 systems. If the socket is not fitted with
an earthing wire, the manufacturer will not be held liability
for any damages and or injuries arising out of the use of the
appliance. Do not use multiple sockets or adapters.

Position the appliance in such a way that you can access
the socket where it is plugged in.

Insufficient power?

The electrical socket must be able to handle the maximum
power load of the appliance, which is indicated on the rat­ing plate located at the bottom left next to the vegetable
crisper.

Before making the electrical connection ...

After the appliance has been delivered, place it in the verti­cal upright position and wait at least 3 hours before insert­ing the plug into the socket in order to ensure that it func­tions properly.

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GB

Electrical connection

Your appliance is now supplied with a 13 amp fused plug
that can be plugged into a 13 amp socket for immediate
use. Before using the appliance please read the instructions
below.

WARNING - THIS APPLIANCE MUST BE EARTHED.
THE FOLLOWING OPERATIONS SHOULD BE CARRIED
OUT BY A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN.

Replacing the fuse:

When replacing a faulty fuse, a 13 amp ASTA approved fuse
to BS 1362 should always be used, and the fuse cover re­fitted. If the fuse cover is lost, the plug must not be used
until a replacement is obtained.

Connect Blue wire to terminal marked “N” or coloured Black.
If a 13 amp plug (BS 1363) is used it must be fitted with a 13
amp fuse. A 15 amp plug must be protected by a 15 amp
fuse, either in the plug or adaptor or at the distribution board.
If you are in any doubt about the electrical supply to your
machine, consult a qualified electrician before use.

How to connect an alternative plug:

The wires in this mains lead are coloured in accordance with
the following code:
BLUE “NEUTRAL” (“N”)
BROWN “LIVE” (“L”)
GREEN AND YELLOW “EARTH” (“E”)

Replacement fuse covers:

If a replacement fuse cover is fitted, it must be of the correct
colour as indicated by the coloured marking or the colour
that is embossed in words on the base of the plug.
Replacements can be obtained directly from your nearest
Service Depot.

Removing the plug:

If your appliance has a non-rewireable moulded plug and
you should wish to remove it to add a cable extension or to
re-route the mains cable through partitions, units etc., please
ensure that either:

- the plug is replaced by a fused 13 amp re-wireable plug
bearing the BSI mark of approval
or:

- the mains cable is wired directly into a 13 amp cable outlet,
controlled by a switch, (in compliance with BS 5733) which
is accessible without moving the appliance.

Disposing of the plug:

Ensure that before disposing of the plug itself, you make the
pins unusable so that it cannot be accidentally inserted into
a socket. Instructions for connecting cable to an alter-

native plug:

Important: the wires in the mains lead are coloured in
accordance with the following code:

Green & Yellow - Earth
Blue - Neutral
Brown - Live

As the colours of the wires in the mains lead may not
correspond with the coloured markings identifying the
terminals in your plug, proceed as follows:
Connect Green & Yellow wire to terminal marked “E” or

or coloured Green or Green & Yellow.

Connect Brown wire to terminal marked “L” or coloured
Red.

GREEN &
YELLOW

BROWN

BLUE

13 ampere fuse

CROSS-BAR
CORD GRIP

Disposing of the appliance:

When disposing of the appliance please remove the plug by
cutting the mains cable as close as possible to the plug body
and dispose of it as described above.

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2

A Closer Look

L

D

E

M

L

K

F

J

B

A

C

C

G

H

G

I

H

Compartment for freezing fresh foods and

A

storing frozen foods

Fruit and Vegetable Crispers

J

This knob is used to regulate the
temperature in the two com­partments with the following
settings:

The refrigerator is off;

1 less cold;
5 colder

Removable door shelves with

B

lid, with egg tray and lidded
butter dish

Removable miscellaneous shelf

C

Compartment for a 2 litre

D

bottle

Meat/cheese storage box

K

Removable/Adjustable Shelves

L

Hinged bottle rack

M

Removable door shelf for

E

bottles

Drain system for drawing off

F

defrost water from freezer
compartment

Compartment for storing

G

frozen foods

Ice tray

H

Compartment for storing

I

frozen foods

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GB

How to Start the Appliance

NOTICE
After the appliance has been delivered, stand it in the
upright position and wait approximately 3 hours be­fore connecting it to the electrical outlet to guarantee
that it operates properly.

Before storing food in your refrigerator wipe the interior with
a solution of warm water and bicarbonate of soda.
After having plugged the appliance into the socket, make
sure that the refrigerator light has turned on. Then turn the
thermostat knob “A” to setting “3”. After a few hours have
passed, you can place fresh food in the refrigerator com­partment and frozen foods into the freezer.

How to use the refrigerator compartment...

The thermostat automatically regulates the temperature in­side the appliance

1 = less cold
5 = colder

It is recommended that a medium setting be used.

To increase the amount of space, optimize arrangement and
improve appearance, this appliance has a “cooling area”
located within the back panel of the refrigerator compart­ment. When the appliance is operating, this panel may be
covered with frost or droplets of water depending on
whether the compressor is operating or not at a given time.

Do not be concerned about this! The refrigerator is operat­ing normally.

If the thermostat knob is positioned on higher settings while
the refrigerator is heavily filled and the ambient tempera­ture high, the appliance may run continuously, resulting in
the formation of frost on the back cooling area. This will
lead to an increase in energy consumption.

To avoid this situation, just turn the thermostat knob
to a lower setting so that the appliance defrosts auto­matically.

Storing Food in the Refrigerator Compartment

Food Storage Time Location in the Refrigerator

Wrapped meat and cleaned fish
(use plastic wrap or pack in plastic bags)

Fresh cheese 3 or 4 days

Eggs 1 month In special egg rack on door.

Butter, margarine On any shelf.

Cooked or precooked food
(placer in air-tight containers and when cool store
in refrigerator)

Sausages, salami, sandwich meats in general, fresh
pasta, custards,puddings, chocolates, cream
pastries, bread, dry pastries, red tomatoes

Bottled products, milk, drinks, yoghurt On special door shelves.

Fruits and legumes In vegetable crisper.

2 or 3 days

3 or 4 days On any shelf.

3 or 4 days On any shelf.

On the shelf above the vegetable crisper
(which is the coldest area).

On the shelf above the vegetable crisper
(which is the coldest area).

What Not to Store in the Refrigerator

Garlic (transmits odour), onions and leeks.
Bananas (they will turn black).
Citrus fruits.
Potatoes and root vegetables (store in dark, dry places).

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4

- Within the refrigerator compartment, the air circulates
naturally, with the colder air falling because it is heavier. This
is the reason why meat and cheeses should be placed above
the vegetable crisper.

- Please follow our instructions carefully on maximum stor­age time: any food, even the freshest, will not remain edible
for any extended amount of time.

- Contrary to popular belief, cooked foods do not store any
longer than raw food.

- Do not place liquids in containers without covering them
because this will lead to an increase in the level of moisture
within the refrigerator, causing the formation of frost.

- Be careful not to place containers (plastic or glass), food or
other objects in direct contact with the cooling area of the
back wall of the refrigerator. This could harm the food, in­crease energy consumption and facilitate the formation of
condensate (on food, containers, etc.).

- The refrigerator compartment is equipped with conven­ient, removable shelves (Fig. 1) which can be adjusted for
height using the shelf guides. This allows you to place even
large containers and foodstuffs in the refrigerator.
The side bottle rack can be used either for storing bottles
(Fig. 2) as well as several cans (2-4) placed horizontally (Fig.

3). If not in use, the bottle/can rack can be tipped up and
away to make more room inside the refrigerator.

Fig. 1

Fig. 3

Fig. 2

Freezing Foods Properly

- For the preparation of food to be frozen, please con­sult a specialized manual.

- Food that has be thawed, even partially, must not be re­frozen: you must cook it in order to consume it (within 24
hours) or to freeze it once again.

- When freezing fresh foods, remember that they should
not touch other previously frozen or deep frozen foods. Place
the food that you wish to freeze in the top compartment
"I" where the temperature will fall below -18°C, which is
ideal for freezing food properly. Remember that proper con­servation depends on the speed of freezing.

- During the freezing process, avoid opening the door of the
freezer.

- The maximum daily quantity of food that can be frozen is
indicated on the rating plate located to the left of the veg­etable crisper.

- In order to freeze and then thaw foods optimally, it is rec­ommended that you divide food into small portions so that
they freeze quickly and uniformly. The packages should be
clearly marked with the content and the date they were
frozen.

- In order to obtain a larger amount of space in the freezer
compartment, you can remove the central drawer, and place
the food directly onto the evaporator plate. Make sure that,
after having inserted the load, the door closes correctly.

- Do not open the freezer door in the event of a power
failure or malfunction. This precaution will slow the rise in
temperature within the compartment. If the door is not
opened, frozen and fast-frozen foods will remain in their
current state for approximately 9-14 hours.

- Do not place full bottles in the freezer: they could easily
burst because all liquids increase in volume when they freeze.

- If the ambient temperature remains below 14°C for an
extended period of time, the temperature needed for ex­tended storage of food in the freezer will not be reached,
resulting in reduced storage life of the food.

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GB

Ice trays

This new concept of ice trays is an exclusive Merloni patent.
The fact that they are situated on the top part of the freezer
drawers ensures greater ergonomics and cleanliness: the ice
no longer comes into contact with the food placed inside
the freezer compartment; furthermore, the dripping of the
water during filling is avoided (a lid to cover up the hole
after filling with water is also provided).

Instructions for use (Fig. 4)
Fill up the tray with water via the special hole up to the level
indicated (MAX WATER LEVEL), taking care not to exceed it:
inserting more water than is necessary will lead to the
formation of ice which could obstruct the exit of the ice cubes.
If you have used an excessive amount of water, you will have
to wait until the ice has melted, empty out the tray and re­fill it with water.
Once you have filled the ice tray up with water through the
hole indicated, turn it by 90 °. This new concept of ice trays
is an exclusive Merloni patent. The fact that they are situated
on the top part of the freezer drawers ensures greater
ergonomics and cleanliness.
Once the ice has formed, all you need to do is to knock the
tray against a hard surface so that the ice cubes come away
from their housing and come out of the same hole used to
fill the tray with water. To make it easier for the ice cubes to
come out, wet the outside of the tray.

WARNING: every time you fill up the ice tray with water ,
make sure that the same is completely empty and that there
are no traces of ice left inside it.
The minimum time required for ice to form well is
approximately 8 hours.

MAX
WATER LEVEL

MAX

WATER LEVEL

Fig. 4

Tips on Saving Energy

- Install the Appliance Properly

In other words, away from sources of heat and direct sun­light, in a well ventilated room complying with the mini­mum distances indicated in the paragraph entitled, “ Instal­lation/Ventilation.”.

THE ACTUAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF THE
APPLIANCE DEPENDS ON THE WAY THE SAME IS USED
AND ON ITS LOCATION.

The consumption tests were performed in 560mm deep
column units, the most common installation setting for this
appliance.

- Use the Right Temperature Setting

A setting which is too cold increases energy consumption.

- Do not Overfill

To conserve food properly, the cold air must circulate freely
within the refrigerator. If it is overfilled, this will prevent proper
air circulation, forcing the compressor to work continuously.

- Close the Doors

Open your refrigerator as little as possible because each time
you do so you loose much of the cold air. To raise the tem­perature to the proper level again, the motor must work for
a long time, consuming energy.

- Keep an Eye on the Seals

Keep the seals clean and make sure that they adhere well to
the door. This alone will ensure that no cold air escapes.

- No Hot Foods

A hot pot or pan placed in the refrigerator immediately raises
the temperature several degrees. Let hot cookware and food
cool to ambient temperature before placing them in the re­frigerator.

- Defrost the Freezer

Check the thickness of the frost on the walls of the freezer
and immediately defrost it if the layer of frost is too thick.
(see the section entitled, “Keeping your Appliance in Shape”).

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Guide to Using the Freezer

Meat and Fish

Food Wrapping

Beef Roast Tinfoil 2 / 3 9 / 10 Not required.

Lamb Tinfoil 1 / 2 6 Not required.

Pork Roast Tinfoil 1 6 Not required.

Veal Roast Tinfoil 1 8 Not required.

Veal/Pork Chops

Veal/Lamb Cutlets

Minced Meat

Heart and Liver Plastic Baggies 3 Not required.

Each piece wrapped in cling wrap and
then in tinfoil (4 to 6 slices)

Each piece wrapped in cling wrap and
then in tinfoil (4 to 6 slices)

In aluminium containers covered with cling

wrap.

Tenderising

(days)

Freshly

minced

Storage

(months)

6 Not required.

6 Not required.

2 Slowly in refrigerator.

Thawing Time

Sausages Cling Wrap or Tinfoil 2 As necessary.

Chicken and Turkey Tinfoil 1 / 3 9 Very slowly in refrigerator.

Duck and Goose Tinfoil 1 / 4 6 Very slowly in refrigerator.

Pheasant, Partrige and
Wild Duck

Hare and Rabbit Tinfoil 3 / 4 6 Very slowly in refrigerator.

Venison Tinfoil or Cling Wrap 5 / 6 9 Very slowly in refrigerator.

Large Fish Tinfoil or Cling Wrap 4 / 6 Very slowly in refrigerator.

Small Fish Plastic Baggies 2 / 3 Not required.

Crustaceans Plastic Baggies 3 / 6 Not required.

Shellfish

Tinfoil 1 / 3 9 Very slowly in refrigerator.

Store in salted water in aluminium
containers or plastic containers.

3 Very slowly in refrigerator.

Boiled Fish Tinfoil or Cling Wrap 12 In hot water.

Fried Fish Plastic Baggies 4 / 6 Directly in pan.

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GB

Fruits and Vegetables

Food Preparation

Apples and Pears Peel and cut into slices. 2’

Apricots, Peaches,

Cherries and Plums

Strawberries
Blackberries and
Raspberries

Cooked Fruit Cut, cook and strain.

Fruit Juice Wash, cut and crush.

Cauliflower

Cabbage and
Brussel Sprouts

Peas Shell and wash. 2’ Plastic Baggies 12 Not required.

Peel and pit. 1’ / 2’

Rinse and fry.

Remove leaves, cut head
into small pieces and blanch
in water and a little lemon

juice.

Wash and cut into sm all
pieces.

Blanching

Time

2’ Plastic Baggies 12 Not required.

1’ / 2’ Plastic Baggies 10 / 12 At room temperature.

Wrapping

In Containers (cover
with syrup)

In Containers (cover
with syrup)

In Containers (cover
with sugar)

In Containers (add

10% sugar)

In Containers (sugar

to taste)

Storage

(months)

12

12

10 / 12

12

10 / 12

Thawing Time

In refrigerator very
slowly.

In refrigerator very
slowly.

In refrigerator very
slowly.

In refrigerator very
slowly.

In refrigerator very
slowly.

French Beans Wash and slice if required. 2 Plastic Baggies 10 / 12 Not required.

Carrots, Peppers
and Turnips

Mushrooms and

Asparagus

Spinach Wash and mince. 2’ Plastic Baggies 12 At room temperature.

Vegetable for Soups

Various Foods Preparation

Bread Plastic Baggies 4

Cakes Plastic Baggies 6

Cream Plastic Containers 6

Butter

Peel, wash and slice if
necessary.

Wash, peel and cut up. 3’ / 4’

Wash and cut up in small
pieces.

3’ / 4’ Plastic Baggies 12 Not required.

3’

Blanching

Time

Plastic Baggies or
Containers

Plastic Baggies or
Containers

Wrapping

In original wrapping

or tinfoil

6 At room temperature.

6 / 7 Not required.

Storage

(months)

6 In refrigerator.

Thawing time

At room temperature
and in the oven.

About 10 minutes at
room temperature,

cook at 100/200°C.

At room temperature or
in refrigerator.

Boiled Food or

Vegetable Soup

Eggs

GB

Plastic or Glass
Containers

Freeze without shells
in small containers

8

3 / 6

10

At room temperature or
in hot water.

At room temperature or
in refrigerator.

Keeping Your Appliance in Shape

Before doing any cleaning, disconnect the appliance
from the electricity (by pulling out the plug or turning
off the general switch in your home).

Defrosting

WARNING: do not damage the refrigeration circuit.
Do not use mechanical devices or other tools to speed
up the defrosting process, unless they have been rec­ommended by the manufacturer.

How to Defrost the Refrigerator

This appliance defrosts automatically and the water is
channeled to the back toward the drain installed for this
purpose (fig. 5). Here, the heat produced by the compressor
will make it evaporate. The only thing you must do is to
periodically check and clean the hole of the drain, which is
located behind the vegetable crispers, so that the water
drains properly.

How to Defrost the Freezer

- Every so often, remove the frost with the scraper provided
with the appliance (do not use knives or metal objects).

- If the frost is more than 15 mm thick, the freezer must be
defrosted.
Proceed as follows: turn the thermostat knob "A" to the ·
setting " ". Then wrap all the frozen and fast-frozen food
in newspaper, placing it either in the refrigerator or in a cool
place. Leave the freezer door open so that the frost thaws
completely. You can speed this process by placing contain­ers of warm water in the compartment.
The unit is provided with a system which allows the defrost
water to be collected in a container to be placed beneath
the unit (proceed as illustrated in fig. 6).

Cleaning and Special Maintenance

Before cleaning the refrigerator, disconnect it from the
electrical mains (by removing the plug from the socket
or by turning off the main electricity switch for the
apartment or house).

- The materials used to build your appliance are hygienic
and do not transmit odors. However, to preserve this quality
of your appliance, the food stored in it must be well closed
and covered to prevent spills which could stain it and cause
unpleasant odors.

- Only water and baking soda. To clean both the interior and
exterior, use a sponge with warm water and baking soda,
which is, among other things, a good disinfectant. If you do
not have any in the house, you can use a neutral soap.

- What not to use. Never use abrasives, bleach or ammonia.
Solvents and similar products are strictly prohibited.

- All the removable part should be taken out and allowed to
soak in hot water and dishwashing soap. Rinse and dry them
well before putting them back in the refrigerator.

- When the appliance is not used for a long time. If you
decide not to use the appliance (during the summer), it must
cleaned and the doors left open to prevent the formation of
mold and unpleasant odors.

- Replacing the light bulb. The bulb for lighting the interior
of the appliance is located at the back of the thermostat
box. Unscrew the burnt bulb and replace it with another
bulb of no more than 15 Watt, follow the instructions
illustrated in fig. 7.

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

9

Fig. 7

GB

Is There a Problem?

The refrigerator does not function.

Have you checked whether:

• The main switch for the electricity to the apartment or

home has been turned off;

• The plug is properly inserted in the outlet;

• The outlet is adequate; try inserting the plug into another

outlet in the room.

The refrigerator and the freezer do not cool
properly.

Have you checked whether:

• The doors do not close well or the seals are faulty;

• The doors are left open too long;

• The thermostat knob is not on the proper setting;

• The refrigerator or freezer is overfilled.

The food in the refrigerator becomes too cold.

Have you checked whether:

• The thermostat knob is on the proper setting;

• The food is in contact with the back wall - which is the

coldest part.

If after all the checks, the appliance still does not operate or
the problem persists, call the nearest Service Centre and
inform them of: the type of problem, the abbreviation of
the model name (Mod.) and the relative numbers (S/N) writ­ten on the rating plate located at the bottom left next to
the vegetable crisper (see examples in the figures below).

75

Test
P.S-I.

TI

Net
Util
Utile

Pressure
HIGH-235

LOW 140

RG 2330

Mod.

220 - 240 V- 50 Hz 150 W

340

Total
Gross

Bruto
Brut

Compr.

Syst.

Kompr.

Made in Italy 13918

Gross
Bruto
Brut

R 134 a
kg 0,090

93139180000 S/N 704211801

Cod.

Gross
Bruto
Brut

W

Fuse

A
Freez. Capac
Poder de Cong

kg/24 h

4,0

Max 15 w

Class

Clase

N

Classe

Never call on unauthorized technicians and always
refuse spare parts which are not originals.

The motor runs continuously.

Have you checked whether

• The doors are not closed well or have remained open too

long;

• The ambient temperature is too high;

• The thermostat knob is not on the proper setting.

The appliance makes too much noise.

The gas refrigerant produces a slight noise even when the
compressor is not running (this is not a defect).

Have you checked whether:

• The refrigerator is level.

• The appliance was installed between cabinets or objects

that vibrate and make noise.

There is water on the bottom of the refrigerator.

Have you checked whether:

• The hole for draining the water from the frost is clogged

(see fig. 5).

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11

GB

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Via Aristide Merloni, 47
60044 Fabriano (AN) Italj
tel. [phone]
www.merloni,com

12/2003 - 195032507.02 - Xerox Business Services DocuTech