improvements in ironers

A quality finish

1 November 2005



Laundry managers look to reduce labour and energy costs. LCNi discovers how ironer manufacturers are responding to this demand


As with most aspects of the laundry, in the finishing line the customer wants maximum output with minimum cost, but with no deterioration in standards of quality. Ironers must therefore guarantee a standard that is excellent and consistent.

According to Primus, the continually rising cost of wages has led to an inexorable increase in the growth of automation. Customers increasingly want integrated systems so that they can achieve higher productivity, says the company.

In particular, demand for ironing machines with integrated feeder and folder has experienced strong growth in recent years.

Primus believes that with its IFF range, it is very much in step with this market trend.

As an answer to customers’ needs Primus has developed its new line of heated cylinder drying ironers. These IR ironers are able to increase performance of the laundry thanks to rear return of the linen.

The timer allows the setting of up to 20 ironing programs, depending on the type of ironed linen. New IR ironers are available in electrical, gas or steam variants. The range consists of the following roller lengths – 2,000, 2,500 and 3,200mm, and the diameter of the cylinder is 500mm.

Recently, Primus has obtained a patent on cylinder heated I-ironers known as Senso-Speed. The speed of ironing belts is automatically adjusted to the humidity of the linen processed. Another innovation is the Easy-Fold system on the IF and IFF ironers.

The Primus group also offers the a range of cylinder ironers with diameters 350mm and 500mm and roller lengths of 1,600mm up to 3,200mm. These are available in both return-feed(I) or pass-through(IR) versions and with the options of length fold(IF), cross fold, stacker and feeding device (IFF).

Jensen, which has finishing as one of its main areas of interest, foresees a much higher demand for integrated systems and for management systems giving online information of actual production.

This is why Jensen last year decided to equip ironers with a PLC for data collection and include them in the Jenview production support software.

One of the latest developments from Jensen is the gas-heated Jenroll EXPG1200. The Jenroll EXPG combines a number of the newest technologies such as a flexible chest using oil as the heating medium with an integrated gas-fired burner and heat exchanger allowing quick installation without the need for a boiler room.

No boiler room means no distribution of energy loss, no water treatment, condensate return lines, traps and check valves, and no need for boiler staff, says Jensen.

An external air intake to the combustion chamber constantly provides the burner with fresh air to obtain very low gas consumption.

Jensen says that the use of high-grade carbon steel means the distribution of energy to the linen is at its optimum as the heat conduction is four times higher than that of stainless steel, for example, while the use of oil as the heating medium contributes to a higher capacity and lower operating costs, as the transfer of heat via the oil medium is up to 40% greater than that of steam. Ironing with carbon steel has proven to ensure the highest finishing quality due to low friction between the iron and the linen.

Jensen also produces the Jenroll EX model with 800, 1,000 and 1,200mm rollers and fixed chest for steam or oil heating, and the steam-heated Jenroll EXPress model with 1,000mm, 1,200mm or 2,000mm rollers, the latter without ironer tapes thus leaving no ironer tape marks to the linen.

Increasingly, BMM Weston in the UK is seeing a trend for wider working width ironers for processing hotel or restaurant work and the standard 3m ironer is not now the automatic choice.

Even amongst its smaller OPL customers, buying the return feed Ironer, there is growing demand for 3.3-3.6m models.

AAA Linen of north-west London services some of the most prestigious restaurants in the capital, offering table linen of the very highest quality.

The company needed to increase its ironing capacity due particularly to the rising volume of table napkins being processed. This April BMM Weston installed a three roll 1050 ironer with a working width of 3.6 m thus enabling the processing of five lanes of table napkins. The additional width coupled with the larger size ironer has resulted in an increased throughput around 30-35%.

Another change BMM Weston has seen is growing interest in alternative methods of heating ironers other than with steam. To this end the company has developed a series of gas-heated models throughout its range from the return feed up to and including the 1300 machine.

Lapauw of Belgium is a pioneer in flexible chest technology and also claims to be the first to introduce large roll ironers and gas fired chest ironers. Its 4000XXL is a 1,600mm single roll ironer that is said to be as productive a modern two-roll 1,200mm ironer. The flexible chest, single-roll design means that no tapes are needed and therefore linen is free of tape marks. Padding costs are reduced by as much as 35% when compared with a two-roll ironer, while energy losses are minimised thanks to the high roll to bed pressure of 286degrees.

The 4000XXL is available in roll widths of 2.7m, 3m and 3.3m, with 4m ironing lengths.

BMM Weston in the UK is seeing a trend for wider working width ironers for processing hotel or restaurant work and the standard 3m ironer is not now the automatic choice.

Even amongst its smaller OPL customers, buying the Return Feed Ironer there is growing demand for 3.3-3.6m models.

AAA Linen of north-west London services some of the most prestigious restaurants in the capital offering table linen of the very highest quality.

The company needed to increase its ironing capacity due particularly to the rising volume of table napkins being processed. In April of this year BMM Weston installed a 3 Roll 1050 ironer with a working width of 3.6 metres thus enabling the the processing of five lanes of table napkins. The additional width coupled with the larger size ironer has resulted in an increased throughput of some 30-35%.

Another change BMM Weston has seen is growing interest in alternative methods of heating ironers other than with steam. To this end the company has developed a series of gas-heated models throughout its range from the Return Feed up to and including the 1300 machine.

Danube International of France, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of flatwork dryer ironers, has a full range of drying ironers (heated cylinder type), built to meet the needs of hotels, nursing homes, hospitals and OPLs.

Danube produces four ranges – the Micra, Delta, Maxima and Sygma – that cover cylinder diameters of 200, 325 and 500mm and widths from 1,400 to 3,200mm, while the Ecomina model has been developed for the low-cost end of the market.

Electric and gas heating options are available on the Delta, and electric, gas and steam heating on both the Maxima and Sygma ironers.

An automatic speed adjustment system allows for linen and room humidity, which allows the linen to go from washer to ironer without any manual speed adjustment.

The new IC433 series from Electrolux Laundry Systems is especially dedicated to small and medium size OPL laundries and coin laundries, joining the IC448 series that was unveiled by the company in April 2004.

Both benefit from the DIAMMS (direct advanced moisture management system) for controlling ironer speed.

The IC448 series is a cylinder type ironer using a 500mm diameter cylinder.

There are five different versions with five working widths from 1.9 up to 3.2m – basic, with length folding, with length folding and feeder, with rear delivery, with rear delivery and feeder. All are available in electric, steam or gas heating.

The gas heated ironers all feature a patented ceramic gas burner for a better heat repartition and lower maintenance. The Electrolux DIAMMS speed regulation device checks each item for remaining moisture by direct contact, and adjusts the ironer speed to get the best ironing result. The IC448 series can be connected to the CMIS software for ironing data tracking and so comply with the most severe standards of hygiene.

The IC448 series can be equipped with the Dubixium cylinder, which includes a thermal oil layer that prevents hot or cold spots on the cylinder and ensures perfect ironing for all linen dimensions.

The IC433 series is a cylinder type ironer using a 330mm diameter cylinder. It comes in two working widths, 1.6m and 2.0m, and is available in electric and gas heating. The IC433 series can be equipped with the DIAMMS speed regulation device and can also be connected to the CMIS software for data tracking.

The full range also includes the IC348 FFS, a 500mm cylinder type ironer with complete folding system and stacking, available in three different working widths from 1.9 up to 3.2m, and available in electric, steam or gas versions.

The IC36432 is a 600mm cylinder type ironer available in nine different versions that can include length folding, length and cross folding, front delivery, rear delivery or side delivery with or without stacking. It is available in steam or thermal oil heated versions.

Its two chest ironers are the IB323, a 230mm single chest type ironer available in electric heating and three different widths from 1.0 up to 1.6m; and the C-Flex, a 900mm and 1,200mm chest type ironer with up to three rolls.

Imesa of Italy supplies laundry equipment to two main sectors, the OPL market and drycleaners who offer a laundry service. It foresees an increase in the convenience laundry and hotel sectors.

Imesa produces rotary ironers with 250mm diameter rollers and ironing widths from 1,000 to 1,500mm, and 330mm diameter rollers with 1,500, 1,750 and 2,000mm widths. The 330mm diameter rollers may be supplied on request with a laminated metal mesh that guarantees long life and durability of the machine with uniform wear, avoiding the usual roller deformation due to use. Made of small interwoven steel strands it provides an elastic yet robust surface. The thick flannel-covered roller may be supplied in Nomex, an option that can resist high temperature and has a long working life.

All models are equipped with a chromium-plated ironing plate.

An important trend noticed by Ipso of Belgium is the growing importance for high quality of the ironing output. Ipso also notices a growing demand for cylinder ironers instead of chest ironers, due to a price difference and high quality output.

Ipso’s current range of ironers consists of the CI cylinder ironers. The models are the CI1650/325 and CI2050/325, with roll diameters of 325mm and working widths of 1,600and 2,000mm respectively; and the CI2050/500, CI2650/500 and CI3250/500, with roll diameters of 500mm and widths of 2,000, 2,600 and 3,200mm respectively.

Ipso recently finished the development of steam heating on its CI-range. Now this entire range is available with gas, steam or electric heating. It has also improved the burner for the gas-heated models.

Ipso also offers the RI-line of roller ironers. This range consists of five models, of between 25kg/h and 60kg/h capacity and roller diameters of 250 to 300mm. There is also a semi-commercial ironer made to process small items, the RI800/16 with a capacity of 16kg/h and a roller diameter of 160mm.

According to Kannegiesser of Germany, the conventional ironer bed design is no longer energy-efficient. For example, a standard three-roll ironer with a working width of 4,000mm means that 6,000kg of steel has to be heated and kept constant, with heating up requiring 264kg of steam.

The solution provided by Kannegiesser is the heating band. Two stainless steel sheets are laser welded together as a sandwich element. The 3mm thick hollow space in between has narrow flow channels through which the heated air can move. The heating band is said to provide 50% more capacity, its two-roll HighPower ironer giving the same capacity as a conventional three-roll ironer.

Girbau of Spain produces two types of ironer. The first range offers return feed and is designed for smaller operations where space may be limited.

It is available in sizes of 220, 325 and 510mm cylinder diameters with widths of between 1,200mm to 3,165mm.

The modular flatwork ironer, bed-to-roll type, is designed for lines with feeding at the front and folding at the rear of the ironer.

The Autospeed system automatically adjusts the speed of the ironer to suit the type of material and humidity.

Girbau’s Kinematic strap tensioning system is said to ensure increased pressure and gentle operation assuring an exceptional ironing quality and smoothness.

GMP of Italy supplies chest ironers to small and medium OPLs with maximum production of up to 60kg/hour.

The company’s E line of chest heated ironers (with electrical heating) comes in two diameters, 250mm and 300mm, with working widths of 1m, 1.2m, and 1.4m, and 1.4 m, 1.6m and 2m respectively.

The ironers are microprocessor controlled. The range has a patented roll removing system, and features variable speed and Nomex linen. The company recently introduced its drying ironer model G26-35. This machine has been developed from GMP’s long-term experience in thermo-regulation, allowing it to produce a very efficient machine.

According to GMP, the G26-35 has higher productivity compared to machines with a similar width but with more compact machine dimensions – the cylinder diameter is 325mm against an average of 500mm amongst competitors. The cylinder can be gas or electrically-heated. Hi-Tech polymeric compound is applied to metal or cast iron components to increase reliability and lifespan.

The GMP chest ironers come in widths of 1 to 2m, with diameters of 200 to 300mm. The G range provides 1.2 and 1.4m widths with 270mm diameter; and 1.5, 1.8, 2.1 and 2.6m with 325mm diameter.




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