Up, up and away

Whether it is moving soiled intake into the tunnel washer or washer extractors, tranferering to dryers or delivering to the sorting area, automated rails, shuttles and conveyor systems are essential for the smooth running of a commercial laundry.

Jensen’s Futurail is a fully customisable material handling system designed to improve soiled sorting through sorting bins, provide transit and storage of soiled and clean laundry bags through its monorail rail system, and automate laundry processes for increased efficiencies and profits. Along with these improved processes of material handling, Futurail’s proprietary software package, Rail Explorer, can also help operators schedule and prepare for each day.

“Picture this,” says Jensen.”It is the start of a busy morning. Laundry is steadily coming into the facility from all different routes. Sorting operators are actively working to fill the soiled storage in the Futurail rail system. The production plan has set targets for each product line for each day of production. Even though everything seems to be moving along nicely, there are some uncertainties. Will the production targets be hit, and if yes, when? What are the production percentages of each category? Where are the remaining items located within the laundry?

The newest version of Futurail’s software, Rail Explorer, monitors the location of these items in soiled sorting, soiled storage, wash, dry, and clean storage. On top of that, it reports on the production targets by the end of the day. If the laundry is falling behind on any segment of production, the Rail Explorer software package allows the production team to manually adjust the call-off of the soiled storage, re-routing production to ensure daily targets are hit.

The same principle applies to the clean side rail system where linen is stored after leaving the dryers or cake breakers. The newest version of the Rail Explorer software package allows you to manually prioritise production to meet the daily targets of all linen categories. 

Synchronised speed 

In a Kannegiesser set up with a Power Trans tunnelwasher as the beating heart of the combo, synchronsation is everything, and that includes the shuttle. A typical washing system designed for terry would have a cycle time of 120 seconds and a capacity of 1.5 t/h. Instead of the usual five dryers, only four PowerDry transfer dryers are required. The outstanding individual performance and the perfect interaction of washing line, press, lifting conveyor (between press and dryer) and dryer makes it possible. No machine is waiting for another. All processes are synchronised. With the self-optimising preliminary signal, the PowerTrans detects whether the PowerPress is ready to load too early or too late and adjusts the preliminary signal for the following batches accordingly. With the SynchronTransfer, the PowerTrans controls its pivoting movements so that the inner drum is in the exact start position for the transfer at the end of the wash cycle. Zero seconds is how long the PowerDry transfer dryer waits during loading by the LSC lifting shuttle conveyor system. The communication between the LSC and the PowerDry is realised by a preliminary signal from the PowerDry.The LSC brings the next batch to the next available dryer so that loading can take place immediately.

Made to order

Textile Care Services in Utah, USA, has ordered its new Lavatec tunnel washer to connect connect to six Lavatec TT745, 292-pound capacity natural gas dryers, via a press discharge conveyor and discharge conveyor system, and a two-tiered shuttle system. All will be controlled by the osLaundry management system.

Meanwhile, in Ontario, Canada, SRS Conveyors manufactures and supplies just about any type of conveyor or rail needed. It’s All-Flex steam tunnel conveyor is the strongest Steam Tunnel Conveyor on the market, says the company, with a caterpillar drive chain pull of up to 600 ft. per drive, enclosed track, ability to sort off the steam tunnel and a modular bolt-together design. “The All-Flex provides the return on investment customers are looking for, it says SRS.