In opening: automatic drywork line
In the landscape of the current economy, the laundry industry is facing tough challenges: energy shortage. Not enough employees. Keeping the employees who are already there. And whilst handling these problems, still keeping up the quality standards. To have a successful and long lasting future in the laundry industry it is imperative for companies to evolve, welcome the changes and see some of the challenges for what they could be: possibilities
Energy shortage: paving the way for sustainability
In light of recent developments gas and oil became a scarce commodity. The prices are rising and many laundries are worried how they are going to pay the energy bills in the years to come. Or if there even will be enough gas to power their machines and keep their businesses running. To counteract those rising prices, becoming more sustainable by reducing the resource requirements is an essential step. The use of new technologies in research and development makes this possible.
Following these three steps is fundamental for becoming a sustainable and future-save business:
1. Reduce the demand: each process step has to be analyzed and energy-optimized regarding possible savings of resources.
2. Optimize the laundry: the used energy stays in the system through energy recovery systems.
3. Improve remaining energy supply: efficient and future-proof energy supply by adapting the heating concept to local and structural conditions. Energy efficient equipment also opens up possibilities to apply for certificates and subsidies.
A quick win with only a relatively small investment could be, to switch out an old press for a new PowerPress. An example: at a performance of 1,5 t/h , the steam cost of 70 €/t and the residual moisture reduction by replacing the press from 52% down to 38%, the annual savings at a single-shift operation can be around 60.000 €. Switching to a more sustainable process is not only beneficial for the bank account, but also for the environment. A classic win-win scenario.
“The acquisition of new energy-efficient
equipment gives the possibility to receive
financial incentives”
Staff shortage: a better and more productive work environment through innovation
Shortage of staff is a problem across all industries and skilled employees are hard to come by. To keep the ones that are already there, it is essential to create healthy and pleasant working conditions through ergonomics. But without compromising the high productivity, because in the end, the feeding performance of the operator determines the output of the feeding machine. This is a balancing act and an issue many laundries are dealing with on a daily basis. Kannegiesser puts a lot of emphasis on ergonomics in research and development. And the results show, that it is absolutely possible to combine ergonomics and productivity.
Laundry operator at the ergonomic optimized SynchroPro Remote (EMR)
The ergonomic design of the feeding machine SynchroRemote for example, reduces strain on operators by up to 37% and increases productivity by up to 37,5% in comparison to conventional feeders. An independent study by the ErgoCert Institution affirmed that accomplishment. Another approach to solving the staff problem is to invest in automation and robotisation. Which brings a new challenge along: the need to seamlessly integrate it into the whole existing workflow. That’s why a manufacturer, who not only supplies the equipment but also provides the matching logistics solutions for the entire laundry operation, is an invaluable partner in this endeavour.
“Kannegiesser, combining ergonomics
and productivity”
With eVue, Kannegiesser provides a single control interface for the entire laundry operation. The web-based process control software offers operators and management in laundries a reliable and intuitive system for full transparency and control over their production process. It ensures laundry operations at maximum capacity using high-developed diagnostic functions, optimized productions routing and tracking, and real time reports on production performance.
When designing the robotized drywork line Robofeed, Kannegiesser put emphasis on seamless integration into laundry logistics. It allows textile services to automate the entire laundry process between soiled linen sorting and dispatch: the towels are automatically washed and dried using optimal processing programs recorded in the data base. A post wash sorting and storage system then delivers the towels to the Robofeed drywork line that can automatically feed, fold, sort and stack batches of mixed towels from hotels and hospitals. It consists of the newly developed and field approved feeding robot Robofeed and the folding machine Speedline XFM.
The Robofeed is equipped with state-of-the-art camera technology that enables a servo-driven gripper to recognize, separate and feed every single item into the folding machine at maximum speed. The secret to its high efficiency is ServoTronic. It is a combination of servo electronics, servo drive and sensor technology that enables high acceleration and precise movements. This means shorter cycle times and is at the same time providing a gentle laundry treatment. Long-term experience in feeding machines and folding robots shows that ServoTronic improves machine performances by up to 30% compared to conventional drive systems.
Innovative laundry automation tools and advanced robotics will ring in a new age of textiles services. From washing to drying and finishing to sorting: with new technologies fewer people will be needed and their work becomes less physically demanding. If it weren’t obvious by now: it is the time to take charge and set the course for future-save laundry businesses. Make the right decisions now, to operate more sustainable in the years to come and to save energy and resources. Take the necessary steps, to be able to implement robotisation and automation in the near future to make staff shortage a problem of the past. And find a partner to work out a master plan with. Setting and achieving your goals takes a trustful partnership. And we are up for the challenge. •
Kannegiesser Italia S.R.L.
Via del Lavoro, 14 – 20073 Opera (MI) Italy
info@kannegiesser.it
T: + 39 02 5760 6000
www.kannegiesser.com
Edited by Marzio Nava
DETERGO Magazine # February 2023
