Tunnel meets high-tech needs

Broadbent Laundry Systems’ installation of a Lavatec continuous batch washer at Apparelmaster’s Exeter plant marked a major innovation as this was the first time a Johnson group company had used such equipment for processing garments.

The installation was a key part in the plans to modernise the plant to ensure that it would meet all the requirements of a high-tech laundry in the 21st century.

Derek Usherwood, the plant’s general manager and Chris Sander, regional director for Johnsons Apparelmaster, devised the business plan and Broadbent was chosen as the main contractor for the supply and installation of the washroom equipment and materials handling and storage systems.

Originally a typical flatwork laundry, the plant became a workwear specialist in 1990. Capacity has grown signifcantly and around 50 per cent of the business is now in the food grade area. This imposes stringent regulations on both Johnsons Apparelmaster and its customers.

For both Broadbent and Johnsons Apparelmaster, the project’s governing concept was to use modern technology to ensure that due diligence was paid to the food hygiene regulations. The technology should demonstrate this factor with full data back-up to the laundry’s customers.

Broadbent’s brief included streamlining the plant operation as well as upgrading the facilities for processing food hygiene workwear. This involved redesigning the workflow, changing from a U format where delivery of soiled linen and despatch of clean work were carried out at the same end of the plant, to an in-line design where work flowed through from one end to the other.

The food grade processing line would be completely segregated from the industrial garment line, in effect creating two factories within the one area. An operation for processing dust mats and cabinet towels was taken out of the main laundry and rehoused in a separate building across a courtyard.

Conversion

But first phase was a structural conversion of the multi-storey building. The top two levels were removed and the entire area re-roofed. The internal layout was redesigned, and a largely-unused storage area was converted into the new wash room.

Wash room services were laid underfloor to keep exposed pipework to a minimum and so avoid potential dust-traps. Throughout great attention was paid to detail—even the bump plates around the door are stainless steel.

Rigorous attention was paid to all aspects of health and safety regulations.The unusually deep basement houses the plant’s new water system and the Henkel detergent dosing equipment—this includes on-line monitoring for proof of supply and correct dosing ratios.

The result of this extensive structural redesign is a bright modern plant that not only meets the hygiene requirements of the food industry, but also provides a more pleasant working environment for the staff—the renovation also included additional facilities.

The core development has been the re-equipping of the wash room, sorting and distribution areas, and the creation of a fully automated line for food-grade garments with full data control back-up.

Staffing levels remain the same, but the high degree of automation has allowed redeployment, with more staff working on sorting and identifying incoming work.

Garments are classified by customer, route, day of delivery, and wash program. In the food-grade operation, the Broadbent monorail system automates the loading of the Lavatec continuous batch washer and consists of three open-type weighing stations where staff sort garments and load the 35 kg bags. When full, these travel via monorail into the main storage area which has eight rails, each taking up to eight bags.

The bags are automatically discharged onto an inclined belt conveyer and carried to the loading hopper of the batch washer.

Should any load suddenly need immediate processing, it can be accessed quickly via a recirculating track.

The ability to track garments throughout the system is vital and so the monorail is controlled by a Micross Laundry Systems Tracknet 2000 PLC/PC controller. Windows 98-based software combined with the latest fieldbus communications technology is said to provide reliable and user-friendly networked controls.

A management information package records detailed both production and machine data, and print-outs are available when required.

The principle of complete trackability carries through to the continuous batch washer where the Lavatec PROVIT 2000 control unit provides precise information on what is happening within each of the machine’s 12 compartments.

The detail covers load data such as garment category and weight, and also information on the continuous batch washer’s performance such as temperature, water and steam consumption. It records the thermal disinfection temperature for each batch, and provides historical records for future traceability.

The computer is integrated with monorail and detergent control systems to provide complete management records.

The decision to use a continuous batch washer for garment processing was a Johnson group first, although such equipment is used for other applications.

Derek Usherwood, general manager of the plant, explains that the choice of the Lavatec was not an easy decision, but it is a versatile piece of machinery and is backed by Broadbent’s technical support and professionalism.

It is not only simple to use, but also claims several advantages over washer- extractors. It is more economical on water and energy, takes up less space and will process more pieces per hour on a constant rate, while giving the garments the right look and the necessary high degree of thermal protection.

Broadbent already has around six Lavatec batch washers working on garment processing installed in UK plants.

The machine is a twelve-compartment, 35 kg batch size model, capable of handling garments of all types, colours and classifications.

  In the current application, it is dedicated to workwear from food industries and must be able to deal with all levels of soiling. While protein soiling is the main problem, the machine must also be able to cope with oils and fats.

The machine uses Lavatec’s latest top-transfer design. It includes a prewash area with programmable bath exchange and two separate main wash zones that can be linked together for more efficient cleaning. The design features automatic control of contaminated liquors and colours, integral automatic lint filtration, electronic temperature control in all compartments, thermal disinfection control and traceability and multi-section control of cooling down phases in the rinse zones.

Flexibility

A choice of 95 wash programs allows the complete flexibility needed. All garments are processed automatically following the selected loading sequence dictated by the Broadbent monorail system.

After processing by the batch washer, the garments pass into a Lavatec automatic hydro extractor which forms an integral part of the wash line. This has 15 programmes to suit various fabric types and can process around 55 garments in four minutes.

On leaving the extractor, the garments are taken on dedicated storage conveyors into the finishing area. As the batch washer is the first to be used for garments within the group, the performance of this line will be monitored and appraised.

However, for the immediate future, a series of washer-extractors form the separate wash line for all non-food garments. A new Lavatec LX445 was bought last year and two new Broadbent LX425 machines were added this year. The company also continues to use a refurbished Broadbent JB210.

The success of the modernisation is a tribute to the partnership between Johnsons Apparelmaster and Broadbent as chief contractor.

Broadbent was chosen for its ability to go beyond supplying the equipment and to provide complete operation, that included elements of structural design.

The new washroom was brought into operation around September and its renovation illustrates a successful partnership and the professionalism and technical expertise of two companies working to meet the same end.