Substantial investment in research and development has enabled Milnor, a leader in laundry equipment technology, to produce a new continuous batch washer which will carry its product range into the next millennium.
Simplicity and increased efficiency are the watchwords of the new Milnor top-transfer tunnel washer. Available with 50 and 60 kg batch capacities, the new machine is astutely designed and, being a Milnor machine, is particularly durable.
Introduced to Milnor’s European dealers a few months ago, there is more new with the machine than meets the eye—the sleek exterior is only one new aspect.
A major redesign has simplified Milnor’s tunnel technology. Components have been relocated for easier installation and servicing, and better use is made of floor space. The Mentor controller brings new ease of operation, programming and servicing.
Milnor has kept the essential features that make its tunnels so popular throughout the world—top transfer, excellent bath separation, double drum construction and a high level of flexibility. Model number 76028 denotes 50 kg batch capacity, and 76039 denotes 60 kg batch capacity.
There are now even fewer moving parts—fewer motors, gear reducers and chains. A direct-driven gear reducer eliminates belts and pulleys. Drive components have been minimised. For instance, an eight-module tunnel has only two motors, two gear reducers and two chains.
In the new centralised control system, input/output board optimisation allows fewer boards to be used. The system has only as many boards as are required for its inputs and outputs. Controls have also been moved to where they are easily accessible to service technicians.
Service and maintenance points are concentrated in easy-to-reach locations, and the need for ladders is avoided. Valves, for example, are now lower so they can be reached from floor level. Also, a welded steam manifold reduces the chance of leaks. Elbows have been eliminated—for direct passage, and the entire steam injection design is uncluttered.
Installation is simplified through single-point hook-ups for water, steam, air and electricity. The hook-up components are also located within easy reach—again, a ladder is not required.
Chemical supply hook-ups are easier, too, with six connectors on each module. Flow splitters and lifters are more compact. Connection units feature integral pumps, piping controls and wiring so they can be fitted rapidly. The modular format of the equipment means it can be delivered in sections if access to premises is difficult.
The new wash tunnel employs Milnor’s top transfer design which has been proved worldwide since 1979. Milnor-equipped laundries are achieving more production from fewer compartments because of high dilution and fast washing. To transfer work to a new bath, a perforated scoop lifts it out of the dirty water and drains it before transfer. In this way, work is immediately exposed to cleaner water in the next module—for fast dilution. Avoided is the pushing of all the dirty water forward during transfer.
With a partition between each wash cylinder, along with top transfer, Milnor keeps all baths independent. Water travels from one compartment to the next via exterior piping, so it is controllable. Better bath integrity helps wash formulas work as planned. Chemicals do not migrate uncontrollably.
A stationary outer shell simplifies injection of water, supplies and steam, plus draining and temperature measurement. The design makes it easier to add extra connections at a later time.
Every compartment—not just the first—is large enough for wash liquor to flow freely into and out of the work.
Milnor’s high amount of mechanical action effectively moves dirt-laden solutions out of the fibres.
Lifting ribs are as tall as 152 mm (six inches) and are strategically spaced for multiple drops. All cylinders are perforated, and perforations are large and plentiful.
Forty per cent of the perforated area is open, so water and soil flow easily through.
Controlling the flow
Because water travels by piping and weirs from one module to the next, there is absolute water control. Many waterflow alternatives are available. Fills, drains, counterflows and alternative counterflow/drain can be factory-installed and revised in the field.
The launderer can also easily change any chemical input, water input or drain. Each module can have its own steam supply and electronically-controlled temperature. Compatibility programs facilitate switching from one type of work to another by changing the parameters. At the loading point, it is possible to prohibit, for example, an immediate change from red table linen to white work.
A Milnor tunnel washer can be linked to a single-stage or two-stage press, a centrifugal extractor, or to both a press and a centrifugal extractor. There is also a choice of dryer sizes and work handling systems.
The Mentor controller makes it easier for the launderer to capitalise on the Milnor tunnel’s vast capabilities. With graphic displays and mouse-click operation, it saves time in programming and maintenance. The familiar Windows-based format makes all operations more intuitive, and this saves training time. Another advantage is one-stop data backup and restoration using ordinary diskettes.
The launderer programs the Mentor controller by formula—not by module—on a single screen. The possibilities for creating formulas are virtually unlimited. Short cuts and other time-saving features assist programming. The launderer can define several related output signals—all alkali valves, for example—as a group.
Offered by the Mentor is instant, on-screen access to guided troubleshooting steps. It even displays pertinent service procedures and—in many cases—service manual pages. This information can be printed for hardcopy reference. A preventative maintenance alert—with verification requirement—is also available. A modem to Milnor provides additional help.
