Generational shift

Taking out the dirty work…

Three very important aspects are driving the topic of robotics; productivity increase, hygiene, and occupational safety. With robotics and the associated automation, laundries improve all three issues, and without compromise.

The automated soil sorting system with robots minimises the need for human interaction for quality control and surveillance: Robots pick up the laundry pieces from conveyor belts and transport them to the X-ray scanner, which detects unwanted objects. These hidden items are then removed to ensure that no harm is done to human beings, textiles, and equipment. Robots for the soil sort can handle both linen and garments.

The Jensen Group offers these solutions together with a company from Denmark, Inwatec. The cooperation with its partner Inwatec has been in place since 2018, when Jensen Group took a 30% stake in the company. Today it is 70%. Inwatec has the structure and spirit of a start-up company, this in contrast to the Jensen Group, which has been active in the laundry industry since 1960 and employs more than 1200 people. Inwatec’s #laundrynerds and Jensen’s established laundry experts are working closely together in a very constructive and inspiring way. This cross-fertilisation has already resulted in profitable solutions in this short time.

One example is the sorting with robots in conjunction with the proven Futurail bag storage system. Here, robots take over the sorting of the laundry, which is then conveyed to the bag storage system. The conventional sorting stations with personnel operation are no longer required in this combination.

...and much more!

Robotics is not a new topic for the Jensen Group. As early as 2008, it presented its first robot for the automation of towel folders. At the time, that was tantamount to a revolution. It’s incredible how quickly and how professionally these applications have developed and how the company can offer its customers a real competitive advantage – a completely new approach that increases productivity and is also simple and quick to integrate.

Another robotic solution on the clean side is automatic storage for stacked items. It consists of modules that can be used to create unique configurations to meet any specific application. The system is used in the area of linen storage and picking for hospitals, retirement and nursing homes. It serves as a buffer between the folding machine and the logistics area, automatically storing and transporting stacked laundry items. This is a solution to automatically store flat linen and thus ensure greater hygiene – the stacks of laundry simply have fewer points of contact. Also, stock levels can be displayed at any time.

Laundry automation and robotics are of very great importance to Jensen Group. It has been part of its DNA for many years now. Customers benefit from this innovative strength, which has already proven itself in the market in many laundries in Europe and beyond.

Sustainability

Robotics add a great deal to sustainability and the saving of resources. In all Jensen Group developments, much thought goes into sustainability. In the washroom area, it recently started offering customers UVClean for the removal of germs and bacteria in the double drums, to ensure top hygiene. With this patented process, customers and end users are on the safe side. And not only them – UVClean is a 100% natural process without chemicals, without emissions. The technology of Jensen Group tunnel washers also increases productivity, and thus sustainability. With its open drum design, the transfer time from one compartment to the other is only four seconds, whereas conventional systems require eight seconds. Indeed, a four-second saving is match-decisive, says Jensen Group. “Using a standard costing model, we have a productivity increase of almost 5%, and that’s just thanks to the open drum design. Added to this is the higher swivelling angle of up to 285°, which provides better washing mechanics.”

Sustainability is about maximising output, with fewer resources. Another example can be seen in the finishing area. If we want to increase productivity here, we need to ensure that operators can focus on their main activity. Usable working time should be maximised; that of the operators and also that of the machines. The Express feeder, the fastest feeder in the world, can now we further automated with a decentralised feeder, Jenrail. With this combination, Jensen offers a doubling of output (PPOH), with a maximum production of 600 large parts per hour per operator. This is an incredible quantum leap. In addition, the system is built very compactly, as floor space is an increasingly important criterion.

The comany’s new compact Katana folding machine is a true miracle of space, allowing 4 to 6 integrated inline stackers under the cross-fold section. The new Multiblade technology in the side and cross folding sections replaces the air blower and saves up to 50% compressed air. As an added bonus, the work environment is much quieter. Laundries can produce 350 more pieces of laundry per day on the existing folding line – at no cost: Full and easy access to the folding area can reduce the time needed to unjam the folding area. Another focal point is the Kalor Gas ironer, which is characterised by very low energy consumption of only 1 kWh per kilo of evaporated water. The new gap piece is directly heated and designed as a flexible chest turned inside out and upside down, which increases the ironing length by another 1000 mm per gap piece. The two directly heated gap pieces are heated with oil in a unique countercurrent process, allowing each gap piece to be heated to the maximum temperature. In principle, each gap piece works like an additional roller with a smaller diameter, thus increasing the capacity of the ironer.

Jensen Group garment finishing solutions have also been redesigned for sustainability purposes, specifically the loading stations. The new MetriQ loading station features the unique the buttons-to-the-front feature, which allows the hangers to be fitted with buttons facing the operator. This is a great advantage for scrubs, surgical gowns and patient shirts, for example, where there is a button panel on the back. The tedious and time-consuming backward reaching is completely eliminated, the operator only has to press a button and the hanger turns on its own axis. This new method enables mixed production and simplifies the washing process. Health related costs are reduced with the flexible feed height. The new station also operates more quietly because the hangers run overhead along a rail at a safe distance from the operator’s hearing. Built-in lights improve visibility while working. The new MetriQ also has a very compact design: Five MetriQ stations take up as much space as four conventional stations. This is particularly relevant for laundries with limited space.

Data management creating Synergies

All these exciting product developments for every area of the laundry are interlinked with new data management solutions to create enormous synergy effects. Until recently, the data for the individual garments parts was only read at the loading station or at the inspection station after finishing. With GeniusFlow, this process now already takes place in the soil sorting area, using the data from the sorting process to make better use of the storage space on the clean side. GeniusFlow optimises the use of storage space on the rail, route allocation and the effective number of sorted garments.

What will the future bring?

This combination of technology and data use will be used even more. The use of data in the sorting area of flatwork in the finishing area is also on the 2022 agenda, and jensen Group has already defined further focal points. There is no doubt that robotics, including modern logistics solutions and digitisation, will continue to advance. The technological requirements and the legal framework differ greatly from region to region, from country to country. That is why Jensen Group is translating this global vision into local approaches, because countries will develop at different rates.