DIVERSITY, PRODUCTIVITY AND RELIABLE DELIVERY
As one of the largest providers of leasing textiles for hotels in south Germany, the laundry Witteler & Burkhardt processes an enormous variety of articles. The textile service provider's many customers expect nothing less than immaculate results, top quality as well as on-time and complete delivery. How is it possible to productively process sheets, table linen and terry-toweling from such a wide range of articles and colors while achieving high levels of customer satisfaction?
THE TASK
Many customers with a wide variety of articles do not make it easy for the textile service provider from Ladenburg, Germany. Machine programs have to be changed constantly, laundry batches are expected at different stations and every piece of laundry should end up with the right customer. This would not only have caused a great deal of confusion, but could also have led to reduced productivity and delayed delivery. Witteler & Burkhardt faced a major logistical challenge.
THE SOLUTION
The key of success for Witteler & Burkhardt was the automatic Process Control of the SmartLaundry by Kannegiesser. The Process Control allows to...
- increase productivity, because the continuous flow of goods enables a consistently high output.
- master diversity, as the machines automatically select the correct program.
- guarantee on-time and complete delivery, as the flow of goods is constantly controlled, monitored and documented.
The automatic control of the processing programs and the flow of goods in the laundry is made possible by the integration of machine and data technology. Each laundry batch is weighed and assigned to a customer and an article category from the database. Based on this information the batches are transported to the correct machines and processed with the optimum program – fully automatically.
THE IMPLEMENTATION
- Sorting and storage of soiled linen
On the sorting platform the laundry is weighed and sorted into laundry bags according to customer and category. The batches are stored in the monorail bag storage and distribution system for further processing. Category, customer and weight are linked to the batch and stored in the database. Washing, Extraction and Drying
The PowerTrans batch washer is automatically loaded with batches from the bag storage. Following the washing process, rinse water gets extracted in the press before the batch is loaded into the dryer via lift shuttle conveyor. All machine programs are automatically selected according to information from the database.Post Wash Storage
After drying, batches are stored in the monorail bag storage for clean linen. The white laundry bags get automatically assigned to the correct processing machine in the finishing area.Finish
As soon as a new batch is delivered from the storage to one of the ironer lines or dry work folding machines, the operator only has to press the batch change button before feeding. Machines retrieve the batch information from the database and select their programs accordingly. For ironer lines by Kannegiesser this is possible due to to the Central Program Control. Both the ironer and folding machine adapt their programs at a push of the batch change button on the feeding machine. The program changes are executed without interruption during flow of goods, as each individual item is tracked during the ironing process.Commissioning
After folding, the laundry stacks are sorted according to customer, article or machine by the Vectura stack management system. Belt conveyors transport the stacks to the assigned take-off stations. Displays show employees which stack belongs to which customer. This guarantees quick, correct and complete delivery.
THE SUCCESS
Thanks to the Process Control by Kannegiesser, machines at Witteler & Burkhardt are continuously supplied with goods and can work efficiently. Under constant control and separated by customer and category, the laundry automatically runs through the entire process, from sorting to commissioning. This ensures reliable delivery and high customer satisfaction.
