INTERNATIONAL
The productivity of a laundry depends on uninterrupted processes and transparent goods flows. The solutions required for automation in the industry therefore have a high priority at Texcare International, which takes place from June 20 to 24 in Frankfurt am Main. The focus will be on artificial intelligence and intelligent information systems that help maximize the level of automation in the industry.
The most important thing in the laundry sector is the constant monitoring of the quantity, quality and storage location of the textiles in circulation on site.
The data collected form the basis for accurate price calculations, raise weak points in the system and serve as documentation for third parties. But only if all the machines and systems involved in a particular textile service are connected to one another in a single network, the logistics of the laundry service will run smoothly, with minimal downtimes of the machines, reduced circulation volumes and the resulting increase in productivity, which is closely related to this connected is. Areas of interest are:
- Transparent tracking for every single item of laundry
Automation in the processing of work clothing is already well advanced. Since the dirty laundry is sorted on arrival, each item is recorded using an identification system such as a barcode or RFID technology. From this moment on, all phases through which the textiles pass are checked.
- Robots for the dirty laundry area
However, this already high level of automation in a commercial laundry can be further refined. Artificial intelligence can simplify the “dirty” work in the reception area: robots separate and sort the soiled clothing and X-ray devices, cameras and metal detectors are used to identify foreign objects.
- Real-time laundry processes
While individual control and traceability is already widespread in the professional treatment of workwear, it is often only possible to generalize about the quantity, quality and location of textiles in flat linen. "To assess the efficiency of a company, to calculate prices and to efficiently control processes and procedures, laundries need reliable figures […]", says Martin Rauch, CSO of the Jensen Group, who operates worldwide
- Data accompany the laundry continuously
"Standing laundry trolleys, waiting times at the machines, excessive buffering and searching for items mean loss of capital […]", says Matthias Schäfer, Product Manager Laundry Logistics / Smart Laundry at Kannegiesser
- Smart to the end of the chain
There is further automation potential in picking and packaging. With intelligent storage facilities and transport solutions, intelligent batch management and the networking of devices with the laundry information system, picking is easier, faster and more reliable.
Digital developments can be found not only on a large scale, but also on a smaller scale. In heavily frequented laundries, they can take over the entire time management, as Andreas Barduna, head of management at Miele Professional, is very aware of.
The complete comments by Martin Rauch, Matthias Schäfer and Andreas Barduna can be found online at:
https://texcare.messefrankfurt.com/frankfurt/de/programme-events/automation.html#statements
