Jun. 30, 2021
How Can This Small Factory Achieve Outstanding Result With Minimizing Effort And Cost By Using Gas?
In 2017, "International Laundry Digest" published a factory article introduced that how a small laundry factory owner, Mr. Yang, can get good results by using 18 people, 5 single machines and a direct-fired ironing line have a monthly turnover of about 62000 USD, and have won a good reputation from customers. It also motivates more managers of small laundry factories to make the direction.
Now that 4 years have passed, how has Mr. Yang and his Extraordinary Washing developed? Does he have any new experience to share with the factory management? With these questions, we visited his factory and investigate its development and growth in the past four years.
If anyone in this industry has always maintained a spirit of exploration, has a sincere pursuit of laundry, and has persistent perseverance in research, Mr. Yang must be the first to bear the brunt. After four years of development, His laundry plant has increased from 5 stand-alone machines to 8 stand-alone machines, direct-fired ironing line increased from one to two, and the production staff has been reduced from 18 to 14, and the per capita PPOH has exceeded 50 kg, the monthly turnover has also increased from 400,000 to nearly 500,000. The business volume has increased, but the personnel has decreased; the benefit has increased, but the expenditure has decreased. Undoubtedly, these data are the best proof of the development of this laundry plant.
In order to pursue the benign development of the factory, Mr. Yang worked really hard. At first, in order to prevent the laundry factory from being constrained by steam, he made many attempts and used a steam-free (Gas) ironing machine and dryer. This was a fantasy in the eyes of many people at that time.
Many people did not believe Mr. Yang at the beginning, then they came to his factory, and now they see it. It is true.
In order to completely get rid of the laundry factory’s dependence on steam and reduce energy consumption, the low-temperature washing process has been actively explored since 2010. After many times discussion with the engineer from the chemical material manufacturer, he finally determined a set of low-temperature chemical materials, the main washing temperature is 40-50 ℃. Over the years, he has been using low-temperature washing, and its cleanliness, whiteness, flexibility, and other indicators meet the requirements of customers. At the same time, as the washing temperature is reduced and the water heating is reduced, the cost of water, electricity, gas (steam), and other costs are effectively reduced. At the same time, it is more energy-saving and emission-reducing, increasing the washing times of linen, and reducing the cost of linen use for customers.
"Many people have misunderstandings about low-temperature washing. Low-temperature washing is not cold water washing or room temperature washing. Low-temperature washing requires temperature, and the water temperature must reach 40-50 ℃. For protein stains such as human secretions or excrement, the temperature closest to the body temperature of the human body is most conducive to removal. Other stains can also be effectively removed at this temperature, so the washing effect of low-temperature washing is completely guaranteed. In addition, low-temperature washing is very energy-efficient. It is estimated that when the water temperature drops from 70°C to 45°C, at least the energy cost of the washing part can be reduced by more than 30%." For low-temperature washing, Mr. Yang agrees very much.
Adhering to the purpose of digging deeper into the efficiency of the factory, Mr. Yang is also fascinated by the research on the collection and utilization of heat energy in the factory. He said that the laundry factory is really an interesting contradiction. On the one hand, the washing production process is inseparable from heat energy. Drying and ironing require a large amount of heat energy. On the other hand, part of the heat energy is consumed in the production process and a considerable amount of waste heat is also generated. The water vapor is emitted in the workshop; at the same time, due to continuous work, the machinery and equipment will release heat; coupled with the heat dissipation of the pipe during the conveying process, and the heat dissipation of the dripping, the original high temperature in the summer, the washing workshop is even hotter and moisture.
In response to this situation, Mr. Yang hopes to find a way to reduce high temperature and high humidity, while converting high-temperature heat sources into recyclable energy, so as to achieve multiple goals, not only cooling down, energy-saving, and emission reduction, but also creating a good working environment for employees in the factory. After continuous research and comparing, Mr. Yang finally found a solution to achieve the above effect-air source heat pump.
An air-source heat pump is an energy-saving device that uses high-level energy to make heat flow from low-level heat source air to a high-level heat source. Absorb the low-grade heat energy in the air, evaporate the medium, pressurize it by the compressor, pressurize it, and then convert it to water heating through the condensation of the medium; heat the water through the heat energy released by the phase change of the medium, and force convection through the fan Absorb the heat of the air. The heated hot water is used for washing, and the cold air from the main engine is sent to the operating post through the air duct for local cooling. In this process, the heat energy in the workshop environment is absorbed by the air source heat pump host. It can be said to kill two birds with one stone.
"Our factory has no steam and no steam generator. The water temperature of the main washing part is guaranteed by collected heat energy. With the combination of low-temperature washing and direct-fired ironing machines, the factory has completely realized steam-free production. Not only is it no longer constrained by steam, but it also greatly saves energy consumption.” Mr. Yang also told us that not only the temperature control, but the use of air-source heat pumps can also control the humidity in the factory. Its dehumidification function and air-conditioning are the same functions, so the humidity of the working place of the employees in the factory can reach between 40%-60%. This is a very comfortable humidity value. It is also the business model of air source heat pump + low-temperature washing + direct-fired Gas finishing that makes the laundry plant completely bid farewell to steam, which greatly reduces the energy consumption in the factory and effectively saves costs.
At present, there are 4 oasis washing machines, 4 oasis Gas dryers, and a set of oasis five-roller gas ironing lines. Regarding the evaluation of Oasis’ equipment, Mr. Yang told us without any doubt: very good! In the future, we will consider gradually replacing all the equipment with Oasis equipment.
Speaking of the reasons for choosing Oasis, Mr. Yang smiled and told us that it was "beginning with appearance and later being loyal to its quality". At the washing exhibition about four or five years ago, Mr. Yang saw the washing machine of Oasis at a glance, so he immediately bought one. After using it, he was pleasantly surprised to find that the Oasis washing machine is not only good in appearance but also good in washing effect, so he bought an Oasis 50 kg direct-fired gas dryer again. Since then, Oasis’s 4 washing machines, 4 Gas dryers, and a set of gas ironing lines have successively entered the factory.
He said that in the selection of equipment, he firstly pays attention to the quality of equipment, and secondly pays attention to the strength of the enterprise. As far as quality is concerned, he knows the dry cleaning equipment of Oasis very well. Later, when purchasing washing equipment, he went to the factory for field visits. He saw that the company of Oasis has a considerable scale. Many of the equipment is produced in molds, and most of the accessories are completed in the factory, and tens of millions of mold equipment and machining centers are in operation. It also increased its interest in using Oasis equipment. At the same time, the manufacturer's requirements for improvements made in the actual use of Mr.Yang’s laundry factory were also implemented in a timely manner, allowing the equipment to play an active role in his laundry factory, and ensuring the safe and efficient operation of the equipment. It also proves that Oasis is a trustworthy company.
