In the global linen laundry industry, the medical linen laundry is an important link in the hospital logistics support. The washing quality of the medical textiles directly affects the medical security and reputation of a hospital. The reasonable zoning and efficient equipment configuration of medical laundry factories are the keys to ensuring the quality of laundry.
The Components of the Medical Laundry Plant
❑ Laundry workshop
It is mainly for laying out laundry equipment and completing operations such as washing, drying, ironing, folding, stacking, and packaging. The equipment configuration of this zone should ensure the continuity and efficiency of the operation process. Also, it should meet the hygienic and safety standards:
The barrier washer should be placed between the dirty area and the clean area in the workshop to ensure that linen does not cross-contaminate during the washing process.
Dryers and ironers should be rationally laid out according to the type of linen and processing requirements to enhance production efficiency.
❑ Subsidiary rooms
The subsidiary rooms are the important components of the medical laundry plant. Subsidiary rooms include offices, living quarters(bathrooms, changing rooms, shower rooms…), storage rooms (textile and laundry consumables warehouses), maintenance rooms, boiler rooms, water treatment rooms, distribution rooms, temporary storage areas for medical waste, and centralized supply of medical compressed air, etc. These subsidiary rooms provide necessary support for the daily operation of the laundry plants and ensure the normal operation of equipment and a good working environment.
Main Equipment of the Medical Laundry Plants
❑ Barrier washer
A barrier washer should be one of the core medical laundry equipment. The washing zone is divided into two separate operating zones: the dirty linen zone and the clean zone. Clothes are loaded into the machine door on the dirty area side and taken out from the machine door on the clean area side after washing. This design effectively prevents cross-contamination of clothes caused by contaminants such as floating dust entering the clean area during loading and discharging. In addition, the barrier washer also has the advantages of efficient washing, water and electricity conservation, etc., and can meet the strict hygiene requirements of hospitals for linen washing.
❑ Dryer
The main function of the dryer is to reduce the moisture content of the linen and make it dry. By the hot air and the tumbling of the drum, the water content of the linen is evaporated. In the medical linen laundry plant, the dryers are mainly used for treating garments, linen for the operating room, and so on. When choosing dryers, the capacity, heat efficiency, and automation degree should all be considered to ensure their drying effect and production efficiency.
❑ Tunnel finisher
The tunnel finisher is a high-efficiency drying equipment. It is especially suitable for drying and shaping of polyester-cotton fiber clothing such as hospital white coats, nurse uniforms, and hospital gowns. The workers place the dehydrated clothes on the transmission line in a single-piece, three-dimensional hanging manner. After the clothes enter the tunnel finisher, they are blown and dried by high-temperature steam to smooth out the wrinkles of the clothes. The tunnel finisher not only enhances the drying efficiency but also reduces the wear and tear of clothes and prolongs the service life of linen.
❑ Ironer
The ironers are mainly used for the ironing and drying of flat fabrics, such as bed sheets, quilt covers, pillowcases, etc. Roller ironers use the pressure belt and guide belt to make the linen move along the surface of the heated roller so that the linen can be flat and dry. Highly efficient ironers can greatly improve the flatness and cleanliness of the linen, so as to improve the overall image of the hospital.
❑ Ironing table
Ironing tables are important equipment for garment finishing, especially suitable for handling clothes that require fine ironing. When choosing ironing tables, they should first consider the models with suction and blowing functions. Such tables can effectively remove moisture generated during ironing, improving ironing results and work efficiency.
❑ Air compressor
An air compressor is one of the subsidiary devices in the medical laundry plants. It provides kinetic energy for the pneumatic components of the barrier washer, tunnel washer, water extraction press, front-tilt dryer, spreading feeder, garment sorting and finishing system, folders, and so on. When choosing an air compressor, it is necessary to consider its function with a refrigerated dryer to reduce the moisture in the compressed air and ensure that the control function of the equipment is more precise.
❑ Water Softening Equipment
The water quality is the key factor that affects the washing quality. The normal water is hard and contains high levels of calcium and magnesium. It will decrease the effect of the detergents and have a bad effect on the whiteness and hand feel of the washed linen. As a result, the medical laundry plants should be equipped with water softening equipment and perform water softening to make their hardness lower than 75ppm. When choosing water softening equipment, it is recommended to choose models according to the daily water consumption and ensure the soft water can match the laundry water so as to improve the washing quality and extend the lifespan of the equipment.
Suggestion
❑ Reasonable planning
● Clarified function zoning
The laundry workshop should be divided into the soiled item area and the clean area to avoid linen from being cross-contaminated.
The subsidiary rooms should be planned reasonably according to the functions. The storage rooms should be close to the laundry shop so that the washing consumables can be obtained and stored easily. The maintenance room should be equipped with the necessary tools and devices that help maintain equipment on time.
● Working process
The equipment layout of the laundry workshop should be optimized according to the handling process of the linen. From collection, washing, drying, to ironing, folding, and packaging, every link should be smooth and linked to reduce unnecessary moving and waiting time.
❑ High-efficiency equipment
● Suitable Equipment Model
According to the linen and the washing requirements, barrier washers with suitable capacity and performance, dryers, tunnel finishers, ironers, and other devices should be chosen. Also, the production efficiency, energy consumption, maintenance cost, and other factors should be considered.
The water softening equipment and air compressors should match the actual water consumption and air consumption to ensure the stable operation of the equipment and production requirements.
● Automation and Intelligence
Choose the equipment with automation and intelligence, like an automatic control system and a fault alarm system. These functions can improve the operating efficiency of the equipment, reduce manual operation mistakes, and reduce the maintenance costs.
Barrier washers can adjust the washing parameters according to the linen types and the degree of dirt to ensure the washing effects. The fault alarm function can inform the operators in time when the machines malfunction and avoid damage to the equipment.
❑ Equipment Maintenance and Management
● Establish an equipment maintenance system
Establish detailed equipment maintenance plans and do regular inspection and maintenance on the equipment. The barrier washer’s sealing performance, dryers’ heat efficiency, and ironers’ ironing effect should be regularly checked to make sure that the equipment is in a good operating condition.
Make a record of the equipment maintenance to record the maintenance time, concept, and results in detail so as to easily track and analyze the operating condition of the equipment.
● Training Professional Workers
Provide professional training for equipment operators and maintenance personnel to familiarize them with the performance, operation procedures, and key points of maintenance of the equipment. Regularly organize technical exchanges and training activities to enhance the technical proficiency and operational skills of employees.
Train operators to use barrier washers correctly to prevent equipment damage or cross-contamination caused by improper operation. Train maintenance personnel to master the maintenance skills of air compressors and soft water equipment to ensure the normal operation of the equipment.
Post time: Jul-28-2025