Page 55 - CIJ July 2024 Digital Edition
P. 55
LAUNDRY
technology, can accurately sort garments AI-driven Processing
based on fabric type, colour, and other
attributes. AI-powered systems can obots pick pre-treated for stains
analyze garments to detect stains and up laundry and washed, they need
determine the best treatment method. This pieces from a to be dried and folded.
level of precision ensures that stains are conveyor belt Industrial laundries wash
effectively removed without damaging Rand transport and dry textiles in a highly
the fabric. By automating this process, them to an X-ray scanner. automated environment
drycleaners can achieve higher levels of If the scanner identifies to cope with the large
quality and consistency in their cleaning an unexpected item, the quantities of dirty linen,
services. piece will be sorted out but still require manual
and handed over to quality work for a few gaps in the
AI also enhances the customer control. Here, human eyes automation chain. Each
experience by enabling personalized and hands identify the folding machine required
services. By analyzing customer data, object and either remove an employee to feed the
AI systems can identify preferences it or give the system a laundry and spread it out
and tailor services to meet individual green light for further without any wrinkles, but
needs. For example, if a customer processing. If a garment is now a system has been
frequently requests a specific type of already marked, an RFID designed to provide a
fabric treatment, the AI system can chip reader identifies the solution, feeding towels
automatically apply this preference to linen piece or garment and other terrycloth items
future orders. This level of personalization and determines further into folding machines to
helps in building customer loyalty and sorting in the system. It close the gap. AI analyses
satisfaction. is also possible to sort the the textile and translates
dirty laundry into different these findings into robotic
The market for laundry folding robots washing batches based on commands. According to
is experiencing significant growth, driven colour, into light and dark. reports, one of the latest
by the demand for automation in handling However, hotel textiles developments in automated
labour-intensive tasks. These robots have a closely spaced folding deals with the
are designed to automate the folding colour palette, which separation and feeding of
of laundry, a task that is both time- makes it difficult to clearly terry towels to the machine.
consuming and repetitive, making it an separate the individual Instead of an employee
ideal candidate for robotic automation. shades, especially after taking the laundry out of
One of the primary drivers of this repeated washing. the trolley, spreading it
out and feeding it into the
market growth is the efficiency and The challenge with folding machine without
consistency that laundry folding robots every AI project is to creases, robots take over
bring to the process. Traditional manual empower machines with the task. With the help
folding methods can be inconsistent and enough learning capacity of image recognition
prone to errors, leading to variations in so they can deal with a systems, a mechanical
the quality of the folded laundry. Laundry variety of tasks and objects arm grabs a towel from a
folding robots, on the other hand, can fold effectively. While human laundry trolley. The robot
items with high precision and consistency, minds have the ability to recognises the corners of
ensuring uniformity and quality in the adapt effortlessly to new the towel with the help of
problems, robots have to
finished product. be programmed to do so. cameras and sensors and
Furthermore, laundry folding robots The way to get a machine places it on a conveyor belt
so that another robot arm
offer significant cost savings. While the learning is through the can pick it up and clamp
initial investment in these robots can be right algorithms and a large it in two grippers. These
high, the long-term savings in labour costs amount of data. Which is then spread out the width
and the reduction in errors and rework why any intelligent laundry of the towelling and place
can offset this investment. Additionally, revolution is linked to it on the conveyor belt of
the robots’ ability to work continuously smart data management the folding machine. The
without breaks or fatigue further enhances solutions. textile is folded, stacked
productivity and cost efficiency. Once clothes are sorted, and, if required, packaged. CIJ
Clean India Journal•JULY 2024 55
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