Solutions for Snags, Jams During Finishing (Conclusion)

Linen Supply: Dyan Troxel, HandCraft Linen Services, Richmond, Va.

With questions where you are not an expert, it is recommended that you go to the expert to find the answers. With that in mind, here are pointers from the director of acute operations at HandCraft Linen Services related to resolving snags and jams on the finishing side.

1. Look for mechanical action and air pressure. If the jams or snags are consistently happening in the same spot, there is a mechanical action and fix. Air pressure, distance of folding blade (downward) and bearings in rollers/overall roller health would be the first thing to ensure.
2. Ensure all belts are the correct material and elasticity. Loose and worn feed/drive and folding belts will not allow the product to be correctly presented to the machine, thus causing jams. Product riding slick belts can delay timing with the folder and affected mechanical action can cause jams or snags.
3. Ensure correct sensors and photo-eye placement and cleanliness. Sensors/photo eyes that are blocked by belts or are dirty from lint can cause jams or snags. Properly blowing out machines at breaks and post-shift will support the accuracy of the devices working as designed.
4. Watch for “alien” linen. Often in our industry, the linen we provide to our customers becomes mixed with other linen. If an uninstall was recently done or an acquisition of another laundry or hospital, there may be alien linen within the plant. By this, I mean not the typical linen ordered by the company providing service. For example, our healthcare thermal blanket is 74 inches by 100 inches. Our machine parameters are set to fold that size blanket. When a smaller, alien thermal blanket is fed, it can jam.
5. Be cautious when making belts. Specific to “snags,” the joining of two belts to make one opens the door to snags if the alligator teeth are not appropriately joined. With providers being aware of spending, the cheaper alternative of making belts can create issues for the linen riding the belts if the union of the two is incorrect.
6. Ensure accurate presentation. All folding machines work optimally when the product is presented by manufacturer specifications. Reviewing the proper technique and presentation with the feeder can help reduce jams or snags. With machines that have “feed arms,” the product should be presented evenly in half. If presented off-center, the spreader clamps may not spread the item correctly, and it goes into the iron or folder incorrectly, creating a jam. 

Uniforms/Workwear Manufacturing: Steve Berg, Encompass Group LLC, Pelican Rapids, Minn.

The old saying goes, “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” This saying holds true for laundry production as well.  

Tunnel washers or large washer-extractors are built to process large amounts of product volume in a very efficient manner. Conversely, the finishing process includes multiple steps that often process one piece or garment at a time.  

Additionally, labor becomes a larger factor. Unlike washing, the finishing process can be highly labor-intensive. Training, employee turnover and shift changes affect efficiency to a higher degree in the finishing area.  

There are also other variables that contribute to bottlenecks in the finishing area. Product mix varies constantly. The finishing machines themselves have more moving parts, which leads to more machine downtime and higher maintenance requirements.

There’s another saying we can use here: “What gets measured gets managed.” Measure actual production in the finishing area. Not just pounds and pieces, but also idle time and machine downtime. This may help illuminate the actual cause of bottlenecks.  

Make sure your layout allows for the proper staging of work so finishers are never waiting for work. 

Keep up on preventive maintenance. Even small mechanical issues can slow production. 

Also, make sure the linen is in the optimal condition possible when it reaches the finishing area. Overdried/extracted linen increases wrinkling and makes feeding
difficult. Underdried/extracted linen makes the ironers work harder and adds time to the process.  

Staging linen properly, in a condition that makes finishing as easy as possible, can add big efficiencies to the process.

Click HERE to read part 1 with suggestions from commercial laundry and chemicals supply experts.

Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Matt Poe at [email protected].