Fast and efficient loading of your dispensing system: how does it work?

We are increasingly being asked whether clothing should be delivered to the dispensing system pre-sorted. The reasoning behind this is understandable: as an additional control measure, or in case of a possible malfunction. Yet in practice we usually recommend the opposite: chaotic loading, combined with smart minimum and maximum stock settings per item. That also means: no additional sorting step in the laundry before clothing is sent to the end customer.

Why does this work better in most operations? The answer lies in how the system manages itself and what that delivers in daily practice.

Why chaotic loading works

With chaotic loading, the system determines for itself where each garment fits most efficiently, based on the settings you have entered per article and per size. The system continuously takes into account the minimum and maximum stock levels you want to maintain, so you do not have to make complicated calculations yourself about what needs to be hung in.

The benefits in practice:

  • Always the right items in the right sizes available. Never too many, never too few, because the system manages based on the configured ranges per item.
  • Minimal rejection rate with chaotic loading. Compared to pre-sorted loading, fewer items fall outside the system.
  • No additional sorting step in the laundry. Clothing can return to dispensing more quickly, which shortens lead time.
  • Faster, controlled dispensing. Fewer manual intermediate steps means users receive their clothing faster.
  • No extra storage needed for containers of the same size. This saves space and logistical handling in the laundry.
  • The system does the calculations for you. You do not have to figure out what needs to be hung per lane or per unit yourself. The system uses the minimum and maximum loading per item for this.
  • Efficient distribution per unit and per lane. Based on your settings per article and per size, the system loads itself in the most logical way.

“Yes but… what if the system is down for a long time?”

This is a fair question, and often the underlying reason why some still prefer pre-sorted loading. The reasoning: in the event of a malfunction, you can still continue “manually” because you know where each size is hanging.

In practice, this risk is smaller than is often thought. That has everything to do with the uptime of the system.

Uptime

We stand by the statement that the CHIPTEX-Liner has an uptime of at least 99.75%.

Translated to 24/7 use, that means: on average the system is out of operation no more than around 22 hours per year. To support this, we have analyzed the log files of several customers over a period of several months in the past. As far as we could derive from them, the measured uptime was even 100%.

Downtime: when does it actually count?

Not every interruption counts as downtime. That is only the case when the entire system is out of operation. Specifically, this only happens in these situations:

  • The basic utilities (power, compressed air, network, server) are not available.
  • A calamity has occurred that required the operator to use the system’s emergency stop, and it cannot or will not be reset.
  • The legally required emergency stop tests are being carried out during preventive maintenance.

Curious how your system is performing? Ask your account manager to help you with a downtime report. That gives you concrete insight into how stable the system runs in your specific situation.

Optimizing clothing management together

Chaotic loading, combined with well-configured minimum and maximum stock values per article, delivers more in most laundry and dispensing environments than pre-sorted loading. The combination of speed, efficiency and minimal manual handling makes management considerably easier, and the system takes the calculation work out of your hands.

Ready to optimize clothing management together with your laundry and LCT-Textilligence? Get in touch with us. We are happy to think along about the settings that best suit your process and operation.