Xin Wen Yu Chuang Xin

MetriQ – the hanger loading station that offers improved ergonomics and value for money

However, the laundry industry remains one that employs a high number of personnel – and one in which critical steps depend on an operator, who handles the laundry in semi-automatic processes. As in any personnel-intensive industry, this means that improving ergonomics for the operator will also improve their wellbeing. And improved operator wellbeing means a more profitable laundry, while also reducing costs for society.

It’s in this context that JENSEN tasked its engineering team with developing a hanger loading station for garments. Ergonomics was one of the key factors to take into consideration in this process. And the result is: the MetriQ, which was released in summer 2020. The following aspects of ergonomics have been taken into account when developing MetriQ:

Feeding with “buttons-to-the-front”

In traditional systems, the hangers are always presented to the operator in the same way, meaning that the operator has to place the garment in the correct way by feeding it in from different sides, depending on the type of garment. In a mixed load, this wastes time, and can lead to ergonomic problems for the operator, especially if they have to fasten buttons or loops on the back of the garment. 

However, on a MetriQ station, the hanger can turn as required. Therefore, the garment is always fed in from front to back, meaning that the operator always places it on the same side. This enables high efficiency even when working on a mixture of items, reducing the need for pre-sorting. The option to feed in items with “buttons-to-the-front” is a particularly attractive solution for laundries that process work overalls, scrubs, and patient gowns.

The feeding in from front to back also increases productivity, as the operators do not have to change position between processing garments.

Flexible hanger height

Before, the hanger height was preset by the operator, and could not be adapted to each item of clothing. By contrast, MetriQ offers more: the hanger height can be adapted both to each operator AND to each type of garment. For example, the operator can choose a specific higher hanger position for uniforms, and a lower one for pants, as the pants are often hung using the hanger’s clips, and require a different action to secure them. The individual hanger heights can be determined in cooperation with the laundry personnel, integrating the operators into the ergonomic working environment. In this manner, the employee can set the hanger loading station to an ideal ergonomic height for each type of garment, reducing symptoms of fatigue and health-related costs. The MetriQ also offers the widest range of hanger heights in the industry.
 
A quiet and flexible design with a small footprint

In traditional solutions, the feed-in point for the hangers is often located near the operator’s ear. 

With the MetriQ, the flexible positioning of the incoming and outgoing areas makes setting up the complete hanger loading station much easier, taking into account ergonomic and effective working processes. 

The innovative solution for feeding the hangers to the operator improves work ergonomics, while also enabling a more compact footprint for the overall solution, which frees up valuable space in the production facility. The design also means that the hangers are gathered above the operator’s head, and are then conveyed down individually. From an ergonomic point of view, quieter operation reduces stress-induced illnesses. The MetriQ vertical conveyor is also much quieter than its predecessor.

Built-in lighting for an improved visual working environment

In many laundries, the working environment is often solely lit by the ceiling light.  

The MetriQ hanger loading station has been equipped with built-in lighting, which is installed where it is most useful to the operator – i.e. where the hangers are loaded. The built-in lighting improves the visual working environment, which in turn increases the operator’s efficiency and overall output. 

Another advantage of the smaller area is that the solution casts fewer shadows, making the overall working environment lighter.  This makes the area feel more open.

Optimal loading position

Loading often occurs at a height that is not ergonomic and therefore causes muscle tension. MetriQ helps relieve the strain on the operator’s shoulders and back: the loading process, i.e. the action that the operator uses to place garment on the hanger, is more flexible and enables an optimized, more ergonomic position. 

The new MetriQ hanger loading stations have already been successfully installed and have entered into operation in many laundries. The improved ergonomics have a direct effect on profitability, meaning that both the operators and the laundry managers are very satisfied with it. 

“The new MetriQ hanger loading stations were installed in September 2020. The improved ergonomics combined with the reduction in the space required won us over,” says Michael Schaub, Head of Department for Laundries at bardusch in Basel. “We wanted to create more space for logistics and shipping, while also increasing productivity to the point where we would be able to do away with the second working shift.” They soon reduced the second shift from 8 hours to 4. The company’s goal is to do everything in one shift. 

While in the old system, each hanger loading station could be loaded with 180 garments per hour, that number has now increased to 275 – 300 per hour, per station. Some operators even manage well over 300 items! Furthermore, bardusch was able to increase its capacity, as the MetriQ’s more compact footprint offers space for eight hanger loading stations instead of just six. Investing in MetriQ was a win-win for bardusch.

“By adding an additional step to the MetriQ’s rotation function, we have adapted the system in such a way that it can perform an additional 180-degree rotation following the discharge process, enabling the operator to perform a final check. Thus, we have integrated a new step into the process – inspection – while simultaneously increasing our productivity and efficiency.” says a satisfied Michael Schaub.

The new technology also serves to make the working environment more attractive, as Angelo Delpini, Head of bardusch’s Basel Branch, confirms:  

“Soon after we commissioned the new system, we could see the advantages of the improved ergonomics in the form of very positive feedback from our employees.

In the long term, we expect that our already low rates of sick leave and staff turnover will fall even further, making us a more attractive employer overall.”