Industrial Textile Washing Control With Real-Time Parameter Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Industrial textile washing processes face challenges in monitoring and controlling the efficiency of washing steps, making it difficult to ensure complete cleaning, particularly in large quantities and in healthcare settings where hygiene is critical, as existing systems lack real-time monitoring and data management for process parameters.

Innovation Solution

A method and device for monitoring and controlling textile washing processes by detecting and storing process parameters such as temperature, acidity, conductivity, and flow rates during multiple washing steps, generating alerts when parameters fall outside predefined ranges, and linking this data to unique identification codes for batch tracking and quality assurance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If real-time monitoring of process parameters is implemented during washing steps, then the quality control and cleaning efficiency are improved, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequality controlVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements real-time monitoring of process parameters (temperature, pH, conductivity, flow rates) during washing steps and uses this information to control and adjust the washing process. This feedback mechanism ensures quality control by detecting deviations from optimal parameters and enabling corrective actions, thereby resolving the contradiction between improved reliability and increased device complexity through systematic parameter monitoring and control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual inspection and control methods with automated sensor-based detection and electronic data processing systems. By substituting mechanical/manual processes with electronic monitoring and automated control, the system achieves improved quality control while the complexity is managed through automation rather than manual intervention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Loss of information

If data management and storage systems are implemented for tracking washing processes, then the ability to retrieve historical data and ensure hygiene compliance is improved, but the device complexity and initial investment increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata retrieval capabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a data management system that continuously collects, stores, and organizes process parameter data during washing operations. This preliminary action of systematic data capture ensures that historical information is readily available for retrieval, hygiene compliance verification, and process optimization, resolving the contradiction between information accessibility and device complexity through proactive data management

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The data management system serves multiple functions: real-time monitoring, historical data storage, compliance verification, and process optimization. By making the system multi-functional, the patent achieves improved data retrieval capability while justifying the device complexity through the system's diverse benefits across different operational requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If multiple process parameters are monitored during all washing steps, then the completeness of cleaning verification is improved, but the measurement precision requirements and detection complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning verification completenessVSAvoidparameter detection complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the washing process into distinct steps (pre-wash, main wash, rinsing, neutralizing, water removal) and monitors specific process parameters relevant to each step. This segmentation allows for targeted measurement of temperature, pH, conductivity, and flow rates at appropriate stages, achieving complete cleaning verification while managing detection complexity through step-specific parameter selection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent monitors changes in process parameters (temperature, pH, conductivity, flow rates) throughout the washing steps rather than requiring absolute precision at all times. By detecting parameter changes and trends, the system achieves comprehensive cleaning verification while reducing the stringent precision requirements that would otherwise be necessary, thereby resolving the contradiction between verification completeness and detection complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2496751B1Method and device for industrial washing of textile
Publication Date: 2021.08.11 CHRISTEYNS
  • EP2496751B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

Textile cleaning is a service industry which meets the need to be able to reuse textile in an attractive, hygienic manner. The invention relates to an improved method for washing of textile. The invention also relates to a device (1) for washing of textile, in particular by applying the method according to the invention.