HDF is introducing a program to streamline laundry operations based on automatic identification techniques. It is the only solution of its kind on the market that operates using RFID technology.
HDF Sp. z o.o., a company specializing in creating process management software, is introducing its proprietary program HDF Pralnia 2007. The solution is aimed at medium and large laundries. Automating processes using automatic identification techniques significantly increases their efficiency – especially for those laundries that accept large quantities of clothing for cleaning (e.g., from institutional clients – plants or factories commissioning the cleaning of their employees’ workwear). A significantly reduced number of so-called “human errors” is another benefit of using the program.
– This is a unique solution: due to the market segment it is aimed at, its very broad functionality, and the ability to work based on both barcode and RFID technologies. – says Sebastian Nawrot, Key Account Manager, HDF Sp. z o.o. – The program automates processes, clearly improving their quality and increasing the company’s efficiency. Furthermore, adaptation to the advanced radio frequency identification system RFID – known as the technology of the future – means that HDF Pralnia 2007 is a long-term investment for clients.
– This is a unique solution: due to the market segment it is aimed at, its very broad functionality, and the ability to work based on both barcode and RFID technologies. – says Sebastian Nawrot, Key Account Manager, HDF Sp. z o.o. – The program automates processes, clearly improving their quality and increasing the company’s efficiency. Furthermore, adaptation to the advanced radio frequency identification system RFID – known as the technology of the future – means that HDF Pralnia 2007 is a long-term investment for clients.
Before accepting clothing for cleaning, the laundry employee places barcode labels on it (the program allows for their generation) – HDF recommends using heat-seal labels, printed on thermal transfer printers and ironed onto the clothing at a temperature of 200°C (at the client’s request, HDF can handle the printing of labels). Labels prepared in this way are sufficient for approx. 30-50 washes. The durability of the carrier (against high temperature, chemical agents, mechanical damage) and the quality of the print are of fundamental importance, as the barcode goes through – along with the clothing – a full washing and cleaning cycle.
The laundry employee accepting the clothing scans the labels on it using a terminal. The data encoded in the labels – the owner’s first and last name, company name, laundry employee code, type and size of accepted clothing, and their condition – are automatically transferred to the computer, and the program registers the receipt of the clothing. At this stage, the laundry employee can assign a status to the clothing (e.g., damaged, requires repair, etc.). After cleaning is completed, by scanning the label, one can quickly obtain information about the location of a given item and the place where it should be put away. Before releasing the clothing to the client, the label must be scanned again – the program will compare whether the released clothing corresponds to the accepted items and will register the release.
The application offers many additional benefits, including the ability to define the frequency of clothing replacement – in which case the application itself will remind laundry employees of the need to ask the client to hand over clothing for cleaning. Clothing “passing through” the laundry is automatically grouped – the program generates a summary with information on how many and what type of clothing a given client has handed over. Additionally, HDF can adapt the program to the individual requirements of the client – e.g., in terms of specific requirements (e.g., corporate) regarding reporting or grading access rights for employees.
The program also operates based on RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), which is a radio identification system. This technology allows, among other things, for significant time savings, as remote reading and writing of data based on radio waves eliminates the need for scanning (data is “read” automatically by special gates). HDF, while offering all elements of the RFID system (transponders, readers, antennas), also proposes special RFID laundry tags – these data carriers are safe even for delicate fabrics (they have no sharp edges), extremely resistant to repeated washing (even when using strong chemical agents), and at the same time very small.
HDF Pralnia 2007 consists of two parts: an application for a PC and an application for a terminal. The latter works with the Motorola/Symbol MC3000 barcode terminal (at the client’s request, HDF can adapt the program to work with other terminals from this company). HDF Pralnia 2007 is a network and multi-station program. Thanks to its clear, intuitive interface, it is easy to use, even for less IT-savvy employees.