Overview
ISO 9398-1:2003 specifies definitions and test methods for flatwork ironing machines used in industrial laundry plants. The standard defines how to measure machine capacity, power/energy consumption, and hourly productivity for flatwork ironers with a contact surface area greater than 0.25 m². It is intended as a reference for drafting purchasing specifications and for objective performance comparison. Note: ISO 9398-1:2003 does not cover safety requirements (see ISO 10472-5).
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope and applicability
- Applies to flatwork ironing machines (contact area > 0.25 m²).
- Used as a reference for procurement and performance testing.
- Test loads and conditioning
- Standard test load: 200 sheets or enough sheets for 30 minutes of operation at the manufacturer’s linear speed.
- Sheets: white decatized cotton, mass per unit area (140 ± 20) g/m², dimensions (240 ± 20) cm × (180 ± 20) cm.
- Residual moisture after rinsing/extraction: (55 ± 1) % (or equivalent expressed against a dried mass at 8% moisture).
- Residual moisture testing
- Condition machine 30 minutes to thermal equilibrium.
- Test at linear speeds 0.85·v0 and 1.15·v0 (v0 = manufacturer speed), repeat and plot residual moisture vs. speed.
- Determine the speed v1 that yields 8% residual moisture after flat-ironing.
- Energy consumption
- Measured for two successive runs at v1 (15 min pause between), sheets spaced ~0.20 m.
- Express as kJ or kWh per kg of processed linen or per kg of water evaporated.
- Record mechanical (motor) and thermal (heating: steam, gas, electricity, thermal oil) energy; total consumption is their sum.
- Hourly productivity
- Defined as sheets or mass processed per hour under specified test conditions.
- Expressed as number of sheets/hour, mass of water evaporated/hour, or kg of linen brought to 8% residual moisture per hour.
- Machine information / specification items
- Manufacturer, type/reference, number of beds/cylinders, roll diameters/types, working pressures, nominal steam pressure, maximum linear speed, working width, machine mass, heating energy type and consumption, max electrical power, etc.
Applications and users
- Who uses ISO 9398-1:2003
- Manufacturers of industrial flatwork ironers (for rating plates and performance data).
- Procurement teams and buyers drafting purchasing orders and technical specifications.
- Testing laboratories and third-party evaluators comparing machine capacity and energy efficiency.
- Industrial laundry operators evaluating throughput, energy costs, and equipment ROI.
- Practical uses
- Standardized comparison of ironing machines for tendering and purchase decisions.
- Objective measurement of energy efficiency (kWh/kg) to manage operational costs.
- Capacity planning and line balancing in laundries (sheets/hr, kg/hr).
Related standards
- ISO 9398 (other parts): Part 2 (Batch drying tumblers), Part 3 (Washing tunnels), Part 4 (Washer-extractors)
- ISO 10472-5: Safety requirements for flatwork ironers, feeders and folders
- ISO 7772 series: Assessment of machinery effects on textiles
Keywords: ISO 9398-1:2003, flatwork ironing machines, industrial laundry machines, capacity testing, energy consumption, hourly productivity, residual moisture, decatized cotton, purchasing specifications.
Open preview (PDF)Specifications for industrial laundry machines — Definitions and testing of capacity and consumption characteristics — Part 1: Flatwork ironing machines