ISO 9398-1:2003

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.