When customers purchase plastic tray washing machines, one of their primary concerns is price. In fact, pallet dimensions, hourly throughput, residue on the pallets, cleaning requirements, and whether rinsing, disinfection, and drying are needed all affect the final solution. Therefore, an accurate quote should be based on actual operating conditions and equipment configuration, rather than simply providing a standard price.
Provide Detailed Pallet Dimensions
The length, width, height, weight, and material of the pallets are key parameters for determining the equipment's design. If the pallets have holes, raised edges, handles, or special features, this should also be specified in advance.
This information affects the conveyor width, guide rail positioning, and the design of the spray system. Lonkia plastic tray washing machines are equipped with an adjustable guide system that can be adapted to different pallet specifications. Providing photos, dimensional drawings, or physical samples of the pallets helps the manufacturer determine the equipment configuration more accurately.
Specify the Number of Trays to Be Washed Per Hour
Customers are advised to directly specify the number of trays that need to be washed per hour. For example, how many trays need to be processed per hour and how long the production line runs continuously.
These figures affect the trays' travel speed within the machine and the effective washing time, and they also determine the washer's conveyor and washing configurations. A reasonable speed design affects not only throughput but also the final cleaning results.
Inform the Manufacturer About the Types of Contaminants on the Pallets
Residues generated in different food processing stages vary significantly. Pallets may be contaminated with flour, dough, food scraps, grease, sauces, or other sticky residues.
Therefore, when requesting a quote, it is best to specify the exact types of contaminants, the severity of the residue, and how long after use the pallets typically enter the washing process.
This information helps the manufacturer determine the spray pressure, cleaning duration, water temperature, and detergent application method, thereby preventing a mismatch between the equipment configuration and the actual contamination conditions.
Confirm the Required Cleaning Process
Cleaning plastic trays is not simply a matter of rinsing with water. Depending on specific requirements, the equipment can be configured with different zones—such as pre-wash, main wash, and rinse—to ensure the trays undergo a continuous cleaning process.
Lonkia industrial tray washers feature a zoned cleaning structure and are equipped with high-pressure spray systems and filtration systems. Through the coordinated operation of these different zones, food residues on the pallets can be continuously treated.
If customers have specific requirements regarding cleaning effectiveness, they can provide actual pallets in advance for testing to further determine cleaning parameters and equipment configuration.
Is Disinfection and Drying Required?
Some customers only require basic cleaning, while food manufacturers may also need additional disinfection. Therefore, when requesting a quote, you should specify whether disinfection functionality is required.
Additionally, you need to confirm whether surface moisture on the trays needs to be reduced after washing. If so, the equipment can be configured with an appropriate drying module based on your production process.
Both disinfection and drying are optional features; confirming these requirements in advance ensures a more comprehensive quote and avoids the need to revise the equipment configuration later due to added features.
What Configurations Should Be Confirmed When Requesting a Quote?
When comparing prices for industrial tray washers from different suppliers, it is not recommended to focus solely on the final quoted price. It is more important to confirm exactly which equipment components are included in the quote.
We recommend focusing on the following:
- Washing and rinsing zones
- High-pressure spray system
- Tray conveyor system
- Adjustable guidance system
- Water tank and filtration system
- Control system
- Heating configuration
- Disinfection system
- Drying module
Only after confirming that the configurations are consistent can quotes from different suppliers be truly comparable.
Prepare These 10 Pieces of Information Before Requesting a Quote
To obtain accurate quotes for plastic tray washing machines more quickly, customers can prepare the following information in advance:
- Tray length, width, and height
- Tray material
- Tray weight
- Photos or dimension drawings of the trays
- Hourly cleaning capacity
- Primary types of contaminants on the trays
- Degree of contaminant residue
- Post-cleaning hygiene requirements
- Whether disinfection is required
- Whether drying is required
The more complete this information is, the easier it will be for manufacturers to determine the machine's structure and configuration based on the actual application.
Conclusion
To obtain an accurate quote for a plastic tray washing machine, first determine what type of machine is needed.
Only after providing tray specifications, processing capacity, contamination types, and cleaning requirements can the manufacturer further determine the conveyor system, spray system, cleaning zones, and configurations such as disinfection and drying. Lonkia can match equipment solutions based on the customer's tray parameters and actual cleaning needs, helping customers obtain a clearer configuration and quote for the plastic tray washing machine.
