Milnor 30022F Series, Service, Page: 15 / 100

MSIN0210AE/9330AV
È ABOUT THE FORCES TRANSMITTED
BY MILNOR
®
WASHER-EXTRACTORS
During both washing and extracting, all washer- extractors transmit both static and dynamic or cyclic forces
to the floor, to the foundation, or to any other supporting structure. During washing, the impact of the goods as they
drop imparts forces which are quite difficult to quantify. Size for size, both rigid and flexibly-mounted machines
transmit approximately the same forces during washing. During extracting, rigid machines transmit forces up to 30
times greater than equivalent flexibly-mounted models. The actual magnitude of these forces vary—depending on
the machine size; the final extraction speed; the amount, condition and type of goods being processed; the liquor
level and chemical conditions in the bath preceding extraction; and on several other factors. Estimates of the maxi-
mum force normally encountered are available for each Milnor
®
model and size upon request. Floor or foundation
sizes shown on any Milnor
®
document are only for on-grade situations based only on previous experience without
implying any warranty, obligation, or responsibility on our part.
Ë Rigid Machines
—Size for size, rigid washer-extractors naturally require a stronger, more rigid floor, founda-
tion or other supporting structure than flexibly-mounted models. Providing the supporting soil under the slab is itself
strong and rigid enough and has not subsided to leave the floor slab suspended without support, on grade installa-
tions can often be made directly to an existing floor slab if it has sufficient strength and rigidity to safely withstand
our published forces without transmitting undue vibration. If the subsoil has subsided, or if the floor slab itself has
insufficient strength and rigidity, a deeper foundation, poured as to become monolithic with the floor slab, may be
required. Support piles may even be required if the subsoil itself is “springy” (i.e., if its resonant frequency is near
the machine’s operating speed). Above grade installations of rigid machines also require a sufficiently strong and
rigid floor or other supporting structure as described below.
Ë Flexibly-Mounted Machines
—Size for size, flexibly-mounted machines generally do not require as
strong a floor, foundation, or other supporting structure as do rigid machines. However, a floor or other supporting
structure having sufficient strength and rigidity (as described below) is nonetheless vitally important for these mod-
els as well.
Ë How Strong and Rigid?
—Many USA building codes specify that laundry floors must have a minimum live
load capability of 150 pounds per square foot (732 kg per square meter). However, even compliance with this or any
other standard does not necessarily guarantee sufficient rigidity. In any event, it is the sole responsibility of the
owner/user to assure that the floor and/or any other supporting structure exceeds not only all applicable building
codes, but also that the floor and/or any other supporting structure for each washer-extractor or group of washer-
extractors actually has sufficient strength and rigidity, plus a reasonable factor of safety for both, to support the
weight of all the fully loaded machine(s) including the weight of the water and goods, and including the published
360
o
rotating sinusoidal RMS forces that are transmitted by the machine(s). Moreover, the floor, foundation, or
other supporting structure must have sufficient rigidity (i.e. a natural or resonant frequency many times greater than
the machine speed with a reasonable factor of safety); otherwise, the mentioned 360
o
rotating sinusoidal RMS
forces can be multiplied and magnified many times. It is especially important to consider all potential vibration
problems that might occur due to all possible combinations of forcing frequencies (rotating speeds) of the ma-
chine(s) compared to the natural frequencies of the floor and/or any other supporting structure(s). A qualified soil
and/or structural engineer must be engaged for this purpose.
FIGURE 1 above is intended to depict both on-grade and above grade installations and are equally applicable to
flexibly-mounted washer-extractors, as well as to rigid models installed either directly on a floor slab or on a foun-
dation poured integrally with the slab. Current machine data is available from Milnor
®
upon request. All data is
subject to change without notice and may have changed since last printed. It is the sole responsibility of every
potential owner to obtain written confirmation that any data furnished by Milnor
®
applies for the model(s) and serial
number(s) of the specific machine(s).
Î FIGURE 1
(MSIN0210AE)
Î How Rotating Forces Act on the Foundation