Tunnel Commander

Remote Control:
Watching and Operating from Afar
By Thomas Noble

The computer graphics of National Car Washs Tunnel Commander show the operator information like vehicle status, wash process selected, chemical consumption, number of cars washed, alarms, and troubleshooting status.
The key to success in small business is the ability to run the day-to-day operation while addressing the numerous other issues such as financing, personnel, and insurance a small-businessman must confront. Add to this equation the fact that many entrepreneurs start their businesses while working full time for another employer. Its no surprise, then, that the ability to be in more than one place at the same time is critical to a small business success.

An example of this American small-business success story is the car wash. Car washes have become more and more automated, allowing owners to operate their businesses with fewer employees. The automated car wash has become a small-businessmans ideal investment vehicle.

Now car wash owners have the ability to run their business without even being on site through remote monitoring and control. This technology provides the ability to get information about a facility from wherever the owner happens to be at home, at the office, on a business trip, even on vacation and act upon it.

EASILY ACCESSING DATA

Using a personal computer or PDA with Internet access, a car wash owner has access to a broad range of operational data, such as the number of vehicles through the car wash in a given period, the types of washes customers are selecting, the revenues for that day, and even the status of the wash chemical levels.

But remote monitoring has been around for awhile. Remote control is about more than just keeping tabs on numbers the interactive capability actually allows the car wash owner to run the business from a PC or PDA. The owner can turn off the dryers, turn on the lights, re-start the wash process, and even close the doors at night.

The modularity and built-in disconnects of the Telemecanique U-Line contactors substantially reduce the size of the motor control cabinet of the system.
This capability allows car wash owners to avoid paying onsite technical experts without having to worry about the business coming to a halt. Onsite technical staff is expensive, particularly when it is not unusual for a full-service car wash to already employ up to 10 people to work the cash registers, vacuum interiors, prep the cars for the wash cycle, clean the windows and floor mats, and chamois the vehicles. Not having skilled technical support available can put the entire operation at risk because even the simplest maintenance issue such as a clogged hose can shut down everything.

Remote monitoring also simplifies data collection and the understanding of every facet of the car wash. With this window into daily operations and the ability to do routine maintenance remotely, it is entirely possible to operate a car wash on full automatic.

If an individual owns just one car wash, remote monitoring and control might be nice to have but not necessary or cost-effective. The owner can just as easily check on the facility in person if it is nearby and convenient.

If an investor owns multiple car wash facilities or has other businesses, however, remote monitoring and control is almost a necessity. Rather than driving around from one facility to another or leaving a primary occupation to check on car wash facilities the owner can use such capabilities to tap into any location from home or the office, determine the status of each car wash, deal with supply or maintenance issues directly, or dispatch a contracted service company to take care of everything.

AVOID UNSCHEDULED SHUTDOWNS

Remote monitoring also helps to minimize maintenance issues and reduce downtime by notifying the owner in advance when events have the potential to disrupt the car wash operation. This could include anything from low chemical levels to a stalled conveyor. A remote monitoring system is smart enough to alert the owner to these types of situations at the car wash, via an e-mail or signaling an audible alarm on a PDA. By going online, the owner or contracted service company can access the car wash, identify system faults, and possibly correct them remotely. Or, if on-site service needs to be dispatched, the problem can be identified before the service person arrives, saving both time and money.

An added benefit of remote monitoring is the car wash operational information it collects to help the owner evaluate the performance of the facility. It shows the busiest and slowest time periods for the car wash and monitors the types of washes that are the most popular with customers. Armed with that critical information, the owner can adjust pricing and the hours of operation, or modify manpower and maintenance schedules to better service the clientele and thereby improve profitability.

One of the greatest benefits of running a car wash remotely is the ability to significantly reduce labor and facility costs. With the ability to open and close the doors, turn the lights on and off, and power up or shutdown the car wash remotely, the owner can eliminate on-site staff and reduce utility costs. Simple steps such as automatically closing doors when the outside temperature drops to a certain level, or powering down the lights when there is no car wash activity offer a high potential for large paybacks in energy costs savings.

WEB-ENABLED COMMUNICATION

The key to remote monitoring is automation control technology that is Internet ready. By using a framework such as Transparent Ready web-enabled platform technology, a car wash owner with a PC or PDA simply dials up the IP address for the business. From there, the owner can access the system and pull up reports on every aspect of the business. These include the number of cars through the facility, types of washes purchased, amount of revenue generated, status of supplies, when employees punched in and out, and whether or not there have been any faults in the system and the corrective action taken.

Transparent Ready capabilities are built into the car washs automation and control components operator terminals to monitor the status in the wash bays, variable frequency drives to operate dryers and blower panels, motor starters, power supplies and relays for lighting and gate controls, name-brand switchgear, panel boards, and PLCs with touch-screen controls to activate all of the functions. The technology also uses off-the-shelf products such as Ethernet cards, hubs, routers and web servers, which reduces connectivity costs.

The Ethernet connection assures the car wash owner open, two-way communication with the business. The system shows temperature and weather conditions at the car wash location and allows the owner to adjust the temperature in the bays and open or close the doors.

REMOTE CONTROL CAPABILITY

With this technology car wash owners can not only monitor the business, but also make adjustments to the operation. For example, if the monitoring system detects that chemical and soap levels are nearly depleted in one bay, the owner can shut down that bay, re-direct vehicles through the other bays, and order more chemicals (or direct a service company to do so). If there is no activity at the car wash, the owner can close the bay doors and turn off the lights.

One company that has embraced Transparent Ready technology is Nashville, TN-based National Car Wash, the largest self-serve car wash chain in the United States. The company also operates a host of in-bay automatics and several conveyorized wash tunnels on its sites.

Working with Schneider Electric, National Car Wash developed the Tunnel Commander car wash system, which features one of the most advanced remote monitoring systems in the industry. The system is controlled by a PLC and the operator simply touches a screen to activate all of the functions. The graphical representation (see illustration on page 36) shows the entire wash process, with areas that need attention changing color to identify and highlight trouble spots.

In addition to the animated display, the Tunnel Commander system provides reports that allow the car wash owner to track sales, monitor man-hours, and keep apprised of energy costs and other data. With the ability to check reports from anywhere, and having all the necessary information right at hand, this technology has allowed National Car Wash to pursue franchise opportunities nationwide for its Tunnel Commander system. The company is actively incorporating the system into new car washes and retrofitting older systems.

The goal of National Car Wash is to have fully-automated facilities where people can wash their cars any time of day. By harnessing available technology, that goal is well within reach.

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http://www.carwashmag.com/pdf/aug_2006/RemoteControl.cfm
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