DRYING TECHNIQUES
To avoid loss of items and production, perform all drying operations by lot. Keep each lot in its proper sequence and maintain an identification marker with each lot during the tumbling operation. Exercise the greatest care to prevent any mixing of lots. Items requiring approximately the same drying time should be processed together, when possible. Do not overload tumbler dryers as tumblers are more sensitive to overloading than any other type of equipment used in the Navy laundry. Overloading retards drying time, produces wrinkled work, and accelerates wear on the equipment. No set time can be prescribed for drying a load in a tumbler because drying time is dependent upon steam conditions, weight of the load, texture and type of material, and the amount of moisture left in the work after extraction. However, the maximum drying time for an average load of cotton items in a 50-pound tumbler dryer is approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Under ideal conditions, the drying time required for the same load may even be less. Very heavy cottons require a slightly longer drying time. Drying times used should be checked frequently, and, if longer periods are required, the dryer may have to be checked by maintenance personnel to make sure there are no problems. Tumble drying of washed synthetic or synthetic blend clothes and linens properly carried out can minimize and/ or eliminate the need for pressing of the items. When drying linen or this type of clothing do the following:

1. In all instances the tumbler dryer must not be overloaded in order to allow adequate tumbling action for wrinkle removal. Three-quarters of the rated dryer capacity is recommended.
2. Hot tumble drying temperatures should not be used. Exhaust-air temperature should be set at a medium setting (between 140 to 160 F). Drying time varies with the nature and size of the load, but items containing a synthetic or high percentages of synthetics in blends dry much faster than similar 100 percent cotton items. Items should not remain in the tumbler when it is not in motion.
3. Permanent press, synthetic, and synthetic blend wearing apparel and linens, when removed from the dryer immediately after cool down and either placed on a hanger or folded, should be suitable for use without ironing. Processing of linens in this manner can help cut down the workload for flatwork ironers.

Heavy items scheduled for pressing must be preconditioned (partially dried) in tumblers for approximately 5 to 8 minutes before being pressed. This will make pressing easier; however, preconditioned items should not be overdried before being removed from tumblers. When overdrying takes place, the difficulty of pressing these items is increased and the quality of the finished item is impaired. Remove tumbled laundry from tumblers by hand, place in trucks or baskets provided for this purpose, and deliver to the next processing section. Care must be taken that lots are not mixed and that they are delivered in the sequence in which received. It is important that processed workloads be delivered to the next processing section as soon as possible. This is of particular importance to preconditioned workloads since delays will cause the work to dry excessively and will affect the efficiency of the pressing operation. Preconditioned workloads should be covered with dampened cloths or nets to help preserve their moisture content. Unload all tumblers when the laundry is shut down for the day. Check for heat content of all unfolded rough-dry work that is to remain in the laundry overnight. Spread items out for airing if they are still hot.

GENERAL MAINTENANCE
The majority of all dryer maintenance is done by the engineering department. You should always keep your tumbler dryer free of lint. Lint is a fire hazard, besides, clothes will not dry properly unless the lint screen is clean enough to allow free passage of air through the machine. If dryer lint traps become worn or torn you should replace them. Always clean the lint screen casing when you clean the lint screen. Use a vacuum cleaner or a compressed air jet to remove lint deposits from heater chambers and air passages in the dryer. If lint is left to accumulate, spontaneous heating may result, or the flow of air will be restricted. Other maintenance you can perform on the drying tumbler includes the following:
. Checking switches and dampers to determine how well they work
. Keeping nuts and screws tight
. Reporting maintenance requirements to your supervisor promptly
. Checking the tension of drive belts

Screws, nails, pins, and melted plastic that have solidified will occasionally clog the perforations in the basket mesh creating operating hazards. Baskets should be checked and cleaned daily.
The engineering department should check the tumbler dryer at regular intervals for accumula-tions of lint in air passages and the lint box, faulty opening and closing of the dampers, leaks in the steam valves or lines, and the general condition of the machine. Engineering personnel should lubricate the tumbler and make major overhauls according to the recommendations of the manufacturer.

FLATWORK IRONER
The main items in the laundry processed through the flatwork ironer aboard ship are bed linens and tablecloths. The flatwork ironer is installed on ships that have sufficient requirement for this piece of equipment. On this ironer (sometimes called a mangle) the flatwork is ironed damp just as it comes from the washer extractor. Such things as handkerchiefs, hand towels, aprons, undershirts, and white trousers can also be finished on the flatwork ironer. Items of laundry flatwork are currently being manufactured from synthetic, synthetic blend, and cotton blend fabrics. These items can be successfully finished without pressing in a tumbler dryer. Use of dryers in this connection can reduce the press deck load where an ironer is not available. Where an ironer is available, its use reduces the drying tumbler workload and produces a better finish than rough drying. On ships without flatwork ironers, some of the flatwork, such as table linen, is pressed on a laundry press of the type described in the next section. The rest of the work is rough dried. You will probably serve at some time on a ship that has a flatwork ironer and, therefore, will be expected to know how to operate one correctly.