1) National Car Wash (NCW) is the largest self-service car wash chain in the country and wanted to increase throughput, efficiency, and automation at one of its facilities. 2) Schneider Electric worked with NCW and system integrators to develop the industry's first fully automated car wash system called the Tunnel Commander. 3) The Tunnel Commander used Schneider Electric automation, control, and power components and software. This allowed NCW to increase throughput by 100% to 120 cars/hour, lower utility costs by 33%, and monitor the entire system remotely.

1. Schneider Electric Works
with NCW for a Fully Automated
Car Wash
Introduction
Dirt, salt, mud, sludge – all music to the ears of Johnny Jones. When he bought
his first car wash facility over sixteen years ago, he had no way of knowing that
he would one day have 45 self-serve and combination car washes plus 15
franchise outlets throughout Tennessee, Kentucky and Michigan. National
Car Wash (NCW) is a family owned and operated business and is now the
largest self-service chain in the country. In order to provide the best customer
experience possible, NCW provides facilities in prime locations and with state-of-
the-art equipment.
Application
As part of NCW’s commitment to its customers, and the desire to continue to
raise the bar in the car wash industry, Jones took advantage of a chance meeting
with a Schneider Electric field sales engineer to streamline the Nashville facility’s
renovation, which was already under way. The existing car wash system was
comprised of a variety of components – including some Square D®
components
– from multiple manufacturers.
Objective
A standard automatic or semi-automatic car wash can clean an average of 60
cars per hour, per tunnel bay – and in the car wash world the number of cars
washed equals money. NCW had several objectives as it improved its system:
1. Increase car throughput capabilities.
2. Increase energy efficiency.
3. Have the ability to monitor the whole facility from anywhere.
The Schneider Electric Solution
By working with their systems integrator, Automation NTH, their distributor, Harris
Electric, and Schneider Electric’s Applications and Solutions Department, NCW
developed the industry’s first fully automatic car wash, the Tunnel Commander™
.
The Schneider Electric product solutions for automation, control and power could
be utilized throughout the entire system design.
I For the automation, motor control, interconnectivity and monitoring:
Telemecanique®
Altivar®
drives, Zelio®
logic relays, Phaseo®
power supply,
Modicon®
Premium™
PLCs, TeSys®
U-line motor starters and
TeSys D-line contactors.
INDUSTRY
Specialty Machinery –
Transportation Wash
OBJECTIVE
I Increase car throughput capabilities
I Increase energy efficiency
I Full automation and remote
monitoring
SOLUTION
I Dryer Panel (Altivar®
drives)
I Control Panel (Modicon®
Premium™
PLCs, Magelis®
iPC)
I MCC Panel (TeSys™
U-Line motor
starters, D-Line contactors)
I Water Pressure Control
(Nautilus™
XMLF pressure switches,
Altivar®
drives)
I Lighting and Vacuum Control
(Zelio®
controllers, Phaseo®
power supplies, XB2 push buttons,
TeSys U-Line motor starters)
I Gate Control (Zelio®
Logic controllers)
I Transparent Ready®
HMI software
BENEFIT
I 100% increase in car throughput
I 33% decrease in utility bills
I A fully automated system with ability
to monitor remotely
COMPANY
National Car Wash, Nashville, TN
Application Case
History
Application Case
History

2. I For the ability to monitor all activities at the car wash and exchange data via
the Internet: Schneider Electric’s Transparent Ready®
platform was a perfect
fit. Using Transparent Ready, NCW can more efficiently share information and
access it from anywhere at any time, saving time and money. This is
accomplished through the use of Schneider Electric’s industrial PC connected
to the Modicon®
Premium™
PLC platform. NCW was able to tap into the power
of Transparent Ready right out of the box since the platform’s browser-driven
interface meant that users did not need to learn confusing software.
I For continuity of service and voltage control: Square D®
transformers
and switches.
I For optimal performance and safety standards: Merlin Gerin®
Multi 9™
circuit breakers.
This level of automation technology meant the operator could monitor all the
activities in the car wash tunnel, such as the status of every vehicle as it moves
through the wash cycle wash, status of lights and temperature, wash solution
levels, or the amount of supplies being used. Additionally, the monitor had the
ability to troubleshoot problems as they occurred.
Benefits
Currently, there are two Tunnel Commander™
express car washes in operation
– in Nashville and Shelbyville, Tenn. With this solution, NCW met and surpassed
their initial objectives. Benefits included:
I 100% increase in car throughput, from 60 cars per hour per tunnel to up
to 120 per hour.
I 33% decrease in utility bills (average).
I A fully automated system requiring little or no human interface.
I Easy monitoring, maintenance, modification and troubleshooting – at the
location or remotely.
I Reduced footprint with smaller cabinets.
I Universal components provided by one company.
The company reports they are retrofitting another NCW facility in Tennessee, with
another 10 locations, both franchises and company owned, on the drawing board.
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2641 Sumner Blvd
Raleigh, NC 27616
Tel: 919-855-1100
Fax: 919-855-1295
“The speed is one factor, but just as impressive is the increased
efficiency we are experiencing with the Tunnel Commander,” says
Mike Gammons, project manager for NCW’s Tunnel Commander
initiative. “Automation gives us a better quality wash and a more
cost effective system.”