Hobart High-Capacity Conveyor Dishwashing Systems

Hobart is a manufacturer founded in 1897 in Troy, Ohio, USA, developing professional dishwashing, food prep, mixing, weighing, and packaging equipment. One of the brand's standout product classes in high-volume dishrooms is the Hobart conveyor dishwasher system. In these machines, capacity is formed not just by the wash tank's power but together with rack loading speed onto the line, pre-scrapping, entry and exit tables, and staff working arrangement.

Hobart is one of the brands within the ITW Food Equipment Group under Illinois Tool Works. Its current product program covers different scales from undercounter machines to door-type washers, from CL and CLeN rack-conveyor systems to industrial washing classes. Correctly selecting a conveyor line doesn't just mean getting the highest hourly capacity; it requires measuring the mix of soiled items during peak service and the dishroom's physical flow.

How Is Rack Flow Established on a Hobart Conveyor Line?

In a rack-conveyor dishroom, the process begins with accepting soiled items. Large food residue is separated from plates, pre-rinsing is done if needed, and items are placed into suitable racks by type. If racks can't be fed into the machine's entry continuously and evenly, the device's catalog capacity can't be used in practice. On the exit side, too, sufficient counter space and unloading staff need to be present to receive clean racks.

The line direction is therefore determined at the project stage. A one-way route should be set up from the soiled-receiving door to the machine, and from the machine back to clean storage or the service area, without creating backtracking. The right-to-left or left-to-right entry choice is evaluated together with columns, walls, floor drains, hood, clean shelves, and staff crossings. Even if the machine body fits the space, the dishroom can jam during peak hour if rack-accumulation and turnaround space is insufficient.

Equipment Determining Capacity in CL and CLeN Systems

Hobart's global product program's CL and CLeN classes use a rack conveyor for medium and high-volume operations. Official product data offers some configurations with capacity values of roughly 202 to 342 racks per hour. This value varies by machine length, model variant, program, and the technical configuration of the relevant market. To directly convert hourly capacity into plate count, how many plates, trays, or containers actually fit in the rack used should be separately calculated.

Automatic Soil Removal, abbreviated ASR, offered in Advansys configurations, filters food residue in the wash tank and transfers it to an external waste basket. The system helps wash water stay clean longer and reduces pre-scrapping work. ASR isn't standard on all Hobart conveyor models. DWeR, which uses energy from drainage water, the Opti-Rinse rinsing structure, automatic scale-cleaning notification, and ventless operation are also equipment found depending on the selected model.

Ventless configurations are designed to manage heat and steam exiting the machine, reducing the need for a direct exhaust connection. That said, the term "ventless" doesn't mean the dishroom's general ventilation requirement disappears. The environment's moisture load, local installation requirements, the machine's heat output, and staff comfort should be evaluated within the mechanical project's scope.

When Is Moving From a Door-Type to a Conveyor Necessary?

In a door or hood-type machine, the operator pushes the rack into the chamber, starts the program, and removes the rack once washing is complete. In a conveyor system, meanwhile, racks move continuously. This difference matters especially in cafeterias where large numbers of plates and trays return in a short service window. Daily total dish count alone isn't a sufficient measure; whether the load is spread evenly across the day or accumulates in a 30-60-minute peak window should be determined.

When deciding to move to a conveyor, higher capacity alone shouldn't be the target. Soiled-item transport carts, plate-sorting area, trash and organic-waste management, pre-wash unit, rack return, and clean storage shelves should be projected together. If the ratio of large kettles, GN containers, or baking trays is high, prep-equipment-suitable openings and program options should be checked alongside the standard plate rack.

Featured Highlights

• Capacity options geared toward medium and high-volume operations, varying by model and line length, in CL and CLeN rack-conveyor systems
• The Automatic Soil Removal system, transferring food residue from the wash tank to an external basket in certain Advansys configurations
• Drainage-water energy recovery, Opti-Rinse rinsing, scale-cleaning notification, and ventless operation options on select models
• A tiered product program extending from undercounter and door-type to rack-conveyor and industrial washing classes

Capacity Calculation for a Hobart Conveyor System

Calculation should begin by separately measuring the number of plates, glasses, cutlery, trays, and GN containers turning over during a peak 15 or 30 minutes. Determining the rack type each item will be placed in gives the actual fill capacity of a rack. Staff delays, rack changes between different item types, and rewash margin are added to the required rack count. This way, capacity suited to the business's actual load profile is selected rather than the catalog's maximum racks/hour value.

Installation checks should include electrical power, hot and cold water connections, drain diameter, water pressure, inlet water temperature, and hardness value. Since hard water can accelerate scale formation on the heating element and rinse zone, a water-treatment system can be part of the total investment. The machine's daily cleaning panels, filters, and wash arms should be positioned so maintenance staff can access them.

Hobart Products on Mutfak10

Professional washing and food-prep equipment are listed in the Hobart brand area on Mutfak10. Current product options can be checked on the Hobart professional kitchen and washing equipment page. Since a conveyor line's project scope includes not just the machine body but entry-exit counters, water treatment, ventilation, and installation requirements, a quote comparison shouldn't be made based on device cost alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Hobart conveyor dishwasher capacity calculated?

Capacity is calculated not just based on daily total plate count but the number of racks that will enter the line during peak service. It should be accounted for that plates, glasses, trays, and GN containers go into different racks; each rack's actual fill ratio should be measured. If staff loading speed and entry-exit counter length are insufficient, the machine's catalog racks/hour capacity can't be reached.

What does the Hobart Automatic Soil Removal system do?

Automatic Soil Removal filters food residue reaching the wash tank and carries it to an external waste basket. This reduces the water's soiling rate and can lower the need for daily tank-water changes and pre-scrapping workload. Since ASR is only found on certain Advansys models, it should be verified on the quote or technical sheet that the equipment is included in the relevant configuration.

When should a conveyor system be chosen over a Hobart door-type machine?

A conveyor system is considered for businesses where dish load accumulates faster than a door-type machine's cycles can handle and continuous rack flow is needed. Large cafeterias, hospitals, schools, and high-cover hotels are typical use areas. The decision should be made by measuring peak-hour load, dishroom area, staff arrangement, and installation capacity together, rather than daily count alone.