There is a longstanding debate within the car wash industry as to which is better – friction car wash systems or touchless car wash systems?
As it turns out, there is a “best of both worlds” solution to this age-old question – and the product brands of OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions are leading the way in developing what have become known as soft touch automatic in-bay vehicle wash systems.
Specifically, PDQ Manufacturing, Inc., offers the Tandem Surfline, which has been built to deliver an exceptional wash experience through the incorporation of an overhead design that creates a wide-open, easy-to-use wash bay. The key to the Tandem Surfline’s abilities is the two-bridge design that gives it the widest brush coverage in the industry. This is created through the use of foam brushes that are torque sensitive and capable of precisely monitoring the contour of the vehicle, which enables it to deploy multiple cleaning processes at one time. The result is a faster wash cycle that simultaneously optimizes the amount of water and chemicals that are needed during the wash process while not damaging the vehicle.
The Tandem Surfline’s mounting system also allows it to fit into a wide variety of wash bay configurations, with the main support rails able to be adjusted during installation to accommodate various wash bay lengths. The system can also fully support a number of revenue enhancing options, including front bug prep, 3X color foam, OverGlow Hi-Gloss, super sealants, advanced tire and wheel cleaners, SwingAir drying systems and high-pressure side cleaners.
Belanger’s contribution to the soft touch vehicle wash family is the Cube, which was recently voted a 2020 Retailer Choice Best New Product Award recipient by the readers of CSP magazine. The Cube stands out because of its three-brush rollover design that provides a gentler, quieter wash, which can reduce both the perceived and actual risk of vehicle damage during the wash process. This is achieved through the use of ShineMitt wash media, the industry’s first and only self-supporting brush media, which does not have to rely on the speed of high-RPM wash wheels to clean. In conjunction, the slower-spinning wheels make for a quieter trip through the wash, while still delivering an elevated level of clean.
The Cube is also able to offer this high level of vehicle cleanliness due to its smart features, including: Smart Wheels that bring the cleaning action to the vehicle’s surface through a gentle touching action; Smart Touch torque-sensing, radial-driven arms that detect friction levels and adjust the wash wheels so that they deliver a gentle, but effective, washing experience; and Smart Spray manifolds that read the position of each wash wheel and deliver the proper amount of wash chemicals at the proper time.
So, there really should be no argument – if you can’t decide between friction or touchless vehicle washing, you can have both with the soft touch Tandem Surfline and Cube wash systems from OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions.