Is Your Car Wash Falling Behind?
Find Out Why Top OEMs are Teaming up with Controls Experts.

The U.S. car wash industry continues to experience growth, albeit at a slower pace than in previous years. In 2024, the car wash services industry was valued at $14.74 billion, and it's expected to grow steadily by approximately 2.1% each year through 2030, according to Grand View Research.
As competition intensifies, standing out requires embracing advanced automation technologies, such as AI, IoT, and predictive maintenance, to gain a competitive edge. This boosts efficiency, minimizes downtime, and enhances customer experience.
Additionally, stricter environmental regulations and growing demand for sustainability drive operators to adopt energy-saving VFDs and smarter controls.
Collaborating with automation experts helps your car wash solutions stay compliant, efficient, and competitive in today's tech-driven market. Regardless of your car wash type, tunnel, in-bay automatics, self-service bays, or adding on to an existing car washes, partnering with control specialists enhances safety, reliability, and overall performance. Leading car wash OEMs have already adopted these solutions; if you haven't, your business risks falling behind.

• Explore our smart controls solutions for less downtime and more reliable car washes.

Why Partner with a Controls Automation Expert?

By partnering with a controls automation expert, businesses gain access to:

• Scalable solutions
• Reliable, quality components
• Stocked inventory
• Expert support

This helps streamline operations and minimize disruptions.

Modern automation also empowers staff, regardless of technical experience, to manage equipment and troubleshoot issues with ease. Suppose your car wash is experiencing frequent equipment failures, rising utility costs, or inconsistent wash quality. In that case, it may be time to consider an upgrade that delivers long-term performance and profitability.

Key Benefits of a Controls and Automation Partner

When selecting a controls expert for your car wash solutions, consider the unique advantages of their automation components and the support they provide. Here are some essential benefits:

Smart VFDs

Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), also known as Variable Speed Drives (VSDs), play an essential role in modern car wash operations.
Here are the key reasons why smart VFDs are highly beneficial for car washes:

Protecting Your Equipment

• Reduced Equipment Wear: By controlling the speed and torque, VFDs lessen mechanical wear and tear on motors and system components, extending their lifespan.
• Optimized Performance: Internal PID loops allow for precise control of vacuums and pumps, ensuring consistent wash quality and reliable operation.
• Advanced Motor Control: Functions such as "flying start" synchronize VFDs with motors already in motion, reducing stress and power consumption during startup.
• Expert Support: Partnering with a controls automation expert experienced in VFDs ensures proper selection, integration, and support, helping you maximize system uptime and performance.
• Smarter Automation: Integrated PLC functionality within VFDs enables seamless automation and better system coordination for efficient, streamlined operations.

Lowering Your Costs

• Energy Efficiency: VFDs dynamically adjust motor speeds to match operational demand, significantly reducing energy consumption and utility costs.
• Competitive Advantage: Adopting VFDs gives your car wash an operational edge through improved efficiency, reliability, and customer satisfaction.
• Diverse Options: We offer an extensive selection of drive solutions designed to meet a variety of needs. Such as compact, budget-friendly drives for smaller applications, rugged high-horsepower models for demanding environments, or versatile flagship drives with multi-protocol support and advanced features for critical operations.

Protecting Your Customers

• Enhanced Safety: Features like torque control ensure gentle brush contact, minimizing the risk of vehicle damage during the wash process.
• Network Performance: Smart VFDs provide many series or Ethernet options for fast, reliable controls and enhanced monitoring. This helps with troubleshooting, predictive maintenance, and fine-tuning of the wash.

Scalable PLCs

Industrial Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) are essential for maintaining reliable and efficient car wash operations. Their robust design and advanced automation capabilities help car wash businesses streamline processes, reduce downtime, and ensure consistent performance, even in harsh environments.
These are the PLC features to look for when teaming up with a controls expert:

Scalable Designs

• Modular and Scalable: Modern PLCs feature modular I/O and scalable architectures, making them suitable for both simple and complex car wash systems.
• Common Software: It's important that the software used across different PLC models remains consistent, depending on the application. This means that whether you're controlling a simple subsystem like lighting or a door lift with a compact PLC (such as the iQ-F Series) or managing more advanced systems like Tunnel Controllers (TCs) or Motor Control Centers (MCCs) with a modular PLC (such as the iQ-R Series), you can rely on the same software platform.

Connectivity

• Seamless Communication: PLCs integrate smoothly with VFDs and sensors, supporting all major open networks for exceptional compatibility and reliability.
• Remote Monitoring and Management: Solutions like our Dispel Zero Trust Remote Access Solution enable secure, remote oversight and management of multiple car wash locations from anywhere.
• High-Speed Networking: High-speed, real-time networks such as CC-Link IE TSN provide the speed, scalability, and redundancy necessary to support hundreds of devices with full reliability.

Enhanced Controls

• Robust Design for Harsh Environments: PLCs are built to withstand the demanding conditions commonly found in car washes.
• Real-Time Control: These controllers enable precise automation of wash cycles and coordinate pumps, conveyors, and other equipment for consistent results.

User-Friendly HMIs

Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) help to address the challenges posed by a shortage of skilled workers.
By partnering with a control automation expert, businesses can maximize the benefits of advanced HMIs, ensuring reliable operations and expert support for every situation.

Ease of Use

• Easy-to-use interfaces: Intuitive interfaces and user-friendly technology ensure smooth equipment performance, regardless of staff technical expertise.
• Automatic fault code decoding: HMIs directly connect to and automatically decode fault codes from VFDs, simplifying fault diagnostics and troubleshooting.

Productivity

• Guided troubleshooting: Step-by-step troubleshooting guidance helps minimize downtime and maintain consistent operations.
• Boosted productivity: Improved productivity and reduced operational disruptions for car wash teams.
• Scalable solutions: If large fleet management is required, the HMI screens can be duplicated at scale using our GENESIS version 11 SCADA solution.

Engineering Support

Whether you're upgrading, repairing, or expanding your system, having a dedicated engineering support team is essential. In the car wash industry, downtime is not an option.
When selecting a controls automation provider, consider the following essential services and qualities:

Support and Services

• 24/7 Dedicated Support: A partner should offer around-the-clock assistance through a reliable 1-800 hotline to minimize downtime and keep your business running smoothly.
• Robust Warranty Coverage: Look for a provider that stands behind their components with robust warranties, ensuring long-term reliability and peace of mind. For example, we have a 5-year warranty on our VFDs.
• Comprehensive Start-Up Assistance: Start-up support ensures a smooth implementation process, helping your team get up and running efficiently.
• Experienced Field Service Engineers: On-site experts are invaluable for troubleshooting and repairs, reducing disruptions and maximizing system uptime.
• Turn-Key Solutions: If you find yourself short of engineering manpower, partner with a controls expert who can provide complete turn-key engineered solutions.

Mitsubishi Electric Automation: A Trusted Controls Automation Partner

Mitsubishi Electric Automation brings decades of experience to the car wash industry, supporting applications such as door lifts, water pumping, vehicle conveying, blowers, vacuums, and lighting control. Our automation solutions for car washes are designed to streamline operations, reduce downtime, and lower costs.

Car washes present harsh environments for electrical components. Mitsubishi Electric's products are rigorously tested to withstand these conditions. From VFDs, PLCs, and HMIs to advanced software and networking solutions like Dispel and CC-Link IE TSN, our components are trusted by car wash OEMs and panel builders across the United States.

With over 40 years of providing automation solutions in North America, Mitsubishi Electric Automation is one of the most skilled and flexible partners in the industry. We deliver tailored automation solutions that meet your specific needs, helping your car wash business thrive.

Ready to future-proof your car wash equipment? Contact us today for a free consultation.

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