What is Washing Machine and how does it work ?

After spraying, the conveyor moves the part into an oven that melts the paint; when the part cools, the paint process is completed.

You push your clothes inside the door from the front and the whole drum rotates about a horizontal axis (like a car wheel). The drum has lots of small holes to let water in and out and paddles around the edge to slosh the clothes around.

9 This process begins with mounting the transmission on the balance ring. The transmission is set on a bearing that is bolted on the wash tub; the wash tub is sitting on a conveyor. Another bearing (the lower bearing), the brake assembly, and the drive pulley are put on the end of the transmission.

In a toploader, more common in the United States and Asia, you open a lip on top and drop your clothes into the drum from above.

The drum is mounted about a vertical axis but doesn't actually move. Instead, there's a paddle in the middle of it called an agitator that turns the clothes around in the water.

Next, a pivoting mechanism called the pivot dome and legs are bolted on the assembly to hold all the pieces together.

10 Using a hydraulically operated mechanism, workers then lift this assembly, called the module, onto the washer base. Springs are added to hold module and base together. A seal is added, the spin tub is bolted to the transmission inside of the wash tub, and its plastic covers are snapped into place.

There's a second, bigger drum outside the inner drum that you cannot see. Its job is to hold the water while the inner drum (in a front-loader) or the agitator (in a toploader) rotates.

Unlike the inner drum, the outer drum has to be completely water-tight—or you'd have water all over the floor!

A plastic hub, which attaches the agitator to the transmission, is bolted onto the output end of the transmission shaft. Then the agitator is snapped onto the hub.

The two drums are the most important parts of a clothes washer, but there are lots of other interesting bits too.

11 The pump and a mounting bracket are now bolted onto the motor, which is then fitted with a shield to protect against potential leaks. This assembly is bolted to the base of the washing machine and connected to the transmission module with a belt and hoses.

There's a thermostat (thermometer mechanism) to test the temperature of the incoming water and a heating element that warms it up to the required temperature.

12 Next, the lid hinges are attached to the lid and the top. The top of the washer is bolted to the cabinet with a hinge for easy maintenance. A mixing valve to control the mixture of hot and cold is bolted to the back of the cabinet

There's also an electrically operated pump that removes water from the drum when the wash is over.

The graphics panel, which provides words and pictures to explain the controls, is mounted on the control panel; the controls themselves are attached from the back.

There's a mechanical or electronic control mechanism called a programmer, which makes the various parts of the clothes washer go through a series of steps to wash, rinse, and spin your clothes.

The wiring, connected as one unit, is called a harness. The harness is clipped to the control connectors at one end, and the other end is passed through a hole in the top to be mounted to the motor. Because of its large size and weight, the cabinet assembly is then placed in the washer by a robot.

There are two pipes that let clean hot and cold water into the machine and a third pipe that lets the dirty water out again. All these pipes have valves on them (like little doors across them that open and shut when necessary).

The washing machine has gone from a luxury item at the turn of the last century to a necessity today. Over half the homes in the United States currently have a separate laundry room. With all the information about troubleshooting the sophisticated technology and the best means of stain removal, there are still some surprising facts about washing machines.

13 The cabinet is bolted to the base, and the controls are snapped together with the mating connectors on the module and motor. The drain hose is pulled through the cabinet and a part called the gooseneck is added.

All the important parts of the clothes washer are electrically controlled, including the inner drum, the valves, the pump, and the heating element.

This part is what gives the hose its hook shape so that it will fasten into the drain. After being tested, the front panel is bolted on, and a packet of information and accessories is added.

The programmer is like the conductor of an orchestra, switching these things on and off in a sensible sequence that goes something like this:

The washing machine has gone from a luxury item at the turn of the last century to a necessity today. Over half the homes in the United States currently have a separate laundry room. With all the information about troubleshooting the sophisticated technology and the best means of stain removal, there are still some surprising facts about washing machines.