Editing Washing machine (section)

===Spin===
Front-loading machines spin in multiple stages of their cycle: after main wash, after individual rinses, and the final high-speed spin. Some of those spins may be absent depending on the particular cycle.

Higher spin speeds, along with larger tub diameters, remove more water, leading to faster drying. On the other hand, the need for [[ironing]] can be reduced by not using the spin cycle in the washing machine.

If a heated [[clothes dryer]] is used after the wash and spin, energy use is reduced if more water has been removed from clothes. However, faster spinning can crease clothes more. Also, mechanical wear on bearings increases rapidly with rotational speed, reducing life. Early machines would spin at 300 RPM and, because of lack of any mechanical suspension, would often shake and vibrate.

In 1976, most front-loading washing machines spun at around 700&nbsp;RPM, or less.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}} Today, most machines spin at 1000–1600&nbsp;RPM. Most machines have variable speeds, ranging 300–2000&nbsp;RPM depending on the machine.

Separate spin dryers, without washing functionality, are available for specialized applications. For example, a small high-speed [[centrifuge]] machine may be provided in [[locker room]]s of communal [[swimming pool]]s to allow wet [[swimsuit]]s to be substantially dried to a slightly damp condition after daily use.

Washing machines often incorporate balance rings filled with a liquid such as a [[calcium chloride]] salt water solution,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US9518352B2/en | title=Unitary balance ring for a washing machine appliance }}</ref> that are designed to balance the inner drum of the washer during spin cycles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ESDA/proceedings-abstract/ESDA2010/49194/321/346118|title=Experimental and Analytical Investigation on a Liquid Balance Ring for Automatic Washing Machines &#124; ESDA &#124; ASME Digital Collection|date=28 December 2010 |pages=321–330 |doi=10.1115/ESDA2010-24902 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US9695538B2/en|title=Balance ring and fastener guide for a washing machine}}</ref> The balance ring may be filled with oil and contain balls on races, somewhat similarly to a ball bearing, to achieve the same effect.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US8156592B2/en?q=(Washing+machine+ball+balancers)&oq=Washing+machine+having+ball+balancers|title=Washing machine and method of controlling the same}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2008/0110212.html|title=Washing machine having ball balancers}}</ref> The Bendix Economat used a flexible rubber inner tub that would squeeze the clothes towards the agitator located in the center of the inner tub in order to remove water from the clothes, instead of spinning the inner tub. This was performed by exerting a vacuum on the inner tub.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AFMEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Bendix+Economat&pg=PA5|title=LIFE|date=March 20, 1950|publisher=Time Inc|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=OT19490725.1.12&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------|title=Oakland Tribune 25 July 1949 — California Digital Newspaper Collection|website=cdnc.ucr.edu}}</ref>