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Robotics & Cleaning
Robotics and computers are revolutionizing the cleaning industry
Summary: There always will be cleaning and maintenance work that only humans can do
effectively. But space-age automation is making important progress into the industry.
Robots, sensors and control systems will actually free workers from some mundane tasks and
let them take on more challenging and special cleaning projects.
By Barb Duncanson
Human dexterity is still needed to do detail cleaning. Human intelligence is necessary to
set the temperature inside a facility. Even human judgment decides when to dump outdated
magazines from a facility's lobby
Yet robotics and other forms of automation are making building maintenance and facility
managers' jobs easier and less laborious.
The world of automated building cleaning and management is sweeping the industry. Labor
cost savings and an ongoing need to deploy labor to perform additional cleaning tasks are
fueling advancements in and sales of robotic cleaning equipment among commercial contract
and in-house cleaners and building maintenance professionals.
Robots began as science-fiction fodder, became a practical and efficient manufacturing
tool, and now are revolutionizing the building service industry. Robots already perform
many human tasks from delivering hospital meals, milking cows and harvesting vegetables to
surgical procedures such as drilling into bones and zapping tumors.
In building maintenance, robotic floor care appliances bustle around the hallways and
meeting rooms of universities, medical centers and commercial and industrial facilities,
scrubbing and vacuuming with little human intervention.
Robotic cleaning machines go around obstacles, avoid ledges and overhangs, and turn
corners all on their own. Computers, sophisticated sensors and electronic navigation
systems control the equipment.
Robotic cleaners can scour the width and length of halls, aisles and conference rooms.
When a laser-based wide-area navigation system is introduced soon, robotic machines will
be able to clean their way over a 300-foot wide area, making them ideal for cleaning
gymnasiums, ballrooms and large meeting rooms.
Most robotic sweepers and vacuums are self-teaching and fully automated. Humans simply
turn them on and periodically check their work. Labor cost savings are, typically, between
80 percent and 90 percent of the expense for humans cleaning hallways, corridors or
aisles, according to manufacturers.
It doesn't mean robots will replace cleaning workers or their supervisors. Rather, some
managers can use automated helpers in redirecting cleaning workers' jobs. The robots free
workers from some tedious jobs to give them more time for detail cleaning and special
projects.
Cleaning consistency is another advantage to automation. Robots clean thoroughly and
evenly over the entire surface they travel. They can vacuum up nearly all the cleaning
solution put on carpet and leave virtually no wet spots something that humans can find
difficult with regular equipment.
Steady Watchdog
If your building security needs a boost, automated scrub and vacuum robots can be equipped
with cameras to monitor their cleaning areas. More complex needs can be met with
autonomous security robots. They are specially equipped to observe, record and transmit
data, and respond to potentially alarming situations.
John Holland, president of Cybermotion in Salem, VA, says some manufacturers' robots can
tool around their designated area laden with microphones, cameras, thermometers and even
fire hoses. They are usually connected to fixed alarm systems allowing them to signal
overheating, building trespassers and other disturbances. They can also operate elevators
and doors.
These robots can deter intruders, detect threats to building tenants (water and gas leaks,
carbon monoxide, smoldering fires) and help manage a building's indoor environment. They
can also provide data for investigative purposes. Some security robots have special
"tagging" technology that lets them keep track of warehouse inventories.
Security robots under development for the U.S. Department of Energy are designed to
inspect hazardous waste, reducing human exposure to toxic and radioactive materials. The
robots will provide a more reliable analysis and detect changes in their composition.
The latest centralized building automation systems have the same sophisticated
microprocessors, sensors and circuitry as robots they just aren't able to move and clean.
But, they are just as easy to use.
The most advanced systems have control units that let managers monitor and operate a
building from their office. Energy management, lights, smoke detection, security,
underground storage tanks and many other processes can be operated with a building
automation system.
The units can integrate components from many manufacturers, meaning facility managers
won't have to replace all the components to upgrade an existing system.
Now is a good time for building owners and facility managers to consider an upgrade, says
James L. Standish, of Flack + Kurtz Consulting Engineers in New York City.
New electronic automation systems are less expensive than a decade ago while their
reliability has improved, says Standish. Electronic systems are a cost-effective option
for
building owners and managers, he adds.
Meanwhile, more environmental factors can be monitored because of new devices available.
They include indoor air quality sensors for carbon monoxide and volatile organic
compounds.
Standish says Windows-based computer programs a common feature today are more
user-friendly than DOS-based or proprietary programs of earlier systems. They can provide
more sophisticated reporting and analysis, he adds.
Service-industry robotics and building automation systems are growth industries. They will
affect a facility manager's job by helping to reduce operational costs and make more
interesting nearly all aspects of building maintenance.
Barb Duncanson is the communications specialist for The Kent Company, manufacturer of
commercial/industrial floor and carpet cleaning equipment, in Elkhart, IN.
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