Climbing cleaning robot for vertical surfaces

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a climbing cleaning robot with reasonably high productivities for vertical surfaces.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper analyzes the reasons for the low productivities or unreliable work of cleaning robots for vertical surfaces. Based on this analysis, a design of a new robot is created. Pilot studies were performed of laboratory and industrial prototypes of a new robot.

Findings

The paper shows that the new design provides a reliable and high‐performance work of the cleaning robot for vertical surfaces. Thus, the new design provides increasing in productivities more than ten times compared with the known robot.

Research limitations/implications

In this paper, it is assumed that the speed of the robot during the process of surface cleaning is constant. For future research the algorithm is proposed that automatically maintains such speed of the robot, which depends on the degree of dirtiness and is optimal for the surface to be cleaned.

Practical implications

The results of the research have been used in the manufacture of the robot TITO 500 industrial prototype. Currently, the company RatioForem is implementing small‐lot production of the robots TITO 500.

Originality/value

A new design has been developed for a high‐performance climbing robot for vertical surfaces cleaning, and algorithms for control of the robot.

Citation

Akinfiev, T., Armada, M. and Nabulsi, S. (2009), "Climbing cleaning robot for vertical surfaces", Industrial Robot, Vol. 36 No. 4, pp. 352-357. https://doi.org/10.1108/01439910910957110