A discussion of the emerging trends in automated floor care.
The global pandemic has rapidly accelerated the development and deployment of autonomous mobile robots (AMR) in the floor care industry. The importance of regular and more frequent cleaning has never been higher, and the value of removing scarce human resources from this repetitive and risky task has never been greater.
Automated floor care machines are now being marketed by many manufacturers. Some are being offered by well-established floor care machine manufacturers, working with robotics experts like Brain Corp, to enhance the capability of popular machines and get to market quickly. Others are being developed from the ground up by companies that see an opportunity in a rapidly growing market—these companies are developing the hardware and software themselves.
The benefits of AMR in floor care are significant:
- More consistent coverage
- More frequent cleaning
- More tailored cleaning routes
- Labor cost savings
- Cleaner facilities
- Staff and customer safety
In the mobile robotics market, OEMs require safe, reliable, high-performing, and cost-effective components. In an industry characterized by precision, high-performance, and efficiency, component suppliers need to uphold these high standards and adapt to the needs of their customers.
Different Development Approaches
Rather than developing all of the robotics technology themselves, some floor care machine OEMs are partnering with robotics experts to integrate the technology into new machines. New automated versions of sweepers and scrubbers can be more quickly developed by implementing proven technologies from these industry leaders onto a well-established platform.
Most AMR cleaning machines can also be operated manually. This is helpful if there is a sudden spill or specific requirement. The setup and training process for these machines usually requires a human operator to clean an area manually while recording their movements. This information is stored in the machine to use on subsequent cleans.
Some machines are developed to only operate robotically – once programmed, they cannot be operated manually. All machines have built–in sensors and software intelligence to avoid obstacles and stop quickly if needed.
Robotics as a Service (RaaS)
We have seen significant growth in “robotics as a service” (RaaS). For example, a floor care machine manufacturer may lease the robots to allow companies to scale as necessary during peak seasons. Matching a reliable battery and charger solution with the robot prevents machine downtime. It also provides a seamless and optimized integration, which is critical to maximizing reliability and uptime for RaaS-focused customers.
Meeting the Mobile Robotics Industry’s Evolving Needs
The mobile robotics industry is constantly evolving, with floor care machine manufacturers requiring larger batteries to create products with longer runtimes. As larger batteries become the standard in the AMR floor care industry, battery and charger suppliers must have a diverse product portfolio to meet these evolving needs. Since industrial robots cannot have significant downtime, fast charging or opportunity charging is an important consideration.
Building the Future
Reliability and product lifetime are key to the future success of automated floor care machines. Run-time and charge time are critical factors, so why not discuss battery charger solutions with the experts at Delta-Q?
To learn more about trends in floor care and Delta-Q’s charging solutions for floor care machines, visit delta-q.com today.
