What is automation in industrial cleaning?
‘Automation in industrial cleaning’ can be defined as the set of operations, equipment and processes that enables the operator to remotely control the jetting operation from a safe distance. These new working methods being employed on site are usually denominated “fully automated, semi-automated or mechanized”.
Automation increases safety performance, efficiency on-site and reduces the impact on the environment.
However, the main goal usually followed with automation is to get the operators “out of the line of fire”. To use systems whereby the operator can set up the cleaning equipment and manipulate the cleaning frame from a safe distance, reducing the risk when cleaning hazardous materials.
Nevertheless, automation is still in its early days in the industrial cleaning sector and although there is increasing implementation, there are still many companies and areas in which it could be incorporated. In this regard, regulation plays an important role. It is difficult to be a first-mover if there is no national and/or European standard. It must also be taken into account that there are different levels of end-costumer requirements.
Additionally, the use of automated industrial cleaning systems implies a high investment in the purchase of such equipment which sometimes slows down its implementation.
Ultimately, the implementation of automated/mechanized equipment or robotics has the long-term goal of changing workers’ operations on-site from hands-on to hands-free applications, allowing the worker to carry out operations from a safe distance, although it still has some barriers to overcome.
Links
Access the full publication here:
Help us to improve
If you have a suggestion about this content, detect any typo or simply want to send us comments or proposals, you can use the following form to contact EWJI.
