Q: What are some of the major benefits of using a cleaning robot, especially one that can operate autonomously? It’s well documented that deploying autonomous cleaning equipment increases productivity, enhances cleaning standards and delivers consistent cleaning results. A return on investment of up to 30% can also be expected when introducing robotic machines.
Using autonomous cleaning equipment also demonstrates real commitment to your Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy and goals – something we should all take extremely seriously.
Switching from traditional manual cleaning machines to autonomous equipment not only saves up to 1,628 hours of cleaning time per year, the on-board water recycling function means it can also save up to 139,412 litres of water annually compared to a traditional scrubber dryer. That’s equivalent to almost 1,000 baths!
Additionally, having the machine operating autonomously reduces the likelihood of operator damage, which reduces carbon footprint relating to engineer visits. The machines can also be managed remotely which further reduces the need for engineers to visit site.
Q: Are any infrastructural changes needed to introduce cleaning robots, e.g. changes to flooring, site layout? Whilst infrastructure changes are not required when introducing automated cleaning, cultural changes are essential. The challenge is how to change the culture so that cleaning operatives embrace the technology rather than fearing that it will replace them. The key to this is collaboration and this relies heavily on educating and involving the cleaning teams prior to deployment. This will help them welcome the change and understand that the machine can truly become part of the team, empowering the operatives to carry out other valuable tasks.
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Q: Finally, what are some key trends or technological developments you expect to see in the cleaning robot
market during the next few years? Cleaning robots have developed significantly over the last few years – many are now self-charging, emptying, and re-filling, and are even able to integrate with lift technology which allows the machines to clean different floor levels without any human interaction.
This development is only expected to continue, with the commercial robotic floor cleaning market forecast to experience growth in the next few years, and it is constantly evolving with numerous new companies and robots entering the market.
With the increasing adoption of automation across the industry there is now a growing demand for smart cleaning solutions such as integrating the robotic machines with building management systems to provide real-time data on cleaning operations and efficient cleaning schedules.
Increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve cleaning efficiency and accuracy is also likely to evolve. For example, training robots to identify and avoid specific types of obstacles, or to focus on cleaning areas with the heaviest foot traffic.
www.ice-clean.com TOMORROW’S FM | 39
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