Are you considering replacing your manually operated floor scrubbers or supplementing your current cleaning program with an autonomous floor scrubber?
If so, you may not know where to begin your search. Or, you may not be sure which features and specifications to consider when selecting the right robotic floor scrubber for your facility.
To help make your vetting process easier, we’ve compiled the three most important questions to consider when evaluating the different automated floor scrubbing options available.
1. Is it an integrated or interfaced solution?
The first thing to consider when researching autonomous floor scrubbers is to determine if the respective unit was specifically designed to be a commercial cleaning robot. Why? Robotic floor scrubbers that are built from the ground-up are optimized for autonomous cleaning and sanitization—not manual operation.
Confirming this information up front is essential. Some models that claim to be “robotic floor scrubbers” are in fact manual cleaning machines that, although they have been equipped with cameras and sensors, are not truly autonomous. While they can drive on their own, these interfaced models are the product of two different companies: a floor scrubber manufacturer and a computer software developer. This arrangement can backfire because two separate companies will need to be contacted when a machine experiences operating issues. Along with being confusing, it can be detrimental to your cleaning program’s productivity.
A fully-integrated robotic floor scrubbing solution, such as Avidbots Neo 2™ autonomous floor scrubber, is a more practical and viable choice for your cleaning operations. Since it’s been built from the ground up to be a truly automated cleaning platform, there are no concerns with having to deal with multiple service providers should any issues arise.
2. Can it clean in a changing environment where people and objects are on the move?
This is a very important question to ask when evaluating autonomous floor scrubbers since it involves two distinct types of methods employed when manufacturing them.
Some self-driving floor scrubbers operate using a “teach-and-repeat” principle. This means that the scrubbers only recognize the specific routes an operator has programmed it to follow. While this feature is not critical for some environments, it can be problematic for others.
Floor scrubbers using a “teach and repeat” method are prone to stoppages when their environment changes (for example: temporary holiday displays, rearranged seating in a waiting area, or pallets of products waiting to be restocked). If one of these scrubbers encounters an unexpected obstacle, it will not move until an operator trains it to recognize and learn the new floor plan. This is counterproductive for dynamic settings as the machine must be retrained/reprogrammed every time it encounters a change in its environment.
However, truly autonomous floor scrubbing robots use Artificial Intelligence software to recognize and understand their operating environment. These scrubbers utilize sensors to perform the necessary actions to avoid unexpected obstacles or stop to avoid injury or damage to any person or any object in their path. A dynamic cleaning plan allows it to maximize your cleaning productivity while minimizing human intervention.
3. How do I know what was cleaned and what was not?
An authentic autonomous floor scrubbing solution is designed to take the guesswork out of your floor cleaning operations. Instead of being left to determine which areas of your facility were cleaned and what areas were overlooked, a fully-integrated solution such as the Neo 2™ provides reporting that you can use to optimize your cleaning process.
Metrics that are tracked include:
- Total area cleaned
- Total cleaning time
- Productivity
- Water consumption
In addition, check whether web-based software will allow you to remotely monitor and manage the floor cleaning machine or the entire fleet any time and from anywhere. Platforms like the Avidbots Command Center give you the ability to view the online status and location of each autonomous floor scrubber at a high level or take a closer look at the cleaning progress with real-time video monitoring. Additionally, the platform should allow for remote assistance so the cleaning robots can return to regular operation as quickly as possible.
What’s Next?
Using these three guiding questions, you’ll be able to choose an autonomous floor care solution that meets the needs of your facility.
If you’re interested in learning more about utilizing a robotic floor scrubber to clean your facility, contact the experts at Factory Cleaning Equipment today!