Having an industrial tank cleaning robot on your job site can bring significant benefits to your overall operations. Not only will they make the job site cleaner, but they will also bring safety and efficiency. Plus, you can find a tailor-made solution that works for your unique needs.

To learn more, read on for five things to know about robotics in industrial cleaning.

1. Robotics are revolutionizing the industrial cleaning sector

There is no denying that robotics solutions are having a significant impact on how work is conducted in the industrial cleaning sector. These solutions are ideal for relevant industries because their appearance on job sites makes the work much safer and more efficient.

When you opt to use robotics solutions for these activities, you do not need to put employees at risk by having them enter dangerous spaces or climb high levels. Instead, the machines can do the work. Similarly, many industrial cleaning applications come into contact with hazardous chemicals or other substances that humans should not be near; robotics solutions also decrease this risk. Finally, some areas are too hard to reach yet still need to be cleaned; robotics solutions also deal with this common issue.

For this reason, it should come as no surprise that job sites all over the world are using robotics solutions and high-pressure jetting pumps to conduct cleaning work. From cleaning drill pipes to cooling tower basins and fuel station tanks, to buildings’ exteriors, there are robotics solutions that can be utilized.

2. Robotics solutions boost efficiency

In all parts of your operations, you want to be looking for ways to boost efficiency, and robotics solutions are one of the most significant ways you can do this. The quicker and more streamlined your process for cleaning your machinery or buildings, the sooner you can get back to operating them.

Let us take, for example, job sites that involve tanks or vessels. These containers need to be regularly cleaned to ensure that waste, sediment, calcites, and other harmful chemicals do not collect and settle at the bottom; otherwise, they can infiltrate the product or shut down the system.

As this job needs to be done regularly, it is crucial to have a solution that is created to work in hazardous and toxic conditions, and that can do it quickly and efficiently without causing production to be down for an extended period. In this scenario, robotics solutions are undoubtedly the best choice as they work quicker than humans can and offer a standardized level of high-quality cleaning.

You do not have to worry about robotics solutions getting tired or needing a break; they can keep working until the job is completed and will be ready to go again whenever required. This is beneficial to all employees and operational procedures on the job site.

3. Robotics solutions keep employees safe

Safety is the most crucial aspect of industrial cleaning solutions, so robotics technology is a welcomed development in industrial cleaning. Before, employees would have to wear a significant amount of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to be able to enter confined spaces for hours to clean and disinfect tanks, pipes, and other things.

Not only was this dangerous for the employees, but it meant that production had to close down, and the job could take weeks (sometimes months) to be done.

Now, robotics solutions can be used. This machinery does not need to wear PPE, does not need to take breaks, and does not necessarily need production to stop. Thanks to this technology, robotics solutions can keep employees out of harm as they do not need to enter hazardous spaces. Instead, humans can control the robots through a remote and stay far away from dangerous situations.

4. Robotics solutions can be used in a variety of applications

In addition to being used in industrial cleaning, robotics solutions can also be used for hydro-demolition and automating industrial cleaning activities. For this reason, you can find robotics solutions being used in industries such as energy & petrochemical, marine & offshore, construction & infrastructure, municipality & wastewater, industrial, mining & quarry, and facility management.

These industries use pipes, tanks, and other types of vessels that need to be cleaned. Additionally, cooling tower basins, drill pipes, and tubes are often critical for job site operations.

Here are some examples of how industries can utilize robotic and automated solutions for industrial cleaning:

• Energy and Petrochemical: chemical cleaning, cooling tower basin cleaning, drill pipe cleaning, machinery washdown/cleaning, pipe cleaning, pipeline flushing, sludge/sediment removal – storage tanks and pits, tank and vessel cleaning
• Marine and Offshore: chemical cleaning, machinery washdown/cleaning, marine growth removal, pipe cleaning, sludge/sediment removal – storage tanks and pits, tank and vessel cleaning, tube cleaning
• Construction and Infrastructure: cement truck cleaning, hydro-demolition, machinery washdown/cleaning, road/pavement/car park maintenance and cleaning, sewer cleaning
• Municipality and Wastewater: chemical cleaning, cooling tower basin cleaning, hydro-demolition, machinery washdown/cleaning, pipe cleaning, pipeline flushing, road/pavement/car park maintenance & cleaning, sewer cleaning, sludge/sediment removal – storage tanks and pits
• Industrial: chemical cleaning, cooling tower basin cleaning, machinery washdown/cleaning, pipe cleaning, tank and vessel cleaning, tube cleaning
• Mining and Quarrying: machinery washdown/cleaning
• Facilities Management: building cleaning, fuel station tank/forecourt cleaning, hydro-demolition, lake/lagoon/fountain cleaning, machinery washdown/cleaning, pipe cleaning, road/pavement/car park maintenance and cleaning, sewer cleaning

5. Robotics solutions can be tailored to your needs

When it comes to implementing robotics into your operations, it is vital to find a solution tailored to your needs. There are various products and pieces of equipment on the market, so you want to ensure that you are creating a solution that works for you.

One of the best ways to ensure that you are implementing the latest technology in a way that is going to bring your organization all the desired benefits is to work with a leading robotics solutions provider. Ideally, you want to partner with an organization with years of experience in the world of industrial cleaning applications and plenty of client references.

After all, you need a team of experts that understand what your business does and what you need to take operations to the next level.

Have you started to implement robotics solutions into your industrial cleaning activities? Why or why not? Let us know your thoughts and any further questions in the comments below!