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A series of pneumatic glass‐wall cleaning robots for high‐rise buildings

Houxiang Zhang (University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany)
Jianwei Zhang (University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany)
Wei Wang (BeiHang University, Beijing, People's Republic of China)
Rong Liu (BeiHang University, Beijing, People's Republic of China)
Guanghua Zong (BeiHang University, Beijing, People's Republic of China)

Industrial Robot

ISSN: 0143-991x

Article publication date: 13 March 2007

2401

Abstract

Purpose

This paper presents the design of climbing robots for glass‐wall cleaning.

Design/methodology/approach

A systemic analysis of the basic functions of a glass‐wall cleaning system is given based on the research of working targets. Then the constraints for designing a glass‐wall cleaning robot are discussed. The driving method, the attachment principle, mechanical structure and unique aspects of three pneumatic robots named Sky Cleaners follow. In the end a summary of the main special features is given. All three climbing robots are tested on site.

Findings

Our groups spent several years in designing and developing a series of robots named Sky Cleaners which are totally actuated by pneumatic cylinders and sucked to the glass walls with vacuum grippers in mid‐air. It was found that they can meet the requirements of glass‐wall cleaning.

Research limitation/implications

The air source, cleaning liquid and control signals should be provided by the supporting vehicle stationed on the ground. Even if the robots are intelligent, the suitable working height is below 50 m because the weight of the hoses has to be taken into account when the robots work in mid‐air.

Practical implications

The cleaning robotic systems can avoid workers presence in a hazardous environment and realize an automatic cleaning, furthermore reduce operation costs and improve the technological level and productivity of the service industry in the building maintenance.

Originality/value

Sky Cleaner robots can move and do cleaning on the plane glass wall or the special curve wall with a small angle between the glasses. The first two prototypes are mainly used for research and the last one is a real product designing for cleaning the glass surface of Shanghai Science and Technology Museum.

Keywords

Citation

Zhang, H., Zhang, J., Wang, W., Liu, R. and Zong, G. (2007), "A series of pneumatic glass‐wall cleaning robots for high‐rise buildings", Industrial Robot, Vol. 34 No. 2, pp. 150-160. https://doi.org/10.1108/01439910710727504

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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