Fully automated facade cleaning robot for a high-rise building in Munich, Germany

Abstract

The Fraunhofer Institute of Factory Operation and Automation IFF has developed and constructed an automated facade cleaning robot SIRIUSc for use on the headquarters of Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. The robot system consists of a cleaning unit, a fully automated rooftop gantry crane, a human machine interface, and an integrated building management control system. The robot is supported by cables connected to the gantry at the top of a facade and travels down its side. It employs the kinematic principle of the 'advance sliding module' to move quickly and efficiently along the facade and does not need guide rails mounted on the building's facade. The robot cleans as it ascends the facade so that its vacuum grippers do not leave tracks. With help of it the facility management staff will be able to clean the facade without any technical support from the researchers at the building