Mobile Utility Unit Cleaning Using Sensor-Guided Surface Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for cleaning mobile utility units, such as agricultural or forestry machines, are inefficient and labor-intensive, lacking automation and optimal resource utilization.
Innovation Solution
A method that uses current status data comparison with predefined reference data to dynamically select and clean surface areas, employing an automated system with a movable cleaning nozzle and sensor systems to ensure efficient and economical cleaning, allowing for continuous cleaning until a predetermined cleaning standard is met.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual cleaning methods are used for mobile utility units, then personnel can perform cleaning tasks, but the process is labor-intensive and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system performs cleaning operations autonomously without continuous human intervention. The automated cleaning device navigates to selected surface areas and executes cleaning tasks based on pre-defined criteria, allowing the system to service itself and eliminating the need for manual labor while maintaining high cleaning efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical cleaning operations are replaced with an automated cleaning device that uses sensor systems for detection and automated mechanisms for cleaning execution. The system substitutes human-operated mechanical cleaning with an automated mechanical system controlled by electronic sensors and processing units, thereby reducing personnel workload while improving productivity
2Productivity
If automated cleaning systems are implemented, then cleaning efficiency improves, but data technology requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The automated cleaning system is divided into modular functional components: sensor systems for detection, processing units for decision-making, and cleaning execution mechanisms. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall data technology infrastructure while maintaining high cleaning efficiency through coordinated operation of discrete modules
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensor systems that continuously monitor cleaning status and provide feedback to the processing unit. This feedback mechanism enables real-time adjustment of cleaning operations based on actual surface conditions, allowing the system to achieve high productivity through simple iterative improvement rather than complex centralized control
3Manufacturing precision
If cleaning continues until perfect cleanliness is achieved, then cleaning quality improves, but time and cleaning medium consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies cleaning operations selectively to specific surface areas based on detected dirt levels and pre-defined cleaning criteria. Rather than uniformly cleaning entire surfaces to perfect cleanliness, the system targets only those areas requiring attention, achieving sufficient cleaning quality while minimizing time and cleaning medium consumption through localized treatment
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs cleaning actions that are sufficient to meet defined quality thresholds rather than pursuing excessive cleanliness. By implementing partial cleaning actions that achieve the required cleaning standard without over-cleaning, the system optimizes the balance between cleaning quality and resource consumption, reducing both time and cleaning medium usage
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for cleaning a mobile utility unit (10, 14, 16). A surface area (A_n) of the utility unit (10, 14, 16) is selected for cleaning. During the cleaning of the selected surface area (A_n), current status data (D_akt) are generated, representing the current cleaning state (stat_akt) of this surface area (A_n). The current status data (D_akt) are compared with provided reference data (D_ref, D_prae). Depending on the result of the comparison (Δcomp), another surface area (A_n) of the utility unit (10, 14, 16) is selected for cleaning.