Scrubber driers have evolved into the high-performance floorcare machines that are the workhorses of most building care operations. So, it is perhaps surprising that the full benefits of mechanical cleaning have never been fully available on the smallest scale. Until now, with the launch of the new TASKI swingo 250?icro scrubber drier.
The first generation of scrubber driers were relatively large machines. Technology such as motors, batteries, and cleaning mechanisms took up space. That was OK because those machines were mostly used on expansive floors where a large footprint or working width delivered performance and efficiency. As technologies advanced, manufacturers such as TASKI were able to reduce the size of components and develop walk-behind machines that were suitable for smaller spaces. In doing so they created ranges of machines with each size matched to specific application requirements.
With such a choice of models, it is important to match the size of machine to the proposed application. Too large and it will probably be underutilised and unproductive, ultimately costing more to own and operate. Too small, and it could be overused, inefficient and prone to more unscheduled outages.
Whatever the size, the key benefit of any scrubber drier is its ability to scrub, mop, and dry a floor in a single pass. This replaces all the stages of traditional mop-and-bucket floorcare in a single integrated process that is quicker, more efficient, and delivers better and more consistent results. With labour representing around 80 percent of cleaning costs, any scrubber drier should offer significant saving over traditional techniques.
The mechanical cleaning enabled by a scrubber drier exerts up to ten times the pressure on the floor than is possible with a mop. That helps them to remove up to five times more soiling from the floor. At the same time, they can remove up to 65 percent more water. The result is a floor that not just looks cleaner but is also drier. The floor will be safer with a reduced risk of slip and trip type accidents that still represent one of the biggest causes of workplace and ?away from home? injuries.
Scrubber driers also reduce or eliminate contamination on the floor, always an important consideration but perhaps especially so during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also prevent any soiling or contamination from spreading from area to area because their closed-loop design ensures water and cleaning solution is never reused or transferred onto another part of the floor.
These benefits of mechanical floor cleaning are well known. The largest machines, often found in facilities such as airports and shopping malls, can be the same size as a small car. Mid-range ride-on and walk-behind models are ubiquitous in almost every workplace and public building. The challenge facing manufacturers has been to offer the same benefits in the smallest machines.
Until now the smallest scrubber driers on the market looked like upright vacuum cleaners. They are used to clean floors in confined spaces and they can do a good job. But limitations in the available technology and the requirement for a small footprint mean that there are some inevitable compromises when compared with larger machines.
The holy grail for scrubber drier manufacturers has been a design that offers the same performance as larger machines but which is small enough to work effectively and efficiently in confined areas. In practical terms such a machine would need to take up little more space while it is being used than the mop and bucket it is intended to replace. This was extremely difficult to achieve until recently but advances in electric motor and battery technology, among other things, have made it a reality. The new TASKI swingo 250?icro is perhaps the first machine on the market to fully meet this desirable objective.
Digital brushless electric motors, like those used on the new machines, for example, offer significant advantages over old-fashioned designs based on 19th century technology. In particular, they offer a high torque-to-weight ratio. This means they produce more useful turning power (torque) in less space while using less energy to drive the working parts of a machine. That is important because compact motors are now available to deliver practical, useful power in small cleaning machines.
Digital motors contain fewer moving and wearing parts. This reduces energy loss through friction and makes them more reliable over a longer ?maintenance-free? design life. In simple terms, they are more energy-efficient and less likely to malfunction or require replacement parts. That is good for machines that are used day-in, day-out. The internal mechanism generally requires less cooling as well, so the entire unit can be smaller and fully enclosed to keep out dust and debris.
The generally quieter operation of digital motors is useful for machinery that might be used in public areas. They also produce less electromagnetic interference. That is good for equipment that might be used in areas containing sensitive medical or scientific equipment, for example, but it also helps to reduce interference with the wireless devices we all use.
Batteries used to power these digital motors have also advanced considerably in recent years. Innovations in the materials used ? including lithium-ions or thinner and purer lead plates ? mean that battery manufacturers can now cram more energy into a smaller volume than ever before. Batteries with good running times ? maybe an hour or more ? can now be fitted into small devices to make them much more practical. At the same time, advances in charging technology mean these batteries can be charged much more quickly ? an hour or less as with the TASKI swingo 250?icro - than older models. In some cases, batteries can be topped up for short periods (called opportunity charging) such as when operators are on a break or doing another task. In practical terms, this means a machine will be available throughout the working day.
The alternative approach is to swap depleted batteries with a fully charged unit to maintain continuous machine availability. Enlightened manufacturers, including TASKI, have gone further by designing different models to use the same batteries. This interchangeability can be useful for operators with large fleets of different models because they will need fewer spare batteries and chargers to support those fleets and so reduce the overall investment without compromising on machine availability. Some models in the TASKI range are compatible with the global CAS cordless battery system. These batteries are interchangeable with many other electric-powered tools, even those from other manufacturers, offering even more flexibility.