Fraunhofer-Business Area Cleaning
Two exemplary technologies that support the shift towards demand-driven process management and achieve significant savings in cleaning resources: EXO-MCD and CoControl-LumiHD. Find out exactly what they are and what they could mean for our future here.
Demand-oriented solutions for efficient cleaning processes
A central goal of the research work at the Fraunhofer IVV is the development of efficient technology solutions for industry that support the change towards truly demand-oriented process management. By adapting cleaning time and agents to the actual contamination and cleaning effect rather than the worst-case scenario, significant savings in cleaning resources can be achieved and additional production time gained. In addition, the research aims to develop solutions for the growing shortage of skilled workers and to ensure sustainable, robust production processes. Two exemplary technologies are presented below:
Automation and reproducibility: "EXO-MCD"
The Fraunhofer IVV's Exo-MCD (Mobile Cleaning Device) is a mobile, self-propelled robot platform for modular cleaning, specially developed for hygiene-critical production environments such as the food industry. This fully automated solution combines a freely controllable water nozzle and intelligent sensors to carry out cleaning tasks effectively and autonomously. It is particularly suitable for the regular and thorough cleaning of production facilities, machines and rooms to ensure the highest standards of hygiene. It is ideal for food processing, where absolute cleanliness is crucial to ensure the safety and quality of products.
A key benefit of the Exo-MCD is its ability to address the skills shortage in the cleaning industry. By automating the cleaning processes, the need for manual cleaning staff is significantly reduced. This relieves the burden on the workforce, minimizes human error and at the same time ensures consistently high cleaning standards. In addition, the robust design of the Exo-MCD contributes to a long-term increase in efficiency in production plants.
Conserving resources with inline contamination sensors in hygienic design: "CoControl-LumiHD"
The ultra-compact yet extremely powerful optical contamination sensor reliably detects both filmic and particulate contamination. As the first hybrid system, the "CoControl-LumiHD" evaluates information under both UV and white light excitation for contamination detection.
The innovative combination of fluorescence properties with characteristic optical features enables the contactless and large-area detection of a previously unattainable range of different types and conditions of contamination. Even non-fluorescent residues such as burnt-on food can be reliably detected.
The sensor system, with its hygienic design, can be easily integrated into existing cleaning processes thanks to its universal, hygienic connection. It enables continuous, automated inline monitoring and documentation of cleaning and the contamination status, which supports efficient monitoring and maintenance of cleaning standards.