Duct cleaning robot for the difficult jobs
Crawler is a robot for ventilation cleaning companies, kitchen exhaust cleaners and industrial cleaning contractors. It takes dry ice blasting into long, vertical ducts with many bends and films the work with four cameras. With Crawler you can take on jobs that are too difficult today or would need too many access doors.
Where brushes and manual work are not enough
Long runs, vertical shafts and several bends in a row make duct cleaning slow. Extra access doors and more working hours are often needed, and parts of the duct still remain untouched.
Crawler was developed from real cleaning jobs at Dry Ice Finland. The robot has been used at more than 40 customer sites, including commercial kitchen exhaust ducts, and has cleaned a vertical duct 16 metres high.
How Crawler works
- Dry ice blasting inside the duct. The robot carries the nozzle through the duct and blasts off grease, dust and deposits. Dry ice turns into gas, so no water or chemicals are added.
- Vertical, horizontal and through bends. Crawler moves in horizontal and vertical ducts and through several 0–90° bends in a row. It also passes small obstacles such as protruding screws.
- Less steering. In circular ducts the robot follows the shape of the duct, also through bends, so the operator can concentrate on cleaning.
- Four cameras. Two Full HD cameras at the front and two at the back, with LED lights. The operator follows the work on a 21-inch screen and can show one or all four views at once.
- Documented result. The work is recorded on video, so you can show your customer the condition of the duct before and after cleaning.
- Inspection. The same robot is used to inspect and film ducts without cleaning.
Crawler at work
Before and after
New business for your company
Crawler is made for companies that clean ventilation systems, kitchen exhaust ducts and industrial ducts and want to take on jobs that their current equipment cannot handle. The robot does not replace your current methods. It complements them where access, the shape of the duct or the dirt makes the job difficult. If you already have a dry ice blasting machine, the step is smaller.
- Commercial kitchen exhaust ducts: grease deposits, long runs, bends and vertical shafts
- Ventilation ducts: long ducts that are difficult to access
- Industrial ducts: exhaust and process ducts in industrial and production facilities
- Inspection: the condition and cleanliness of the duct, documented on video
We calculate the investment with your own figures: how many difficult jobs you have per year and what they are worth.
Alkion chose Crawler
Alkion specialises in cleaning ventilation systems. The company took part in the development of Crawler and has bought the robot for its own fleet. According to Alkion’s CEO Dalimil Petrilák, Crawler clearly builds on practical experience of demanding duct cleaning, and its simple and robust design makes it an easy-to-use tool for heavy professional jobs.
Technical data
| Circular ducts | Ø 200–630 mm |
| Rectangular ducts | height 200–410 mm, width at least 300 mm |
| Bends | several 0–90° bends in a row |
| Cameras | 4 × Full HD (2 front, 2 rear), video recording, LED lights |
| Control | joystick and 21-inch LCD screen |
| Control cable | 20 m as standard, up to 60 m |
| Working pressure | 2–15 bar |
| Voltage | 230 V / 50 Hz |
| Weight | nozzle module 6–12 kg depending on version, wheeled transport cases 16–22 kg |
| Delivery includes | robot, control unit, camera screen, cables and accessories |
| Also needed | dry ice blasting machine, compressor and dry ice |
See Crawler live, without travelling
We run the robot on our test track in Kouvola, Finland, and you follow over a video link. Tell us which ducts you work with, and we will show movements and duct types similar to yours. You are also welcome to test-drive the robot yourselves in Kouvola.
Duct types, dimensions and current equipment.
About 30 minutes from the test track.
With your own figures.
If needed, test-drive the robot in Kouvola.
Frequently asked questions
Will Crawler fit the ducts we clean?
Crawler fits circular ducts of Ø 200–630 mm and rectangular ducts with a height of 200–410 mm and a width of at least 300 mm. Bends, obstacles and the type of dirt also matter. Send us dimensions and photos of a typical job, and we will assess it.
What equipment do we need besides the robot?
A dry ice blasting machine, a compressor and dry ice. We go through the machines tested with Crawler before the quotation.
Are water or chemicals used?
No. The dry ice turns into gas. The loosened dirt is collected as in any other dry ice blasting job.
Can the robot be used for inspection only?
Yes. With four Full HD cameras you can film and document the duct without cleaning it.
How heavy is the robot?
The nozzle module weighs 6–12 kg, depending on the version. The transport cases have wheels and weigh 16–22 kg.
Do we have to travel to Finland to see the robot?
No. The live demo is run over a video link from our test track in Kouvola. If you want to test-drive the robot yourselves, you are welcome to visit.
We want our own ducts cleaned. Can you help?
Crawler is sold to cleaning companies. Contact us, and we will point you in the right direction.
Contact
Fill in the form, and we will contact you. Lauri Soratie, Crawler Oy, +358 50 512 7447, lauri.soratie@crawlermp.com, Pirkkolankatu 6, 45130 Kouvola, Finland.
Read more about Crawler at crawlermp.com.
