Page 9 - Industrial Technology EXTRA 7th June 2021

London. “As a result, the robots must be robust and bearings are not only compact and lightweight, but
powerful, yet adopt the most compact form their 4-point contact ball design means they can
possible.” Each robot, which measures just 400 take both radial and axial loads.”
mm wide by 550 mm long, features four wheels Says Chris: “We also use other sizes of Kaydon
with 200 mm diameter tyres. Manoeuvrability is a bearings in the robot’s spinning laser turret and its
key feature for installation success: the robot must cylindrical spray platform. The bearing for the latter
navigate around obstacles and be sufficiently helps provide two degrees of freedom – yaw and
adaptable to reach the optimum spraying positions. pitch. So, with two bearings per wheel, we in fact
“The hub of each wheel is around 100 mm in use 10 Kaydon bearings per mobile robot.”
diameter, which is where the Kaydon thin-section Ultimately, Q-Bot’s technology reduces risks for
bearings from Rodriguez locate – two per wheel,” workers and brings much-needed quality,
explains Chris. “We really like these bearings accountability and informed, data-based decision-
because they are robust yet offer a small/low profile. making to building management. The company has
In addition, Rodriguez supplies us with the sealed completed thousands of installations to date and
versions, so we get extra protection from dirt, dust has many patents in place globally to protect its
and other contaminants.” innovative processes.
Q-Bot has been taking advantage of Kaydon Such is the company’s level of technical
bearings for the past five years. “I joined the excellence that in 2020 Q-Bot secured a Queen’s
company in 2016 and I didn’t think the existing Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category.
wheels offered sufficient torque output,” says Chris. This prestigious award builds on several previous
“Following a re-design I set about sourcing accolades, including an Ashden Award for
components that would help bring the new concept Sustainable Buildings and a CIBSE Building
to life. A Google search led me to R.A. Rodriguez, Performance Award in the Product and Innovation
who duly provided samples of Kaydon thin-section category.
bearings that proved ideal for our wheel hubs. The www.rarodriguez.co.uk

June 2021 • INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY EXTRA • p9