| There are more and more high-tech sensors entering | | | | send a Ghost Car thru in the early morning just in |
| the realms of robotic car wash tunnel systems. | | | | case of catastrophe. Usually a very cheap employee's |
| There are many reasons for this, but most has to do | | | | car in case the system goes haywire? |
| with supply and demand issues and the shortage of | | | | One problem with photoelectric optical sensors is that |
| labor in the United States. Currently with | | | | they send a beam of infrared light, but that beam |
| unemployment hovering at between 4.7 and 4.8% | | | | can be blocked by parts of the car and render it |
| and illegal immigration under fire most car wash | | | | unusable. Photoelectric sensors can also be |
| companies know they must adapt or die to these | | | | troublesome in harsh work environments with |
| forward trends. | | | | hydrofluoric acid, soaps, hot waxes, high pressure |
| Thus more car wash robotics are coming into play | | | | and steam. All of, which you find inside a tunnel |
| and with robotic systems come robotic sensors. | | | | modern day car wash. |
| Currently sonar sensors are used in car washes for | | | | Optical flow sensors are perhaps a future option for |
| many things including soap, waste water, fresh water | | | | carwashes in that they can work backwards of |
| tank volume reading. Ultra-sonic sensors are also used | | | | normal optical flow sensors by mounting them on the |
| in a similar way to radar. | | | | tunnel wash frame from above and sending the |
| Ultra-sonic sensors use sound instead of light and this | | | | information to the electronic arms of the robotic car |
| is good in a misty and soapy environment as light | | | | wash equipment below. |
| gets refracted easily. Unfortunately, air blowers move | | | | If you are considering using high-tech sensors to help |
| the air and disrupt the sound waves in the process. | | | | your carwash "See" and "Sense" the cars for a |
| But if the car is already done being washed then it | | | | perfect wash then you need to take a look at all the |
| need not matter. | | | | industry has to offer currently and where all this |
| Photoelectric sensors are much preferred but cost is | | | | technology is taking us into the future. Think on this |
| a consideration and if one goes out then the tunnel | | | | in 2006. |
| wash is often rendered useless. Operators know to | | | | |