Cleanliness is critical in any industry, and the aviation sector isn’t an exception. Keeping off dirt and debris is a common practice in airports and aerospace industries. Otherwise, small pieces of metal can and other items can get trapped in the aircraft causing damages. For this reason, you need an effective cleaning solution for your airport to keep debris at bay. Fortunately, technology keeps advancing and has resulted in different FOD airport cleaners.
Why are airport FOD sweepers useful?
Airport FOD is any type of debris in airfields that pose a risk to workers and damage to equipment, including aircraft. FOD poses both safety and health risks, and it’s advisable to keep your space clean and organized. And you can achieve this by using fod aviation sweepers and other FOD cleaning equipment.
It’s also essential to keep your tools properly after use and repair worn-out machine parts. Damaged equipment and tools increase the risk of breakages and tiny machine parts on the ground. That’s not all! They can collect on the airfield and cause considerable damage to your equipment and employees. In this case, FOD sweepers are handy and will help collect all the debris, minimize the risks and enhance safety.
The common types of airport FOD sweepers include;
- Mechanical sweepers
Mechanical sweepers feature moving parts and brushes for gathering and alleviating dirt and debris on the cracks to the collection bin. The good this about these devices is that they can easily sweep heavier and large pieces of waste materials.
But, they have some downsides; the brush bristles can break off to form FOD on the runways. They are not very efficient in collecting small particles, which can cause significant damage to aircraft. They are not very effective in rainy weather or wet surfaces.
- Vacuum sweepers
Vacuum sweepers almost resemble the ordinary vacuum in the home. They suck and alleviate debris stuck on different parts of the airfield. They are excellent choices for dusty environments, and some feature tiny moving brushes to collect dirt and dust from deep cracks. They are highly efficient and work better than their mechanical counterparts.
However, vacuum sweepers are heavy and operate at slow sweeping speeds. They are not effective on wet surfaces and necessitate regular maintenance.
- Friction mat sweepers
These devices feature multiple brushes to direct dirt and debris to the collection mat. The mats are towed behind a vehicle which can be a truck or a cart. Friction mat sweepers are highly effective at alleviating dirt, sand, metal parts, and other tiny particles. They work faster and can clean vast areas within no time.
Can I tell you more? Friction mat sweepers work excellently on wet surfaces and hard surfaces. They are easy to set yet up and use and are highly portable. You can connect these devices to different vehicles and still enjoy a clean airfield. Lastly, friction mats are favorite among many due to their maintenance-free nature.
The bottom line
There are different airport sweepers, and you can always get one for your needs. However, it’s best to purchase from a reputed manufacturer. Go through customer reviews to learn more about the product, and don’t compromise on quality.
