Robot protective covers in high-pressure washing applications

High-pressure washing is essential for many industrial processes, but it creates a challenging environment for robots. Water jets, often combined with detergents or cleaning agents, reflect off the part and hit the robot. The process  can gradually affect the robot itself if proper protection isn’t in place.

Without protective covers, industrial robots operating in high-pressure washing cells face constant exposure to moisture, cleaning chemicals, and forceful water streams. Over time, this can lead to corrosion, wear on seals, premature cable degradation, and reduced component lifespan.

Why high-pressure washing is harsh on robots

Robotic high-pressure cleaning environments combine several stress factors:

• Rebound impact of water jets at high pressure
• Use of detergents, acids, or other cleaning agents
• Water infiltration into joints, bearings, and electrical connectors
• Constant exposure to wet surfaces and moisture accumulation

Even brief exposure to high-pressure water can compromise protective coatings and seals on unprotected robots. Critical areas where moving parts meet are particularly vulnerable. Small leaks or water ingress may go unnoticed, causing slow but steady damage that accumulates over time, causing corrosion of metal surfaces and fasteners, premature wear of seals and bearings, electrical failures due to water ingress, increased maintenance requirements and downtime.

How robot protective covers help

Protective covers act as a barrier between the robot and the cleaning environment. In high-pressure washing cells, covers are designed to resist:

• Reflected water impact
• Chemical exposure from detergents or cleaning agents
• Moisture present in the environment

The goal is simple: let the cover absorb the environmental stress, so the robot itself remains intact. When the cover shows signs of wear, it can be replaced during scheduled maintenance, avoiding unexpected downtime or costly repairs.

Protective covers as part of a high pressure washing workstation

High-pressure washing is inherently aggressive. Robot protective covers provide a controlled layer of exposure, shifting wear and chemical contact away from sensitive components. This approach helps reduce cleaning effort on the robot itself, simplify maintenance planning, as well as extend the service life of robotic systems.

Protective covers for robots used during high-pressure washing processes are an effective way to minimize the impact of harmful working environments on the performance of industrial robots.