Spec sheets use a lot of shorthand. These are the terms you will see most often.
Scrubber terms
Term
Meaning
Scrubber dryer, auto scrubber
A machine that applies cleaning solution, scrubs the floor and vacuums the dirty water up in one pass.
Solution tank
Holds clean water and detergent.
Recovery tank
Holds the dirty water collected by the squeegee.
Squeegee
The rubber blade assembly at the back that gathers dirty water for the vacuum.
Disc brushes
Round, flat brushes that spin against the floor; the most common type.
Cylindrical brushes
Roller brushes that scrub and also sweep small debris into a hopper.
Orbital head
A pad that oscillates rather than spins; with the right pad it can deep-clean or remove floor finishes.
Brush pressure
The downward force on the brushes, in kilograms.
Sweeper terms
Term
Meaning
Main broom, central brush
The cylindrical brush that throws debris into the hopper.
Side brush
A small spinning brush that pulls debris from edges into the main broom's path.
Hopper
The container that collects swept debris.
Panel or pocket filter
Captures fine dust from the air the vacuum fan draws through the hopper.
Filter shaker
Shakes dust off the filter so suction stays strong.
Skirts
Rubber flaps that seal the brush chamber so dust stays inside.
General terms
Term
Meaning
Working width
The width cleaned in one pass.
Theoretical productivity
Working width multiplied by working speed, in square metres per hour. A maximum, not a real-world figure.
Traction drive, self-propelled
The machine drives itself; the operator steers. Without it, the operator pushes.
Run time
How long a full battery lasts in normal use.
GVW
Gross vehicle weight: the total weight of the machine in working condition, as defined by the manufacturer.
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How scrubber machines work →
How sweeper machines work →
Lithium vs lead-acid batteries →
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