Cornerstone Specialty Wood Products Unveils NEW TriGard® ESD Ultra Finish for High-Traffic Robotic Applications

To maximize the productivity of an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) or automatic guided vehicle (AGV) deployment, it’s critical to create the optimal environment that allows the vehicles to perform at their peak. For that reason, Cornerstone Specialty Wood Products, LLC® created the new TriGard® ESD Ultra finish for its ResinDek® engineered flooring panels. The new finish is ideal for high-traffic robotic applications characterized by highly repetitive movement patterns and defined travel paths.

Scott McGill, Cornerstone’s Vice President of Sales:

“As AMRs and AGVs travel throughout a facility — including on elevated warehouse platforms, pick modules, and mezzanines — the durability and condition of the floor can have a significant impact on their performance,” explained Scott McGill, Cornerstone’s Vice President of Sales. “We’ve worked with numerous robotic suppliers in developing our TriGard finishes. With their input and testing, we’ve created the optimal surfaces for different robotic applications.”

TriGard ESD Ultra Eliminates Surface Issues Faced by Robots

Engineered specifically for robotic traffic, TriGard ESD Ultra’s formulation eliminates common floor surface issues to ensure a successful AMR and AGV application. These include:

• Enhanced durability to resist wear in high-frequency robotic traffic applications. Worn surfaces can disrupt the functioning of a vehicle’s laser-based navigation sensors, slowing — or even stopping — travel. TriGard ESD Ultra withstands more than twice the wear rating of Cornerstone’s original TriGard ESD finish, giving operations the choice of a more durable finish for robots that have ultra-high repetitive travel patterns and defined travel paths.
• Optimal coefficient of friction, allowing robotic vehicle wheels to securely grip the floor. A surface that is too slippery prevents the vehicle from accelerating, stopping accurately, and turning as expected. Both TriGard finishes deliver the ideal amount of surface roughness to keep robots moving.
• Ideal degree of light reflectivity that does not impair a vehicle’s ability to travel fluidly and with precision. Surfaces that are too shiny can reflect too much light, prohibiting robotic navigation sensors from operating correctly. Both TriGard ESD and TriGard ESD Ultra have been tested to ANSI ASTM D523 standards for glossmeter geometries, ensuring their suitability for robotic applications.
• Electrostatic dissipative properties (ESD) to minimize static buildup. Both TriGard ESD and TriGard ESD Ultra prevents a discharge from damaging sensitive robotic electronics.

TriGard Finishes on ResinDek Flooring Boosts Robotic Performance

ResinDek panels with TriGard ESD and TriGard ESD Ultra finishes come in sizes up to 4 x 10 feet. Formulated in different thicknesses and densities to accommodate different load capacities.

Dave Paquin, Director of Robotics Sales:

“Compared to concrete floors that are prone to wear, cracking, and often are uneven, ResinDek floors are a vastly better option for robotic applications. Further, concrete floors tend to not be level. Because most robots are not equipped with a braking system, an un-level floor can cause a robot system to roll away from its target point, requiring unscheduled downtime and manual intervention to get it back in its proper position.”

All ResinDek panels are backed by comprehensive design engineering services and a 10-year product warranty.