Rapid Robotics builds and leases robots for manufacturing environments. The company has pioneered a new approach to automating repetitive tasks. It reuses core functionality, allowing the team to adapt and install their robotic arms much faster, typically within six weeks. Rapid Robotics has significantly lowered the total cost of ownership for automation by providing their solutions as a subscription service including maintenance.

The challenge

Prior to implementing Duro, Rapid Robotics saved all of its files in Google Drive. BOM tables were populated in spreadsheets. Without the means to link files or automatically update documentation, this required a lot of manual data entry that presented the risk of errors. Revision management was near impossible. As the team grew they needed a more organized system. They needed a central source of data so that everyone in the team would know which revision to work from and what revisions had previously been tested.

The solution

It was important to Rapid Robotics to find a flexible platform that would allow them to continue working in an agile manner. They chose Duro PLM because the platform would enable them to move quickly while still incorporating rigid rules and processes for BOM and change management.

Today, Duro helps the hardware product team and engineers at Rapid Robotics manage and adapt the core product configuration for different customers. As they are constantly iterating on the core design, it’s important that they can quickly reference previous tried and tested versions. Rapid Robotics relies on Duro PLM to:

  • Maintain accurate product information: Duro provides a central store for all of the different product designs and revisions. This enables the team to rapidly create customizations from base templates for specific customer use cases.
  • Synchronize with CAD: Rapid Robotics uses SolidWorks to create design templates. The CAD models are then published in Duro PLM to ensure different team members have access to the evolving designs.
  • Make quick changes to the base configurations: Rapid Robotics’ products all have a variety of options. Engineers need the ability to delete or move parts around to fit with a particular scenario. Duro enables them to rebuild or duplicate a setup, by referencing the living base configuration that stays up to date with what happens in the field.
  • Revision control: Engineers need to know what was built in the past as well as what’s in the field. Duro keeps revisions under control and ensures a consistent process for validating revision changes.
  • Data accessibility: Duro helps manage the level of fidelity that’s required to hand designs to a contract manufacturer who can preload all of the custom firmware and files for any new product. Additionally, contract manufacturers can see live updates in Duro and are automatically notified of new releases. This ensures external parties are all on the same page.

Benefits

Working with Duro allows Rapid Robotics to move quickly while still maintaining accurate product records and reliable processes.

  • Collaboration: Duro has helped Rapid Robotics to set up checkpoints that allow all team leads to understand change order workflows and sign off on changes when relevant.
  • Streamlining procurement: The supply chain and manufacturing side of the business are now aware of changes that are implemented. This ensures they order the right parts using only the most up to date version of a design.
  • Reducing duplication for agility: Having a qualification process helps the team to understand when a design has been fully tested. That way they can confidently reuse parts of a design and iterate much faster.