Rapid Robotics partnered with Yaskawa America, Inc., Motoman Robotics Div. (Yaskawa Motoman) to expand available solutions on industrial robotic arms. Specifically, the integration will bring industrial capabilities to Rapid Robotics’ Rapid Machine Operator (RMO). Consequently, the company is now integrated with the entire portfolio of Yaskawa robotics. Now,  it can deliver more speed, higher payload and increased performance to a greater number of North American manufacturers with a more diverse range of needs.

“Since our founding in 2019, Rapid Robotics has been committed to providing manufacturers with a holistic workforce solution in the form of accessible, low-risk automation,” said Jordan Kretchmer, CEO and Co-Founder of Rapid Robotics. “Today, we’re able to deliver on that commitment better than ever through our partnership with Yaskawa Motoman and their legacy of industrial expertise.”

Realizing Automation

Rapid Robotics was able to democratize automation in the face of an intense workforce shortage. The company combined advanced computer vision, artificial intelligence (AI), and instinctive learning with as-a-service characteristics. These include cloud connectivity, monthly leasing, and 24/7 support to achieve this. In the past, there are manufacturers who previously could not automate due to traditional barriers like cost, inflexibility, or lengthy deployments. Now, with the Yaskawa portfolio as an integrated part of Rapid Robotics’ suite of solutions, these manufacturers needing an industrial-size solution can make automation dreams a reality.

“A trusted name in industrial automation for over a hundred years, Yaskawa is an established leader in the robotics market. A partnership with Rapid Robotics opens the door to automation for a large number of enterprises that have previously found it difficult or intimidating to deploy robotic solutions,” says Chris Caldwell, Product Manager of Yaskawa Motoman.

“Yaskawa is excited about the opportunity to offer truly industrial solutions. These expand Rapid Robotics’ capabilities while providing improved cycle-times and ROI for end users. By combining strengths, Rapid Robotics’ advanced vision systems and state-of-the-art AI allow Yaskawa’s full line of robotic manipulators to shift repetitive or dangerous tasks away from your human workforce. This frees them to perform more fulfilling work,” continues Cadwell.

Offers Flexibility of Cobot Solution

A trademark of Rapid Robotics’ solutions is an unprecedented speed of deployment. This holds true for the new industrial RMO due to the company’s modular approach to work cell design. Streamlined industrial Yaskawa robots with robust capabilities take full advantage of that approach. Specifically, they avoid interference with peripheral devices and keep the installation space of an industrial RMO work cell minimal. A key feature of this re-imagined work cell is an innovative mobile robot pedestal with modular fixturing. The mobile pedestal gives this light industrial arm the same flexibility as Rapid Robotics’ collaborative robot (cobot) solution as the pedestal can be easily moved or reconfigured and then re-locked into place by a single person.

Historically, industrial robotic arms can be more challenging and time-consuming to deploy than their cobot counterparts. This is especially true outside of mass production environments. Also, it can be attributed to their complexity and the required extensive safety measures. Rapid Robotics’ industrial RMO offers all the flexibility of a cobot solution. It achieves this while meeting all mandatory safety measures with the added payload, speed, and reach of a traditional industrial arm.