Rapid Robotics is partnering with Yaskawa Motoman to expand offerings for industrial robotic arms
February 7, 2023
SAN FRANCISCO—Rapid Robotics recently announced a new integration with Yaskawa America, Inc., Motoman Robotics Division (Yaskawa Motoman) that will bring industrial capabilities to Rapid Robotics’ Rapid Machine Operator (RMO), according to a release from Rapid Robotics.
The collaboration between Rapid Robotics and Yaskawa Motoman is expected to provide industrial automated workforce solutions—including faster deployment, higher payload, and increased performance—to a wider range of industries. (Photo: Business Wire)
The company said it is now integrated with the entire Yaskawa robotics portfolio, and 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 Rapid Robotics CEO and Co-founder Jordan Kretchmer, in the release. “Today, we’re able to deliver on that commitment better than ever through our partnership with Yaskawa Motoman and their legacy of industrial expertise.”
According to Rapid Robotics, by combining advanced computer vision, artificial intelligence, and instinctive learning with as-a-service characteristics, including cloud connectivity, monthly leasing, and 24/7 support, it has been able to democratize automation in the face of an intense workforce shortage. Now that the Yaskawa portfolio is an integrated part of Rapid Robotics’ offerings, manufacturers that need an industrial-size solution but could not automate previously due to traditional barriers like cost, inflexibility, or lengthy deployments, can make those automation dreams a reality.
“A trusted name in industrial automation for over a hundred years, Yaskawa is an established leader in the robotics market,” said Chris Caldwell, product manager of Yaskawa Motoman, in the release. “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.
“Yaskawa is excited for the opportunity to offer truly industrial solutions, expanding Rapid Robotics’ capabilities while providing improved cycle-times and return-on-investment for end users,” Caldwell added. “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, freeing them to perform more fulfilling work.”
A trademark of Rapid Robotics’ solutions is an unprecedented speed of deployment, the company said. 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, avoiding interference with peripheral devices, and keeping 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), as the pedestal can be easily moved or reconfigured and then re-locked into place by a single person, according to the release.
Historically, industrial robotic arms can be more challenging and time-consuming to deploy than their cobot counterparts, especially outside of mass production environments, due to their complexity and the extensive safety measures required. Rapid Robotics said its industrial RMO offers all the flexibility of a cobot while meeting all mandatory safety measures with the added payload, speed, and reach of a traditional industrial arm.
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