Rapid Robotics

Building a complex system designed to scale to any workshop

Our Role

Industrial Design

Robotics

Prototyping

User Testing

The Context

Rapid Robotics is lowering the barrier for smaller US based manufacturers to begin leveraging robotics to bring advanced manufacturing capabilities back on shore. What makes their robots unique is the ease with which they can be deployed and adapted quickly for different production requirements. Shipping adjustments quickly and getting real-time feedback from users was crucial to the success of this agile platform.

From Audit to Adaptability

Because of the many possible robot and cell configurations, we began the design process by carrying out a thorough audit of all the different types of manufacturing cell shapes, sizes and equipment that we thought most cells would be composed of. The initial intent was to design reconfigurable and mobile fencing solutions.

From Audit to Adaptability

Off-the-Shelf Meets Purpose-Built

After evaluating the various cell types and the ROI of developing custom fencing, we opted to use off-the-shelf fencing and instead focused our creative energies on creating custom pedestals for the robotic arm as well as custom control boxes for the robot’s drive electronics.

Off-the-Shelf Meets Purpose-Built

Designing for Portability

As we developed the pedestal and control box, we found ourselves iterating on ways to enable portability, primarily looking at well designed handles and hooks.

Designing for Portability

As we developed the pedestal and control box, we found ourselves iterating on ways to enable portability, primarily looking at well designed handles and hooks.

Designing for Portability

As we developed the pedestal and control box, we found ourselves iterating on ways to enable portability, primarily looking at well designed handles and hooks.

Versatility in a Compact Form

The robotic plinth was designed to have as small a foot print as possible in order to allow it to get as close as possible to different sized manufacturing equipment. The pedestal base was also designed to mount multiple table tops in different locations to accommodated different manufacturing fixtures and processes.