Fast Radius, a cloud manufacturing and digital supply chain company, is partnering with Simbe Robotics to manufacture components critical to the function and aesthetics of Simbe’s inventory robot, Tally 3.
Simbe says it has “reimagined the possibilities of automation” to create new efficiencies in retail stores and selected Fast Radius’ Cloud Manufacturing Platform because of its ability to bypass current supply chain disruptions through flexible production.
This results in faster time to market versus traditional manufacturing processes and helps the business scale.
Tally 3, Simbe’s flagship robot, is an autonomous retail intelligence robot that drives productivity and customer satisfaction by collecting and analyzing inventory data in retail environments, such as the shelf-stocking needs of grocery stores.
Deterred by the heavy startup costs of injection molding parts, Simbe needed to achieve precise results from less expensive manufacturing methods – namely urethane casting – in order to quickly expand their fleet of robots and meet growing demand from retailers.
Owen Davies, director of hardware engineering at Simbe Robotics, says: “Given the current and sustained supply chain disruptions felt across industries, when we were looking to accelerate production of our Tally robots, it was critical for us to find a partner who could keep costs low while delivering on the quality and durability that you typically only get from high-volume manufacturing.
“Working with Fast Radius, we’ve been able to deploy nearly 200 robots globally with industrial-grade quality, all while staying agile enough to continue innovating.
“Having a flexible and reliable supply chain through Fast Radius has helped us grow our business and widely distribute Tally robots.”
Through their partnership with Fast Radius, Simbe has saved more than $30,000 in engineering costs and maintained the flexibility to refine and change designs as needed to accommodate evolving product requirements and new sensor technology.
This nimble working relationship has enabled Simbe to retain a lean manufacturing strategy to adapt and grow with changing business needs.
Bobby Bott, EVP of manufacturing at Fast Radius, says: “The robotics industry is a uniquely innovative space, and Simbe is positioned to revolutionize how work is done with robots that automate tasks to increase productivity and accuracy.
“We’re excited to support businesses like Simbe that are bringing these advanced robots to the market and to enable their growth through our Cloud Manufacturing Platform.”
Simbe is one of many recognizable customers, such as Rawlings, Steelcase, and Curtiss, that are leveraging Fast Radius’ Cloud Manufacturing Platform to design and produce industrial-grade parts and bring new products to market.
