Realtime Robotics' Software Makes Robot Programming 5x Faster
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Realtime Robotics has created software that helps industrial robots and autonomous vehicles generate collision-free motion plans in milliseconds. Essentially, in the delicate robotic dance, the software is the real-time choreographer.
The technology, called RapidPlan, could prove quite powerful, particularly because it allows robots to function in tandem in unstructured and collaborative workspaces. It also empowers the robots to react to obstacles nearly instantaneously.
According to Kawasaki Robotics, the company is using the tech to cut days of robot programming to hours. BMW is also using it to speed up robot programming time. The Schaeffler Group, an automotive supplier, is running the RapidPlan platform to improve throughput and robot cell automation in a multi-robot bin-picking application.
The initial successes have led to investor buy-in, and in June, Realtime announced another $9.5 million in funding. Including the $14.4 million the company raised last September, the company has now brought in some $54 million in funds.
The company plans to use the investment to improve RapidPlan, including adding customer and partner feedback and scaling to support new go-to-market efforts.
According to the company, RapidPlan can make the process of robot programming as much as five times faster and reduce the yearly costs of robot automation by as much as two-thirds — all while cutting out collisions and manual adjustments.
Now more than ever, manufacturers are focusing on flexibility, optimization, retooling, and connecting processes because such efforts are likely to have a quick ROI, especially when done right. For example, McKinsey & Company recently predicted software innovation to grow auto industry revenue by $1.5 trillion in seven years.
Programming and integration can account for 50% to 70% of a robot application's cost, so these improvements stand to impact the bottom line significantly.
