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Firms in North America purchased 31,159 robots in 2023. That’s a 30% lower from 2022. And that’s not sitting nicely with robotics business veteran Juan Aparicio.
“We don’t promote and deploy sufficient robots on this nation. There isn’t any human contingency to the necessity to reshore manufacturing within the brief time period, and the stakes are excessive,” mentioned Aparicio. Certainly, the stakes are excessive. There are at the moment 800,000 job openings in manufacturing. By 2030 the quantity is predicted to succeed in 2 million, costing the U.S. financial system $1 trillion, in response to the Nationwide Affiliation of Producers.
After working at Siemens for a decade and stops at Prepared Robotics and Fast Robotics, Aparicio hopes his new startup Reshape Automation can chip away at this drawback. Reshape is launching its platform in a preview-release, specializing in a particular group of producers at first, and can absolutely launch in a couple of months. Firms will be capable to request entry to the platform beginning in the present day, and attendees to Modex subsequent week will be capable to expertise it on the Reshape’s sales space (within the Startup Pavilion)
Within the preview launch, customers will profit from numerous capabilities, together with:
- Automation Discovery: curated catalog of main automation manufacturers, merchandise, and turnkey options; powered by a 24/7 AI companion that’s skilled with the world’s data in manufacturing and automation.
- Vendor matching: Reshape’s platform matches producers with essentially the most appropriate system integrators for his or her particular wants. Additionally, a challenge administration instrument permits real-time communication and data sharing.
- Versatile Deployment Choices: Producers should buy pre-configured options immediately via the platform or request customized modifications to swimsuit their particular wants, making certain a clean deployment course of. Help plans are additionally out there as a service.
Reshape Automation needs to make it simpler for the U.S. manufacturing and logistics industries to undertake automation. On the core of the platform is an AI-powered market. Reshape’s market will launch with autonomous cell robots (AMRs), robotic arms, and numerous parts and options from manufacturers like Fanuc, Yaskawa, Robotize, Peer Robotics, Merchandise, Nova Automation, Genba, OnRobot, Doosan, Fairino, and extra.
Clients can design and buy pre-configured workcells and reference designs for functions akin to palletizing, welding, inspection, machine tending, sorting, packing, and extra. “Customized modifications may also be requested,” Aparicio mentioned.
However the platform doesn’t cease there. It options numerous challenge administration instruments in an try to make the deployment of automation extra environment friendly and gratifying. Reshape’s platform matches producers with essentially the most appropriate system integrators for his or her particular wants. Aparicio mentioned Reshape has additionally created AI brokers which can be out there to handle questions and supply steering.
And, maybe better of all, Reshape Automation is upfront in regards to the prices of the system and integration, in addition to when clients can anticipate their robots to be shipped and put in. Aparicio mentioned this addresses the business’s want for environment friendly vendor-customer communication and the elimination of trial-and-error strategies in deciding on the appropriate system integrator.
“Automation might be daunting for lots of parents. This market is very fragmented. It simply results in evaluation paralysis,” he mentioned. “There are like 150 AMR manufacturers. How do you even decide one? We try to index this business.”
Reshape Automation raised $1.7 million in pre-Seed funding. The spherical was led by Schematic Ventures and included Bee Companions. There was additionally a contribution from Oliver Cameron, who began the autonomous car firm Voyage in 2017 and bought it to Cruise in early 2021. Different robotics firms funded partly by Schematic Ventures embrace Plus One Robotics, Outrider, Root AI, which was acquired by AppHarvest for $60 million in 2021, and SVT Robotics.
“We have been excited to steer Reshape Automation’s pre-seed spherical final yr and help their mission to unravel automation challenges confronted by small and medium-sized producers,” mentioned Julian Counihan, common accomplice at Schematic Ventures. “The corporate’s end-to-end platform streamlines the automation course of, from discovery to deployment, leveraging AI for resolution design, challenge administration and procurement. Reshape will make the U.S. manufacturing panorama extra environment friendly, cost-effective, and aggressive on a world scale.”
Aparicio shall be talking on the Robotics Summit & Expo (Could 1-2 in Boston), which is produced by The Robotic Report. Aparicio shall be on a panel about how generative AI is impacting robotics improvement. He’ll be joined by Sandra Skaff, senior alliances and ecosystem supervisor at NVIDIA, and Russ Tedrake, VP of robotics analysis on the Toyota Analysis Institute.
“I consider Reshape is in an thrilling place to personal a model new class of automation: producers want an automation accomplice from idea design, to deployment, to ongoing devoted Help – one who’s productizing their automation choices in each design and deploy classes,” mentioned Kira Noodleman, accomplice at Bee Companions.
Aparicio mentioned clients can use their smartphones to visualise a robotic or workcell in augmented actuality immediately at their facility. Or if they like, see the robots and purchase them from the moon utilizing AR/VR goggles, as Reshape will demo in Modex. And, finally, the AI brokers within the platform will be capable to routinely design workcells for purchasers. At first, all they’d need to do is enter the scale of packing containers they need moved, for instance. The platform will then use these specs to configure the workcell, change dimensions and decide a robotic that’ll get the job accomplished. Sooner or later, Aparicio mentioned, the brokers will be capable to routinely design the primary sketch of workcell with simply plain english inputs, and even by importing a photograph or video of your handbook operations.
Aparicio co-founded Reshape Automation with Carlos Vanegas. The 2 met whereas residing in a SF suburb, the one two robotic fans on the town, and whereas working collectively at Fast Robotics. Previous to Fast Robotics, Vanegas was senior director of software program engineering at Vivid Machines for three-plus years. And this isn’t Vanegas’ first startup. He co-founded a software program firm, Synthicity, in 2012 that he bought to Autodesk in 2015.
“Producers within the U.S. are preventing an uphill battle with labor shortages. We owe it to them to place the most recent advances in AI to their service in order that they will lastly undertake automation as a low-risk and reliable ally to win that battle,” mentioned Carlos Vanegas, co-founder and CTO of Reshape Automation. “On this first launch of our platform, our AI brokers act as a navigational help all through the producer’s automation journey, ranging from the preliminary discovery and design phases. Trying forward, we’ll develop using AI to supply producers higher help and upkeep of their automation funding.”
Reshape mentioned its purpose is “to turn into the tide that raises all boats. By making it simpler to find, design and buy automation and labor, producers within the U.S. shall be extra aggressive, and the ecosystem of automation distributors and integrators will thrive.”
“The U.S. barely makes the highest 10 by way of robotic density,” mentioned Aparicio. “If we’re profitable, there gained’t be 30,000 robots deployed a yr, however thousands and thousands, making a extra resilient and dynamic American manufacturing business.”
