6 ways RaaS delivers a competitive edge

The U.S. medical technology and device industry hasn’t had it easy the past several years. After experiencing a surge in research and development (R&D) investment and subsequent revenue growth as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – the highest rate of growth since the 2008 financial crisis – the industry has challenges ahead. Like other U.S. manufacturing sectors, widespread recession rumors, crippling inflation, a shrinking workforce, supply chain disruptions, and semiconductor shortages threaten to impede the medical device industry’s growth. According to a recent EY report, medical technology companies should think about protecting themselves in this kind of instability by increasing supply chain resilience.

For the estimated 908 medical device manufacturers in the U.S. whose high-mix environments produce bandages, test kits, pacemakers, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, resilience might be unlocked in an unlikely form – robotic automation.

Speaking to the skeptics

Many of today’s medical device manufacturers may be skeptical of robots. Some of you reading this right now might even immediately be brought back to a time when the robot you tried just didn’t deliver the business-changing performance you were promised – or maybe you just feel the fear of hemorrhaging resources. Historically, you might be right.

High upfront costs, long deployment times, and installation difficulties have meant waiting months, sometimes years, to achieve a return on investment (ROI) for robotic automation projects. Repurposing robots is complex and expensive, meaning many hyperspecialized implementations go unused after process changes. But with the current shortage of skilled workers causing significant factory disruption, manufacturers may want to reconsider robots if they want to remain competitive. Here’s why: a new wave of low-risk, affordable robotic workforce solutions now exist that can help them meet their ever-changing production needs, even during times of uncertainty.

A path to resilience

Robotics as a Service (RaaS) is a new automation model making the process of adopting a robotic workforce accessible to high-mix medical device manufacturing facilities. By adopting as-a-service characteristics, such as 24/7 support and cloud connectivity, and pairing them with the latest robotics-enabling technologies, such as computer vision systems and customized end-of-arm tools, RaaS is disrupting the automation industry, letting every type and size of manufacturer get a slice of the pie and achieve faster ROI.

So how does it work? Let’s explore the benefits of RaaS within the medical device industry, specifically.

1. Robot deployment times are quick. Traditionally, automation is time intensive, taking in some cases months to deploy each task. Today, alternative innovative deployment plans exist that can be completed in just a few weeks. Our robotic solution, the Rapid Machine Operator (RMO), can be deployed in just a few days due to the unique integration of advanced software systems such as digital twins and vision systems for task-simulation that allow for optimal training of robots before they ever hit the factory floor.

2. Enhanced software enables robots to be easily redeployed to a variety of tasks. In the high-mix facilities of medical device manufacturing, flexibility of automation matters massively. By finding the right partner and automating the right tasks, manufacturers can streamline production and significantly reduce changeover times. Through a combination of cloud connectivity, enhanced vision systems, and other technological advancements, our RMOs have the unique ability to easily identify the task they’re being assigned to and adjust to a new one in less time than it takes to make a cup of coffee, whether it’s moving from centrifuge tending to catheter tipping to plate handling to vial filling – no reprogramming is required.

3. Results in a quick ROI. Unlike traditional robots, which are purchased upfront as other capital equipment, RaaS is founded upon the tenet of robots as an operational expense, leasing robots for flat rates. This model allows for nearly instant ROI in many cases, eliminating a major hurdle for more complex and capital-intensive automation options of the past.

For example, Delphon, a medical materials engineering company, saw a $70,000 ROI less than a year after deploying RMOs to remove foreign material during the assembly process for parts handling semiconductor chips used in medical devices.

4. Addresses labor challenges. By bypassing the risks of conventional automation, RaaS enables medical device manufacturers to justify investing in robots to help mitigate production challenges onset by the labor crisis. Specifically, deployment of a single RMO can offset three or more open human operator roles, easing the burden on HR departments to fill chronically vacant positions.

Repetitive, high-volume tasks in manufacturing facilities also tend to have high injury rates. Switching to a robotic workforce for these tasks reduces workdays lost to injury by up to 35% and helps reduce turnover while also reskilling workers to more complex, high-value tasks. During their automation journey, Delphon was able to redeploy eight operators to other jobs after implementing RMOs.

5. Increases product quality and consistency. Like all manufacturers, medical device shops want to improve product quality while reducing cycle time, controlling costs, and lessening dependence on human operators. But for this industry, the bar for product quality is significantly higher due to more stringent regulations such as U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates.

RaaS solutions can mitigate these challenges by delivering almost perfect levels of consistency and precision during production. Our RMO, for example, regularly achieves a 99.9% quality approved rate on all parts it produces. That’s up to 15% higher than a human worker. Other subsidiary benefits of this precision are less waste, which positively impacts production efficiency and sustainability, and streamlined regulatory approvals. By generating data trails and accurately documenting their process steps without requiring extra time, robots can help expedite FDA auditing and compliance processes.

6. Reduced risk of cross- contamination. For the medical device industry, cleanrooms can present unique challenges. Human workers are strictly regulated in these environments, having to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and follow rigorous gowning procedures. Automating one or more cleanroom processes significantly reduces contamination risk by limiting the amount of time humans spend inside such environments.

Automation can also help reduce the risk of human contamination in non-cleanroom environments. As COVID-19 cases soared at the beginning of the pandemic, shops that previously relied on connected work cells had to implement social distancing measures, resulting in fewer workers on the floor, who were separated by plastic dividers. These measures led to reduced production capacity, while demand for medical devices skyrocketed. For example – producers of the PCR chips required for COVID-19 tests experienced a 500% increase in demand. One manufacturer enlisted Rapid Robotics’ RMO to automate a part of its production process – grabbing injection molded chips from a four-cavity injection molding fixture, moving them into a gate clipper where extraneous material is removed, then placing the clipped chips on a conveyor belt for bagging. This company can now more easily meet demand and feel prepared to face any future surges.

The right solution

Driven by continuous innovation, today’s robotics industry’s offerings go far beyond the one-and-done models of systems integration and traditional automation. In a time of chronic labor shortages, volatile demand, and the lingering uncertainty of COVID-19, low-risk RaaS solutions – if executed correctly – can equip medical device manufacturers with the tools they need to improve accuracy and efficiency while allowing for flexibility and cost savings in the near and distant future, ultimately strengthening resiliency.

About the author: Jordan Kretchmer is CEO Rapid Robotics and can be reached at info@rapidrobotics.com.

Rapid Robotics
https://www.rapidrobotics.com