AMFG recently announced a significant partnership with RapidMade.
AMFG is a London-based company that develops highly sophisticated workflow software for manufacturers using additive manufacturing equipment.
The need for such workflow arises because it is an incredibly complex process to manufacture parts at scale. There are numerous opportunities for task management, data capture, and analysis to improve processes over time.
AMFG’s Customizable Workflow Solutions
AMFG’s offerings include several customizable pre-set workflows for various aspects of manufacturing, such as part production and spare parts handling. Their system can not only accept orders from clients but also run the jobs to fulfill those orders using their Manufacturing Execution System (MES).
Modern manufacturers face the complex challenge of integrating advanced equipment in a factory, coordinating orders, and ensuring financial viability. AMFG has solutions for these challenges.
The company has previously announced partnerships, such as their 2019 deal with EOS to simplify manufacturing workflows.
Now, they have partnered with RapidMade, an Oregon-based operation that offers a variety of manufacturing services, including CNC milling, thermoforming, urethane casting, finishing, and additive manufacturing.
Robotized Solutions for Autonomous Manufacturing
What exactly is the partnership aiming to achieve? AMFG explains:
“AMFG and RapidMade are pleased to announce the consolidation of their partnership with a new offering that provides robotized solutions to existing autonomous manufacturing workflows. The aim of this new offering is to address the gaps in the manufacturing process by automating the in-between stages that automation has not yet caught up to, thereby increasing the proportion of the workflow that is fully autonomous. The collaboration accelerates the vision of a truly autonomous workflow by providing solutions to each stage of production that enable manufacturers to achieve their production targets faster and more efficiently.”
This is a crucial area that has long been overlooked. It’s relatively easy to create a machine for a specific type of manufacturing, but parts often require more to be completed. Individual machines may gain some automation and efficiency, but the issue lies in what happens between these machines and the path that parts must follow for completion.
Efficient and Effective Manufacturing Processes
Many manufacturers currently rely on manual labor solutions, but these can be expensive, inefficient, and inconsistent. The idea is to robotize some of this activity, making the manufacturing process more efficient and effective.
The robotization would employ “cobots,” which are robots designed to interact with humans in close proximity. This should provide a means to effectively mix robot and manual solutions together in complex manufacturing workflows.
AMFG’s MES will integrate with this capability, allowing for tracking the trajectory of a part throughout most of its manufacturing lifecycle, even across different machine environments.
This collaboration could be a game-changer for many manufacturers, as it combines the power of robotics with the management expertise of AMFG.
