GrayMatter Robotics
Machinery : Industrial Robot : General
GrayMatter Robotics is an AI-Robotics company delivering smart robotic automation solutions for tedious and ergonomically challenging tasks. It bundles its proprietary AI technologies with off-the-shelf robots, sensors, and tools and provides application-specific turnkey solutions to customers in a Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) format. GrayMatter Robotics is helping manufacturers improve the quality of life of shop floor workers, enhance the production capacity, and reduce scrap, repair, and rework costs.
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A.I. Fuels Aerospace Manufacturing Automation
In a quest to find automated process solutions for its production of aircraft transparencies (windows and canopies), U.K.-based GKN Aerospace Services Ltd. worked for 10 years with experienced automation integrators using off-the-shelf robots and controls. Despite its efforts, the number of failed systems configured “well outnumbers” the successful deployments, according to Martin Philo, principal research engineer. GrayMatter’s experts agreed with the aerospace supplier’s conclusion that providing a robot as a complete solution along with software for off-the-shelf robotics were the sources of failure in previous projects. Its Scan&Sand technology uses optical scanning and custom, physics-informed A.I.-driven software to support industrial robotic arms mounted on a gantry and equipped with an abrasive tool. Based on initial estimates, Scan&Sand will increase productivity by completing a part in less than four hours, giving GKN Aerospace’s production a boost by a factor of three or four. In addition, automation has the potential to significantly reduce its scrap, repair, and rework costs associated with sanding, which can reach $5 million yearly.
While Otto Motors builds its AMRs to offer customers the best total cost of ownership, longest life, and highest uptime, its real power lies in its software. The technology behind Rendall’s description is appealing: The fleet management software is one of the biggest reasons why customers choose Otto over its competitors, he said. “It’s the fleet management software that interfaces your AMR fleet into your manufacturing execution system, your SCADA system, your PLC network,” he said. “It is what gives you seamless, end-to-end integration and handoff of materials from a piece of processing equipment to a material transport solution like ours.”
GrayMatter Robotics’ sanding solution brings in $20M
GrayMatter Robotics announced that it has raised $20 million in Series A funding. The company’s Scan&Sand system is a flexible robotic sander that can quickly adjust to objects with complex geometry. The system doesn’t require coding to program the robot, and operators can learn how to operate it in just a few hours. Scan&Sand can handle a variety of materials like composites, metals, solid surfaces, acrylics, plastics, wood, and stone.
Bow Capital led the funding round, which also included participation from GrayMatter’s existing investors B Capital Group, Calibrate Ventures, OCA Ventures, Pathbreaker Ventures, Stage Venture Partners and 3M Ventures. Swift Ventures was a new investor that participated in the round.