Flow Robotics: Scaling Up Production and Accelerating Product Development with IoT
Technology Category
- Sensors - Flow Meters
- Sensors - Liquid Detection Sensors
Applicable Industries
- Equipment & Machinery
- Life Sciences
Applicable Functions
- Product Research & Development
- Quality Assurance
Use Cases
- Autonomous Robots
- Time Sensitive Networking
Services
- Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
- Testing & Certification
The Customer
Flow Robotics
About The Customer
Flow Robotics is a Danish manufacturer that develops liquid handling robots for life-science laboratories and hospitals across Europe. The company's flagship product, the flowbot™ ONE pipetting robot, is designed to automate part of the testing process in laboratories, thereby speeding up the time it takes to produce results and reducing pressure on staff. The robots are designed to reduce physically demanding pipetting tasks for laboratory personnel and minimize the risk of human error and contagion in the process. The company's mission is to disrupt the way that liquid handling is performed in life sciences companies around the world by creating workplaces where robots and people work alongside each other.
The Challenge
Flow Robotics, a Danish manufacturer, developed flowbot™ ONE pipetting robots to alleviate the strain on bioanalysts in life-science laboratories and hospitals across Europe. These robots were designed to automate part of the testing process, speeding up the time it takes to produce results and reducing pressure on staff. However, the company faced challenges in scaling up production and accelerating product development. High workloads and physically challenging conditions have long been an issue for laboratory professionals. Flow Robotics estimates that around half of medical lab technicians carry out the same arm movements for at least a quarter of their working day. The American Society for Clinical Pathology reported that 85% of laboratory professionals feel burnt out; 36% struggle with inadequate staffing; and 32% face a heavy workload and pressure to complete all testing on time.
The Solution
Flow Robotics leveraged the 3DEXPERIENCE platform on cloud to scale up production of its liquid handling robots and accelerate product development. The company opted for the 3DEXPERIENCE® platform on cloud and is already achieving noticeable benefits. The platform provided a centralized communication platform to establish a common understanding, ensure everyone is working from the same data and help multiple disciplines work together. The company also partnered with Dassault Systèmes value added reseller X10D Solutions, which worked closely with the manufacturer to define its processes and implement the PLM platform. The cloud deployment allowed Flow Robotics to get up and running quickly. The company transferred all its legacy data into the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and began handling new projects natively in the platform.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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