Singapore no-code platform for robots cuts automation costs by half

“It’s too complicated.” 

“Only big companies with deep pockets have that kind of time.” 

“The software can’t possibly handle all the tasks required!”

These are some of the worries that manufacturers have regarding the use of robotics to automate their production line.

A robot being controlled using the Augmentus software/ Photo credit: Augmentus

Small- and mid-sized manufacturers mainly fret that the costs of automation are beyond their budget, even though robotics is supposedly the best way to minimize labor expenses.

Some also worry that jobs will be lost, though a new working paper says that robots will generate more jobs than they’ll replace.

Singapore-based Augmentus, a no-code robotics platform, hopes to address these concerns. The company built algorithms that allow noncoders to program robots using a visual interface, freeing companies from their dependence on robotics engineers.

When a user selects a template from the Augmentus software, it will generate a piece of code that helps a robot move along a defined path, avoiding collisions. The movement of the robot can be controlled using what the company calls a “scan and plan” technology, which maps out routes in real time.

With the software, engineers won’t need to program routes manually and won’t need to reprogram the robot every time there’s a change in task.

The technology can be used for various applications such as painting objects, finishing surfaces, smoothing rough edges, and inspecting product quality, among others. 

Substantial cost savings

For typical robotics projects – let’s say programming a bot to paint a surface – the process can get a little complicated.

Augmentus co-founder Daryl Lim says such projects often require companies to hire highly trained robotics engineers who will spend an average of four to five days programming a robot to spray and paint parts for a single electronic component.

Hurdles in robotics