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Every project supported by Gebert Rüf Stiftung is made accessible with a web presentation that informs about the core data of the project. With this public presentation, the foundation publishes the funding results achieved and contributes to the communication of science to society.

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Auto-Mate Robotics  – smart and flexible automation

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The project management is responsible for the content of the information provided.

Project data

  • Project no: GRS-023/22 
  • Amount of funding: CHF 150'000 
  • Approved: 28.06.2022 
  • Duration: 09.2022 - 04.2024 
  • Area of activity:  First Ventures, seit 2018

Project management

Project description

We want to provide innovative solutions to make the automation of high-mix low-volume production affordable. Many companies producing in small batches are indeed still relying on manual work. This makes maintaining the production in Switzerland difficult since production prices are higher than the foreign competition due to the high wages. In addition, recruiting workers for dull, low-paid jobs is becoming difficult. Traditional automation solutions are not viable since they are typically designed for mass production and are not profitable for small volumes, while new plug-and-play solutions are not flexible enough to address industrial needs properly. To overcome this, we develop solutions so that companies with no expertise in robotics can learn the skills to develop their own affordable, ad-hoc solutions. We thus focus on both making the technology easier to use and helping non-experts to learn the skills needed to use robots to their full potential.

Status/Results

The aim is to develop our prototype into a commercial product and to create a start-up. The development takes place in close cooperation with an industrial steering committee, with the goal of understanding better the market needs and developing a minimum viable product in the next two years. In the first project phase a new industrial grade demonstrator was developed to show the feasibility and the efficiency of our approach. In a further step, this demonstrator will be tested in a real production plant and further developed according to users’ feedback. We work now in collaboration with several companies from different industrial sectors to improve our product so that it meets their needs. Once the product is ready and the first customer orders are secured, the start-up will be created.

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Persons involved in the project

Lucas Renfer, Chief Executive Officer
Christian Wyss, Chief Operating Officer
Charly Blanc, Chief Technology Officer

Last update to this project presentation  25.01.2024