ISO
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At 3ERP, we provide robotics and automation customers with rapid prototyping and services like CNC machining and Injection Molding. Our expert team has the knowledge and skills to help bring new product concepts to life. For more information on our prototyping capabilities and how we serve the robotics industry, contact us or request a quote today.
The robotics and automation industries are closely linked. Automation is a broader category that describes the use of machines, computers, and other equipment to perform tasks — manual, mathematic, procedural, etc. — that would otherwise need to be carried out by human workers. Robotics, on the other hand, is the use of physical robots to perform physical tasks.
Robotics and automation often go hand in hand, as in industrial manufacturing. In an automotive factory, for example, an assembly line typically consists of hundreds of manufacturing robots performing automated tasks, sometimes with the aid of machine vision. However, automation can exist without robotics (in software automation, for example) and robotics can exist without automation (such as a medical robot controlled by a surgeon).
As a specialist in the prototyping of physical components, 3ERP receives many orders for robotics components. But we can also produce other types of automation parts such as conveyor belt components, automatic control equipment, and logic controller components.
Robotic end effectors — essentially the “hands” of the robot that can perform tasks like gripping or manipulating — are key components in a robotic system. Prototyping robotic end effectors is an important stage in the development of a robotic system, as it allows the engineer to test certain designs, materials, and fabrication techniques. Because end effector components like sensors and actuators are used to achieve highly precise control and feedback, it is important to carry out iterative prototyping and testing to achieve optimal performance.
In the robotics industry, most robotic systems typically require a rugged, sturdy frame that allows the system to perform a range of useful mechanical motions, such as swiveling, extending, or carrying out a specific task with its end effector. At 3ERP, we can use our range of manufacturing processes and reliable materials to make high-quality metal parts like frames, shoulder joints, and gears.
Many robots — particularly those used in manufacturing — have similar structures when it comes to parts like the arm and shoulder, but the end effector is what makes the robot unique and allows it to perform its chosen function. An end effector or end of arm tooling (EOAT) often requires several complex and intricate components that work together to allow the robot to grip, pick, cut, or do whatever it is tasked with doing.
As well as structural and task-specific parts, 3ERP is equipped to make casings, housings, tubing, and other important components for robotic assemblies. Made from plastic or metal, these important parts can be used to house structural elements, as well as mechanical and electronic components. Prototyping robotic housings can be achieved with low-cost processes 3D printing or urethane casting.
Yes, 3E Rapid Prototyping (3ERP) is an ISO9001-2015 certified manufacturer. We manufacture parts to a high standard, no matter the project or the customer.
For certain manufacturing processes like injection molding, we can provide a T1 sample for your parts, then further samples if required.
We can fulfill orders quickly, but lead times depend on a few factors, such as the manufacturing process, order quantity, and part complexity. CNC machined parts can take as little as five days, 3D printed parts can take as little as three days, while moldings made via rapid tooling can take as little as 5–7 days.
