Robots as a Service: future-proof solution for intelligent automation
Vicarious is pioneering a new business model, Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS), which protects our customers from the risks associated with accelerating product cycles.
Posted January 2021 Back to Resources
Robots as a Service: future-proof solution for intelligent automation
Over the past few decades, traditional robotics systems have been purchased with large amounts of capital expense up front. This has proven to be a barrier of entry for companies interested in automation, due to the high upfront investment and risk of obsolescence if business needs change. Vicarious is pioneering a new business model, Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS), which protects our customers from the risks associated with accelerating product cycles.
Customers pay zero upfront capital expense — only a flat fee for each unit successfully processed for the duration of the contract. The typical contract duration is 12-24 months, after which the customer has the flexibility to continue with existing hardware or make necessary changes to fit the new process flow, all with zero CapEx. This ensures production lines can be flexible to changes – whether in volume or type of operation – driven by rapidly evolving customer needs.
RaaS delivers the next level of operational flexibility that specifically benefits 3PLs, who operate on a short term contract with manufacturers, ranging 2-5 years. Because of the short contract length, 3PLs have been historically slow to commit to large automation projects, fearing workflows can change dramatically or disappear altogether when the contract expires, causing expensive robotics systems to suddenly become obsolete. RaaS enables companies to get the cost-saving benefits of automation without a long-term investment into technology that may not be relevant to their needs 2-5 years down the line.
Vicarious is a full service integrator powered by AI that takes on the responsibility of design, engineering, and keeping customers’ systems up-to-date with the latest AI software releases. With a full team of robotics experts and 24/7 support post-deployment, Vicarious handles all aspects of maintenance and upkeep, so the customer doesn’t have to.
We live in an exciting time for robotics and AI technology. Companies across the world are joining Vicarious at the cutting edge of robotics research and design. Reap the benefits of modern automation with no strings attached.