Caveriat Robotique Theoris
Robot Manufacturer Wins Market Share Thanks to New Programming Interface
Business Situation
The robotic arm industry is relatively small but highly competitive. Chaveriat Robotique had been steadilyproducing robots for over twenty years. However, with the same line-command interface in use since the mideighties,it was increasingly losing market share to competitors that had adopted modern graphical userinterfaces.
As a result, Chaveriat Robotique began looking for an innovative replacement. The company selected Microsoft�Windows� CE .NET 4.2 to develop handheld devices that control the robots’ motion in real time. Thanks toWindows CE .NET, Chaveriat Robotique has been able to offer a new generation of input devices that reduceproduction costs by 10 percent and offer 30 percent more functionality than previous input devices. Since the newinterfaces became available at the beginning of 2004, the company has significantly increased its market share.
Solution
Using Microsoft Windows CE .NET 4.2, Chaveriat Robotique has designed Synaps, an innovative interface based onfamiliar Windows technology. As a result, it has reasserted itself as a force in the world of robotic arms. After anextensive audit of the available options, Chaveriat Robotique chose the Microsoft Windows CE .NET operatingsystem version 4.2. This real-time operating system (RTOS) provides a robust solution that is easily programmableand comes with a clear and easy-to-use graphical user interface.
Windows CE .NET is a 32-bit operating system with a small footprint. It integrates real-time capabilities withadvanced Windows technologies and enables embedded developers to build innovative, small-footprint devices. Itis designed for specific uses, typically in small devices with limited memory or processing resources. The roboticinput console was perfectly suited to its purpose.
Benefits
- Robots are 10 percent less expensive to build with 30 percent more functionality
- Higher ROI for customers
- Easier diagnosis of errors
- Clear development path
- Improved market share
Higher Return on Investment for Customers: Bonin estimates that robotspowered by Synaps are 10 percent cheaper to produce than predecessors, yetthey deliver 30 percent more functionality. Some of the cost savings is passedalong to customers, which makes the system even more competitive in theglobal market.
Customers also benefit from being able to use the intuitive graphical userinterface to program new functions, enabling faster allocation of robots tonew tasks.
�Chaveriat Robotique chose Windows CE .NET because itoffered real-time processing and a graphical user interfaceat the right price. We were confident that the Windowsoperating system was familiar enough for users to adapt tothe input consoles quickly. Other operating systems on themarket had elements of each of these factors, but theWindows solution was the only one that combined themall.�
Thierry Joubert, Chief Technology Officer at Theoris,Chaveriat Robotique’s partner on the project.