What is Robot as-a-services?

Many people are now familiar with the pay-as-you-go or subscription-based service model of software as a service (SaaS) or big data as a service (BDaaS). Those that sign up for robots as a service, in a similar setup, reap the benefits of robotic process automation by leasing robotic devices and utilizing a cloud-based subscription service rather than owning the equipment altogether.

 

RaaS solves ownership issues including paying off a large piece of equipment and coping with unanticipated maintenance issues. Robots as a service (RaaS) is fast expanding, according to all signs. According to ABI Research, there will be 1.3 million RaaS installations by 2026, earning $34 billion in revenue.

 

Rise of Robot as a Service (RaaS)

 

The "as a Service" mentality is becoming increasingly common in today's workplace and is extending to new areas of employment. "Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS)is one of these new areas. RaaS takes robotics capabilities and eliminates the initial expense of traditionally costly automation improvements. 

 

RaaS is a cloud-based "robotic rental" system that enables customers to include the capabilities they require when they require them, upgrade or downgrade systems as needs change, and deploy robotics without the infrastructure required by more traditional robotics implementations.

 

RaaS operates by combining on-site robotic gear with cloud-based programming and automation, allowing customers to provide power, train the robot, and begin using it. This functionality enables users to quickly ramp up production and lower the initial installation cost, and adjust capabilities on the fly.

 

A robot installation often needs significant computational power, utilities, and experience, and that's just to get it up and running. 

 

Because the computational power and expertise are already established at the service provider, the cloud-based robotic system eliminates many of the upfront needs, leaving just the requirements for on-site hardware (physical installation and power). 

 

Having an established control system and control infrastructure decreases the user's initial expenditure significantly because they do not need to acquire such items in addition to the robot.

 

Furthermore, if needs change, the system may be updated or lowered as needed. This avoids unneeded robots from using valuable resources such as floor space, electrical power, and processing capacity as explained in the article.

 

Rather than reusing an outmoded robot for a work it may or may not be fit for, a new robot that is matched to the job may be brought in and started producing while the old robot is returned to the service provider.

 

(Also read: How is AI revolutionizing Cloud Computing?)

 

Benefit of RaaS

 

• Lowers cost

 

The most obvious advantage of robots as a service is that it reduces costs. Historically, automation has come at a considerable cost, posing a substantial barrier to wider implementation. 

 

In a 2018 poll, the cost was highlighted by 53 per cent of company owners as one of the top five problems with robots, more than any other aspect.

 

Customers in RaaS do not purchase robots entirely, minimizing the initial cost of adoption. Companies don't have to spend as much money training these robots to fit in a given work setting because they are designed to be versatile. 

 

Ease of use minimizes related expenditures even more by avoiding workflow interruptions. With a RaaS model, renters are not responsible for ongoing maintenance costs. The seller, not the user, is responsible for maintenance, which keeps tenants' costs down.

 

• Improved accessibility

 

Robotics is a constantly evolving field. As a result, outdated machines may emerge. Organizations that own all of their robots would have to sell them, most likely at a loss, before investing in more expensive new ones. This upgrade is made easier using RaaS.

 

RaaS clients can replace their old equipment with new ones from the same provider when newer choices become available. Upgrades are as simple as paying a higher charge, which will still be less expensive than purchasing a new robot entirely. In certain cases, corporations may be able to use the cloud to download new capabilities onto existing equipment.

 

Businesses can reap the benefits of high-end robotics without the downtime and costs associated with traditional upgrades. Concerns about obsolescence will disappear, and small businesses may still stay on the cutting edge of robots.

 

• Reduced infrastructure needs

 

Another typical impediment to robotics adoption that RaaS removes is the requirement for large compatible infrastructure. Traditional robot implementation necessitates firms having the computer and utility infrastructure to meet the complicated computational demands of robots. RaaS 'bots do not have these needs because they function in the cloud.

 

Customers that use RaaS don't need to furnish much on-site computer equipment because the supplier takes care of that for them through the cloud. As a consequence, even tiny businesses with limited on-site resources may use high-end robots. In addition to hastening the implementation process, removing this impediment lowers expenses.

 

RaaS requires providers to deliver robots that are more flexible than standard systems due to the nature of the service. This cuts infrastructure requirements even more because these machines require less hardware to incorporate into a system given task.

 

• Lower expertise barrier for entry

 

Another impediment to robotics adoption is the level of programming and implementation knowledge required. In 2017, 35 per cent of supply chain executives stated that the most difficult part of implementing robotics was figuring out where to begin. 

 

In conventional ownership models, implementing any robotics may be difficult and time-consuming, requiring substantial knowledge and skill, but this is not the case with RaaS.

 

As with infrastructure, RaaS distributes the responsibility of competence to the seller. The tools they need to develop and control these new systems are contained in the cloud services via which firms run their robots. This makes the programming process easier to grasp for workers of all levels of expertise.

  

RaaS'bots' adaptable designs eliminate the need to change workflows to accommodate them. Robots may be integrated into the operations of any organization, regardless of past robotics experience.

 

• Increased scalability

 

RaaS also makes robotics more scalable, which has been a stumbling block for robots in the past. Traditional automation's scalability is hampered by high upfront costs, implementation difficulties, and the prospect of asset degradation and obsolescence. RaaS's lower-cost, more flexible paradigm.

 

Today's businesses can automate a wide range of processes, opening the stage for large-scale robots deployment. Hundreds of different robot models with varying capabilities can be used in industrial settings. Because of the cloud's ease of usage, RaaS allows you to scale up to that level.

  

RaaS cloud services would show them where they might automate even further and which machines could accomplish the work.

 

As they grow, the reduced upfront expenditures and faster deployment processes help to keep interruptions to a minimum. If the tenant needs additional space back, they could do so without disruption, too, since they would return machines to the vendor.

 

(Also read: robotic trends of 2021)

 

 

Requirement of RaaS solution

 

• Scalable automation problems

 

Your issue must be quantifiable using a key performance indicator (KPI). "If you can't measure it, you can't manage it," as the adage goes. For the RaaS system to be viable, the KPIs and consumption rate must be measured consistently. The provider must then properly report on and invoice this KPI measurement. 

 

Hours of operation, for example, are a basic metric. In this situation, you would be charged for each hour that the AMR is operational (i.e. not turned off or charging). Another metric to consider is "per selection." In this case, you might pay for each shipment that passes through the facility.

 

• Chargeable operating expense

 

Because the hardware will not be capitalized, the second criterion of a RaaS solution is that the operation in question is paid by an operational expenditure (OpEx). OpEx funds are often discretionary for the purchasing manager, and no high-level clearance is required. 

 

Executive approvals can be a deal-breaker in the purchase of capital equipment. RaaS may be the ideal choice if you have an OpEx budget to spend on automation.

 

• Guaranteed throughput

 

Production throughput and production quality are two critical indicators that every product manager is concerned with. This criterion assesses the automation tools used in the production process. 

 

Production spikes are unavoidable, and allowing your production staff to smooth them out is beneficial to your production metrics. In contrast to the process-centric demands of manufacturing, the solution in service robot applications is more task or demand-oriented. 

 

In this case, the robot may be idle while waiting for the next request or job to arrive. Similarly, in a service application, there will most certainly be moments of overconsumption or periods when there are more jobs to complete than robots to execute them.

 

(Also read about: Infrastructure as a service)

 

 

Conclusion

 

Manufacturing and logistics have become inextricably linked with robots. Those that do not automate may lag behind the competition as automation becomes increasingly common. 

 

Robots as a service (RaaS) promises to democratize automation by allowing small enterprises to reap the benefits of robots while avoiding the disadvantages. 

 

Although RaaS is a relatively new technology, it has the potential to have a significant influence on a company. The service will accelerate innovation and disrupt whole company processes in numerous sectors as it continues to evolve via new ideas and interesting business problems.

(Suggested reading: Quantum computing as-a-service)