Automation outsourcing gains acceptance
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Square One Systems Design product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Jul 30, 2003
Square One Systems Design is widely considered to be one of the most innovative of a new generation of automation outsource companies.
Square One Systems Design is widely considered to be one of the most innovative of a new generation of automation outsource companies.
The Square One team is responsible for a wide range of robotic technologies now used for photomask handling and inspection.
Their staff, drawn from both academics and the private sector, are experts at developing elegant manufacturing solutions tailored to a customer's specific needs.
Their systems are widely deployed in the manufacture of both magnetic and optical data storage devices.
Square One also works closely with the Department of Energy to create specialised machines for the unique needs of the scientific community.
With the spiralling complexity of today's high-tech products, manufacturing automation has become an ever more crucial component of business success.
Aggressive demands for extreme precision, through-put and cleanliness often require that futuristic machines completely replace human workers on the modern assembly line.
But the technical challenges of implementing this level of mechanisation are significant and few companies can afford dedicated, in-house automation teams.
Consequently, more and more companies are turning to outside specialists to supply the necessary automation wizardry.
Formed two years ago, Square One's offices are located at the foot of the Tetons in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
"Our vision was to assemble some of the best minds in the business in an idyllic location, equip them with the latest design tools and then turn them loose on a wide variety of automation projects", explains cofounder Bob Viola.
"We believe our unconventional setting fosters original thinking".
Viola is quick to add that while Square One may pride itself on blue-sky creativity, its engineers are also realists with a ruthless devotion to each customer's bottom line.
As the trend towards outsourcing accelerates, companies will increasingly turn to custom automation suppliers such as Square One in order to cost-effectively meet their manufacturing challenges.
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