Platform / Manufacturing
Track 2 · Manufacturing Automation Services

The Full Automation Project Framework

Nine stages, twenty-seven consultant-grade tools. From opportunity definition through cell concept, ROI, URS, RFQ, build, qualification, and steady-state production. The full project lifecycle that integrators charge six figures to scope.

Stages are arranged in chronological use order. Within each stage, the cards are also ordered chronologically — Process Profile before opportunity scoring, URS before RFQ before FRS, throughput simulation before ROI. Follow the sequence on a first pass; experienced ops leaders can interleave as conditions require.

9
Project Stages
28
Total Tools
3
Active Now
11%
Track Build
Project Stages · Chronological Use Order
Stage M0
Project Workspace & Vendor Network

Foundation. Define the manufacturing project once and browse the vendor and integrator ecosystem.

Step 1
Active
Manufacturing Project
Named workspace for a specific automation initiative. Project type (cell upgrade / greenfield line / retrofit), industry, vertical, operation profile, throughput target, cell concept, commercial gates, stakeholders, documents, timeline.
Launch Tool
Step 2
Planned
Equipment Vendor Directory
Curated vendor library: robots (ABB, Fanuc, KUKA, Yaskawa, UR, Doosan), vision (Cognex, Keyence, Sick), PLCs (AB, Siemens, Beckhoff), safety, conveyance, drives. Spec sheets, selection wizards, indicative cost ranges.
Planned
Step 3
Planned
System Integrator Directory
Registered automation integrators by capability (robotics, vision, controls platform), industry vertical, geography, and project size. Same architecture as the CMO directory. Surfaces contextually in RFQ flows.
Planned
Stage M1
Opportunity Definition

Quantify what you have today before deciding what to automate. Process Profile → Volume tail → Opportunity rank.

Step 1
Planned
Manual Process Assessment
Time-and-motion capture, labor cost loading, quality cost capture, ergonomic risk (REBA/RULA) for a manual operation. Output: a 1-page Process Profile that feeds every downstream Manufacturing card.
Planned
Step 2
Planned
Volume & Mix Analyzer
Imports part-level volume and mix data. Pareto chart of part contribution, family analysis (which parts could share tooling), changeover frequency. Recommends fixed vs flexible automation strategy.
Planned
Step 3
Planned
Automation Opportunity Scorer
Portfolio view across many manual operations. Scores each on volume, repeatability, geometry consistency, cycle-time variability, ergonomic risk, labor availability, quality criticality. Ranks top opportunities. Recommends automation depth.
Planned
Stage M2
Concept & Justification

Cell concept defines stations; throughput simulation defends the rate; ROI defends the capital.

Step 1
Planned
Cell Concept Generator
Translates operation type, throughput target, and part data into a notional cell layout: architecture (single/multi-robot, conveyance), bill of equipment, footprint, utilities. Reference photos of similar concepts.
Planned
Step 2
Planned
Throughput & OEE Simulator
Discrete-event simulation of a proposed cell: stations, cycle times, buffers, MTBF, MTTR. Bottleneck identification, buffer sizing, OEE prediction. Defends the throughput claim in the ROI model with confidence bands.
Planned
Step 3
Active
ROI / Payback Model
CFO-grade financial justification. Capital, install, training, validation, ops cost, labor savings, quality savings, throughput uplift, depreciation/tax effects (MACRS, Sec 179, bonus depreciation), sensitivity, NPV, IRR, payback.
Launch Tool
Stage M3
Specification & RFQ

Write what you need (URS), send it out (RFQ), receive the integrator's traced response (FRS).

Step 1
Planned
User Requirement Spec (URS) Builder
Templated URS sections (scope, parts, throughput, quality, environment, utilities, footprint, integration, safety, training, documentation, validation, acceptance). Inherits from Process Assessment + Cell Concept. Numbered requirement IDs.
Planned
Step 2
Planned
RFQ Package Builder
Bundles URS + drawings + sample part photos/video + throughput targets into a standardized RFQ. Sends to selected integrators from the directory. Standardized response template forces apples-to-apples comparison.
Planned
Step 3
Planned
Functional Requirement Spec (FRS) Builder
The integrator's response to the URS, one-to-one traced. Equipment list with vendor/model, sequence of operations, high-level I/O list, HMI screen map, safety architecture (PLd/SIL). Becomes part of the PO.
Planned
Stage M4
Integrator Selection & Quoting

Make the design decision before scoring quotes, then evaluate apples-to-apples.

Step 1
Planned
Cobot vs. Industrial Robot Decision Tool
Application-specific comparison. Payload, reach, speed, fenced vs unfenced, operator interaction. Performance delta (not generic spec). Safety architecture (ISO 10218-2 vs TS 15066). Total cost including fencing/light curtains.
Planned
Step 2
Planned
Integrator Quote Analyzer
Upload PDF quotes; OCR/parse line items. Side-by-side cost comparison. "What's missing" analysis. Assumption comparison (where lawsuits start). 5-year TCO. Integrator risk scoring. Procurement-ready comparison output.
Planned
Step 3
Planned
CNC Workbench Integration
Hand-off from automation cell scoping to machine-level G-code generation when the cell includes CNC equipment. Cell Concept passes machine list directly into the CNC Workbench machine selector and G-code generator.
Planned
Stage M5
Engineering & Build

Set up the master tracker, then run engineering deliverables under it.

Step 1
Planned
Build Plan & Project Tracker
Gate-driven execution: kickoff, design reviews 1/2/3, FAT, ship, install, SAT, training, signoff. Deliverable checklist per milestone, RFI log, change-order tracking with cost and schedule impact.
Planned
Step 2
Planned
Risk Assessment & Safety Validation
ISO 12100 risk assessment, ISO 13849-1 PL determination per safety function, ISO 10218-2 (industrial) or TS 15066 (collaborative) robot assessment, NFPA 79 electrical, OSHA lockout/tagout procedures. Insurance- and audit-ready output.
Planned
Step 3
Planned
P&ID and I/O Schedule Builder
Pneumatic schematic builder, electrical I/O schedule (DI/DO/AI/AO/network nodes), equipment tag list per ISA-5.1, cable schedule. Standard documents for the build package.
Planned
Step 4
Planned
PLC / HMI Code Skeleton Generator
Platform-specific starter code (RSLogix 5000, TIA Portal, TwinCAT, Sysmac, GX Works). State-machine template from the FRS sequence-of-operations. Standard routines: startup, e-stop, mode management, recipes, alarms, OEE. ISA-101 HMI templates.
Planned
Stage M6
Commissioning & Qualification

FAT/SAT first to prove it works, training so operators can run it, then formal qualification for regulated industries.

Step 1
Planned
FAT / SAT Protocol Builder
Factory Acceptance Test and Site Acceptance Test protocols, auto-derived from URS/FRS traceability. Standard sections: visual, utilities, sequence, throughput, quality, alarm/safety, documentation. Pass/fail capture with deviation handling and sign-off blocks.
Planned
Step 2
Planned
Operator Training Curriculum
Role-based plans (operator, lead, technician, engineer). Standard topics: safety, normal operation, recipes, troubleshooting, basic maintenance, emergencies. Competency assessments, training records.
Planned
Step 3
Planned
IQ / OQ / PQ Qualification
Installation/Operational/Performance Qualification for regulated industries (pharma, medical device, food). GAMP 5-aligned for software-intensive systems. Connects to the medical device side when the customer is medtech.
Planned
Stage M7
Production & Optimization

Measure with OEE, sustain with predictive maintenance, improve with structured kaizen.

Step 1
Planned
OEE Tracker
Daily/weekly/monthly OEE visibility. Manual entry (or future: machine connectivity). Loss code tracking (changeover, breakdown, minor stops, speed loss, defects, startup). Top loss Pareto. Actual vs design comparison.
Planned
Step 2
Planned
Predictive Maintenance Planner
Equipment register (motors, bearings, cylinders, sensors, drives, controllers). Standard PM tasks per equipment type. Spare parts criticality (ABC). Calibration schedule. PM calendar generation.
Planned
Step 3
Planned
Continuous Improvement Toolkit
Kaizen / Six Sigma project templates (DMAIC), 5-Why root cause structure, A3 problem-solving, value stream mapping, standard work documentation. Structured improvement project outputs.
Planned
Stage M8
Process-Level Tooling

Machine- and line-level capabilities that live above the cell.

Step 1
Active
CNC Workbench
Machine database across milling, Swiss-type, grinding, and lathes. Generate dialect-specific G-code (Fanuc / Haas / Siemens / Okuma) in Mastercam or CAMWorks style. OCR prints, load STL models, 2.5D toolpath simulator, shop-profile-driven conventions.
Launch Tool
Step 2
Planned
Capacity Planner
Production line throughput modeling. Equipment utilization, staffing scenarios, takt vs cycle, bottleneck analysis, demand-scenario sensitivity. Inherits routing data from the Analyzer.
Planned
Step 3
Planned
Compliance Navigator
Product-level requirement mapping across FDA QSR, EU MDR, ISO 13485, MDSAP. Gap analysis from current state to each target framework. Submission roadmaps with realistic timelines.
Planned