# Doubling-Down on AMRs, Cobots, and Machine-as-a-Service with Craig Francisco

- Show: [Manufacturing Happy Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour)
- Published: 2021-03-23
- Length: 31m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-03-23-doubling-down-on-amrs-cobots-and-machine-as-a-service-with-craig-francisco
- Listen: http://manufacturinghappyhour.com

## Summary

Craig Francisco, President of RōBEX, discusses three key automation trends: MiR autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), FANUC collaborative robots, and the FLEXX Machine-as-a-Service program. He explains how RōBEX integrates MiR AMRs for palletized material movement and uses FANUC cobots for labeling and light palletizing, while emphasizing the importance of customer education and on-site demos. Francisco also details the FLEXX program, a partnership with Steamchain that allows customers to pay for automation via operating expenses rather than capital expenditure, reducing upfront financial barriers. Finally, he highlights RōBEX's company culture, which prioritizes long-term partnerships and rigorous hiring to maintain quality and innovation.

## Chapters

- [0:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-03-23-doubling-down-on-amrs-cobots-and-machine-as-a-service-with-craig-francisco#t=42) Introduction: Craig Francisco and RōBEX
- [4:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-03-23-doubling-down-on-amrs-cobots-and-machine-as-a-service-with-craig-francisco#t=255) MiR AMRs and Fleet Integration
- [7:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-03-23-doubling-down-on-amrs-cobots-and-machine-as-a-service-with-craig-francisco#t=448) Top 3 Automation Trends: AMRs, Cobots, and FLEXX
- [11:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-03-23-doubling-down-on-amrs-cobots-and-machine-as-a-service-with-craig-francisco#t=668) FLEXX Machine-as-a-Service and Capital vs. Opex
- [18:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-03-23-doubling-down-on-amrs-cobots-and-machine-as-a-service-with-craig-francisco#t=1100) FANUC Collaborative Robots and Risk Assessments
- [24:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-03-23-doubling-down-on-amrs-cobots-and-machine-as-a-service-with-craig-francisco#t=1472) Glass Industry Expertise and Annealing Leers
- [26:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-03-23-doubling-down-on-amrs-cobots-and-machine-as-a-service-with-craig-francisco#t=1561) Company Culture and Hiring Practices

## Topics

- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- RōBEX (company)
- MiR (product)
- FANUC (company)
- FLEXX (product)
- Steamchain (company)
- Gen Alpha (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [An Outcome-Based Solution for Deploying Robots w/ Saman Farid](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2024-01-30-an-outcome-based-solution-for-deploying-robots-w-saman-farid) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Navigating the world of manufacturing logistics with FlexQube](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2024-12-26-navigating-the-world-of-manufacturing-logistics-with-flexqube) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [Perspectives on Automation, AI, & the Future w/ Andy Lonsberry](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-06-08-perspectives-on-automation-ai-the-future-w-andy-lonsberry) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Inside the state of warehouse automation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-08-inside-the-state-of-warehouse-automation) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [MODEX Recap; Family-owned business turns to cobots for help](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-04-08-modex-recap-family-owned-business-turns-to-cobots-for-help) (The Robot Report Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-03-23-doubling-down-on-amrs-cobots-and-machine-as-a-service-with-craig-francisco. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Manufacturing Happy Hour.