InDro Robotics positions itself for the next phase of growth trajectory

InDro Robotics positions itself for the next phase of growth trajectory

Dec 4, 2024 | InDro Forge, InDro News, Industry News, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

We’ve just hired more bright people at InDro Robotics: Four engineers in total, with another one coming soon.

That’s a significant investment in our staff, and in our company. And while we’ll introduce a few of them here, this post isn’t really a “get to know you” story. It’s a broader narrative about growth, strategy and trajectory.

If you follow InDro Robotics (and presumably that’s why you’re here), you’ll know we’ve grown from a startup to a what’s known as an SME – a Small to Medium Enterprise. You’ll also know that our motto is: Invent, Enhance, Deploy.

That is, and will continue to be, our ethos. We invent our own products and market them – and build custom robots and drones for clients (including for some of the biggest technology companies on the planet). We also do highly specialised service provision and run the Drone and Advanced Robotics Testing and Training Zone (DARTT) at Area X.O, where clients can test robots on a course that meets the demanding criteria set out by NIST, the US-based National Institute of Standards and Technology. The drone section features a large netted enclosure, allowing operators to carry out training or even test drones with new technologies without the need for a Special Flight Operations Certificate from Transport Canada. It’s a very cool facility.

At our Area X.O engineering headquarters, we’ve grown from three engineers a little over three years ago to a staff of 20 (in addition to other operations elsewhere in Canada). Because so many components come into our shop – and so many robots go out – we have a full-time Supply Chain Manager and Logistics Coordinator. We have a Head of R&D Sales. And, of course, we have InDro Forge – a full-service rapid prototyping and limited production run facility that has every high-end fabrication tool you could think of (including a 3D printer capable of printing at volumes of up to one cubic metre).

It has been a steady and calculated growth trajectory so far, says Engineering Manager Aaron Griffiths:

“It’s been very strategical,” he explains. “We’ve been looking for robustness and longevity rather than speed.”

And – up until now – that growth has been reflective of our core tasks: Building custom products for clients and inventing our own products.

We’ve done that very well – and will continue to do so. But the long-term InDro roadmap has always included more. And we have now reached that stage.

Below: Team InDro at the opening of DAART in June of 2023

Area XO DARTT

INVENT, ENHANCE, MANUFACTURE

 

InDro has created some landmark products in recent years – with more to come. We can’t discuss all of them due to NDAs. But some public highlights that immediately come to mind include InDro Commander, InDro Pilot, InDro Controller, our Sentinel remote inspection robot, and much more.

Most of what was just mentioned are InDro innovations – meaning we have invented or developed these products with clients in mind, but not specifically as one-off projects. In other words, they have been built with an eye to actually producing and selling these products at scale.

Don’t get us wrong, we have certainly sold each of these products. But we’ve now reached a stage where demand – as planned – dictates that we expand in order to be able to run as a manufacturing facility while still retaining our ability to build custom robots and drones.

“If you want to turn out 10-20 robots over a few months, that requires a whole production team,” explains Griffiths. “That would be an additional five to 10 people just to do that kind of work.”

And not just a production team. As we continue to deploy more robots in the field, InDro now sees the need to start expanding our team to include Field Engineers.

“So you need a production team to make the things – and then a field engineering team to maintain and run them on client sites,” he adds.

 

FIELD ENGINEER

 

Our first Field Engineer hire is a familiar face to InDro. Liam Dwyer, who graduated from Queen’s University Canada in June of this year with a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, previously carried out a 16-month co-op placement with InDro at Area X.O. But he’s heading into a very different role, suited to InDro’s growth.

“I’m going to be an on-site support and integration person to either get the client set up with the robot, supported with the robot, or to repair robots that may have been either damaged or just need maintenance,” he says.

He also recognizes the significance of his role in the bigger picture.

“I think the fact this title now exists at InDro really shows a lot of growth as a company. The fact there is now a full-time role to move and support these robots really means that the reach of InDro has gone pretty far – the name has gotten out.”

It’s also – both for Dwyer and InDro – a perfect fit.

“I’m a big fan of travel and I like field work, so I’m very excited for it,” he says. “It really puts a lot of emphasis on your individual ability to solve the problem and produce a solution. I was able to do some field work during my placement here, and I really like this kind of challenge.”

There are already plans for a second Field Engineer hire. And that’s on top of three other recent hires at InDro, including the highly experienced Steve Weaver in the senior position of Embedded System Engineer. He’s been in this space for some 25 years.

“Steve has been hired as a senior engineer for his wisdom,” says Griffiths. “He knows what to do and – just as important – knows what not to do.”

He’s joined by Nathan Sun, who has less long-term experience but has been working with all of the latest and greatest tools in AI and brings a fresh approach to things. Sun is also an Embedded Systems engineer, and should make the perfect work partner for Weaver.

“Nathan is the other side of the coin to Steve,” says Griffiths. “Together they’ll make a great team because they complement each other very well.”

That’s not all. Just prior to these three new hires, InDro also brought Sebastian Mocny on board in the role of Robotics Software Engineer. He’s currently busy taking Cypher Robotics‘ Captis cycle-counting AMR to the next level. InDro has an incubation agreement with Cypher Robotics, which also taps into the expertise and gear at InDro Forge. So that’s four engineers in short order, with more to come.

Below: New hire Liam Dwyer (R) during his co-op at Area X.O, with Tirth Gajera

Liam Dwyer and Tirth Gajera

BUILDING A TEAM

 

It’s been quite a voyage at Area X.O, with a lot of growth over the past few years. All of the hires go through Founder and CEO Philip Reece, as well as Vice President Peter King. But it’s generally Arron Griffiths who has to ultimately determine if prospective employees will be a fit for the Area X.O team culture InDro has worked so hard to foster (and where Griffiths works daily).

With a very low attrition rate and high job satisfaction, InDro is clearly selecting the right people – and building the right environment.

“It’s really all about personality,” say Griffiths. “It boils down to people’s mental state, their values. I would argue that if they’re driven, if they’re kind, if they’re a proactive learner, if they have empathy…the qualities you look for in a nice person are typically what you’ll find in a good and productive employee.”

One of the big projects for next year will be the push to manufacture the recently-announced InDro Cortex. It’s a small but exceedingly powerful brain box for computer customisation that allows for rapid sensor integration and contains power management for multiple sensors along with ROS2 files. The Plug & Play (or Plug & Work) device follows on the incredible success of InDro Commander – and there’s already impressive demand. It also enables teleoperation and is the perfect match with InDro Controller – our intuitive dashboard for even highly complex autonomous missions.

And while we’re proud of the engineering work that has gone into Cortex, Griffiths says products like this “stand on the shoulder of giants” in the engineering world. And here, he’s referring to the tremendous advances in AI compute and other technologies that allow Area X.O engineers to truly work with the most advanced tools available.

“We have good and talented engineers,” explains Griffiths. “but we are definitely aware that other engineers out there have helped enable us to be on the leading edge of things. We’re hitting that very sweet spot in terms of technology maturity that’s enabling us to do this right.”

Below: InDro Cortex

 

InDro Control Module ICM Cortex

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We’re obviously pleased to announce these four new hires – and to welcome these talented individuals to our team. We are equally proud to have reached a stage where we’re in the position and have the name recognition to forge ahead into manufacturing at greater scale. It’s a testament to the dedication of all of our employees – including administration, sales, logistics, marketing and management. (Oh yes, and content, too.)

“As we prepare to push into manufacturing and dedicated employees for onsite customer field support, I’m grateful to everyone for their hard work – and to our clients as well,” says InDro Robotics Founder and CEO Philip Reece.

“And to those clients who have relied on us in the past for custom solutions? Don’t worry. We’ll still be doing that with the same care and attention to detail. This simply marks a new expansion into manufacturing for InDro, which will continue to put significant resources into custom builds and R&D. Onward.”

Interested in exploring a solution from InDro? You can contact Head of R&D Sales Luke Corbeth right here. He’s incredibly knowledgeable and loves nothing more than helping clients find the perfect solution.

InDro Update: We’ve been busy, busy, busy

InDro Update: We’ve been busy, busy, busy

Aug 16, 2024 | InDro Forge, InDro News, InDro Solutions, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

It’s been a busy summer at InDro Robotics and InDro Forge.

Sure, people have had holidays. But in the R&D world, we don’t have the typical summer slowdown often enjoyed in other sectors. We’ve been busy building new robots, coding new software, carrying out demonstrations for VIPs, signing new contracts and continuing to push innovation boundaries at both our Area X.O and InDro Forge locations.

Area X.O, of course, is our engineering headquarters and the workplace for the bulk of our engineering team. But since we began operating InDro Forge last September, we have significantly expanded capabilities – including new hires. Formerly known as the Bayview Yards Prototyping Lab, InDro Forge (in collaboration with Invest Ottawa) is InDro’s prototype fabrication and integration centre. We take on both custom projects for clients, and also use the equipment and expertise to ‘forge’ much of what goes into InDro products.

And between them both? We’ve been busy, busy, busy.

There are a few projects that we unfortunately cannot reveal due to NDAs. But we can tell you we had a very successful demonstration recently of a quadruped with some amazing autonomy, AI and manipulative capabilities. Wish we could tell you more about that, but we just can’t. Yet.

So let’s get on with what we can talk about. And we’re going to start…with some incredible software we’ve built: InDro Controller.

Remote Control for Robots

INDRO CONTROLLER

 

We are very excited about this new software, completely coded in-house. It’s a complete solution to carrying out remote robotic missions, whether they’re manually teleoperated or fully autonomous.

“It’s an all-in-one data visualization, robot management and robot control software,” Front End Developer RJ Bundy explained earlier. “Whether you’re a student first learning how to use a robot or you’re a commercial giant, you’d be able to manage and maintain all of your robots.”

And yes, by that he means this product is completely robot-agnostic.

The InDro Controller software can be uploaded onto any robot. It can then be remotely and securely accessed by laptop or desktop, with all data encrypted. It automatically detects all sensors on board any UGV, and gives the operator complete control over customisation. Want to display thermal? LiDAR data? Need to zoom in on an object of interest? All of these functions – and many more – can be easily carried out remotely.

One of the features we particularly like is InDro Controller’s ability to remember things. Let’s say, for example, you wanted to plot an autonomous mission. With the display showing you a map of surroundings, you simply drive to a desired spot and perform a function. Suppose (as we’ve done), you wanted to stop, pan, tilt and zoom the camera to a specific object for inspection – something like a pressure gauge or other critical piece of infrastructure. Capture that image just once, and InDro Controller will remember exactly what you did and precisely where you did it. Then you move on to the next inspection point, where perhaps you’d like to capture thermal data.

During that first manual mission, every single action and location were saved. So when the time comes for your next run, you simply click the name of the saved mission and the robot (assuming you have GPS or SLAM autonomy onboard) will automatically carry out precisely what you did the first time. All you have to do is look over the data, or use change detection software to carry out that task on your behalf. You can save as many missions as you can come up with.

Speaking of autonomy, some of our clients carry out their own research and write their own software. For those who don’t, we have two InDro Autonomy stacks available:

“We have a GPS-based autonomy – which is better for outdoors – and then we have a SLAM- (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping) based autonomy which is ideal for indoors,” says Head of R&D Sales Luke Corbeth.

There is also an Academic version available for those who wish to work with their own autonomy stacks. The entire interface is so easy to use, you can literally be up and running and minutes.

Remotely Control Robots

INDRO BUILDS, DELIVERS SWARM

 

There’s long been an interest in swarm robotics, but we’ve noticed an uptick of late.

The concept behind swarms is that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. A group of individual robots, carrying out tasks on their own while talking to each other, can accomplish far more in a given amount of time than a group of robots operating independently.

“The idea behind swarm robotics is the robots are able to communicate with each other and thus improve their decision-making and data acquisition in a given environment from a real world application standpoint,” explained Head of R&D Sales Luke Corbeth in this earlier post (which goes into considerable detail about the genesis and purpose of swarm robotics research).

For example, it would be vastly more efficient to scan the interior of a large building with four robots that are communicating with each other – ensuring no two robots cover any of the same space. In an aerial Search and Rescue operation, drones can more efficiently cover a large area as a coordinated team than four people piloting independently.

For research institutions, swarm research can be carried out very economically. As we posted earlier, Boston University has a large fleet of economical LIMO robots carrying out a wide variety of swarm-type research.

Below: The four swarm robots InDro recently built and shipped to a client.

Robosense LiDAR Swarm

ARMED AND READY TO GO

 

Don’t worry. When we say “armed” we’re talking about a robot with an arm. InDro is not – and never will be – involved in the weaponisation of its products.

In this case, an academic client wanted a robot that could carry out tasks requiring manipulation in a very specific setting. The client needed a platform that was easy to operate – and that would have a little extra height for the tasks it has in mind. Working closely with Luke Corbeth and the InDro engineering team, we built a custom robot to their specs. That included metal work carried out at InDro Forge in order to elevate the position of the arm.

“This was our latest mobile manipulation build – designed to do manipulation tasks inside greenhouses. The build is on Hunter SE platform with InDro Commander on board for easy sensor integration,” says Corbeth.

“The client plans on integrating its own existing sensors. We added a custom A-Frame to increase the effective height of the manipulator; the arm is the uFactory xArm6 – a highly capable and cost-effective ROS-based manipulator. They’ll be adding their own end effector suited for their research.”

Those into steering mechanisms might find this bit of interest:

“Typically we do these builds on the Ranger Mini – since omni-directional movement means fine adjustments to get into effective manipulation range – but they were keen on Ackermann for improved stability over long distances,” he adds.

It’s a one-off kind of project, something InDro often does for clients. And it’s definitely one-of-a-kind.

Here it is: Out, standing in its field.

Illinois manipulator

SENTINEL V2

 

Team InDro (along with Team Forge) also designed and built a powerful new iteration of our flagship remote inspection robot, Sentinel. This is a heavy-duty machine intended for the demands of remote infrastructure inspection and monitoring/surveillance.

This was no small task. We integrated multiple powerful sensors, including ZED depth cameras, a 30x optical pan-tilt-zoom, along with multiple LiDAR units for both SLAM and avoiding obstacles and people. And its brains? We’re not sure what the equivalent IQ is, but this UGV is very smart. We integrated the most powerful compute power available from NVIDIA, the Jetson AGX Orin – a powerful 64GB developer kit. You want speed? It can carry out 275 trillion operations per second (TOPS). InDro Autonomy is embedded in Commander, and there’s a Realtime Kinematic (RTK) sensor for centimetre-level positioning accuracy. Oh, we also threw in a ZED BOX (NVIDIA Orin NX), which operates at 100 TOPS.

And the icing on top? It (of couse) works with InDro Controller, enabling users to easily plot and repeat highly detailed autonomous missions.

Sentinel Inspection Robot

A CUSTOM, GROUND-UP BUILD

 

RealLife Robotics, a startup focusing on zero-carbon cargo and last-mile delivery, came to InDro with plans from its own engineering team for a new version of its core delivery UGV, BUBS. InDro Forge is its manufacturing contractor, and – in concert with the additional expertise of our Area X.O staff and in constant communication with the engineers at RLR – got to work.

Though the plans came from RealLife Robotics, every single component from the platform up was fabricated at InDro Forge and integrated by the InDro team – including custom frame, specialised brackets and mounting hardware, sensor integration, cargo bay and sleek exterior shell. That included using the BigRep ONE, a massive 3D printer capable of creating objects up to one cubic metre.

“We’ve built a full skeleton electronic system based on RLR’s designs and a suite of sensors to be able to do the autonomy, as well as an exterior shell that allows them to do remote, last-mile delivery,” says Joel Koscielski, Lead Manufacturing Engineer.

RealLife is currently on a stellar trajectory and is gaining a lot of investor traction. It was recently rewarded with significant funding from the Canadian Food Innovation Network through its FoodTech Next program. It had previously been demonstrating BUBS V1 across the country, and just unveiled the extremely capable new version at a high-profile event at the Toronto Zoo.

“Knowing that the fabricators at Forge have the same depth of engineering experience as our own team builds the trust you need to move fast and meet budgets for a project like this….. The fact they are also a Canadian tech startup and not far away is a bonus,” says RLR Founder and CEO Cameron Waite.

Below: The new BUBS, complete with Zebra wrap for the Toronto Zoo event

RLR BUBS

PEARS, CHERRIES, DRONES AND ROBOTS

 

While the bulk or our operations take place at Area X.O and InDro Forge, we’ve also been busy elsewhere. In this case, in British Columbia. There, we’ve been carrying out precision agriculture work in peach and cherry orchards. It’s part of an ambitious and innovative two-year project – a collaboration between InDro Robotics and the City of Kelowna (enabled with funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Agriculture Clean Technology Program).

But this isn’t just any precision agriculture project. Yes, we’re flying multi-spectral missions every two weeks over these farms, then drilling deep into the data to explore all parameters of crop health (chlorophyll levels, nutrients, any indicators of pests or disease etc.). That data provides valuable insights, explains Chief of Flight Operations Dr. Eric Saczuk (who holds a PhD in remote sensing and runs BCIT’s RPAS Hub).

“Is it healthy? Is it not healthy? Is it being productive? Is there chlorophyll? If so, how active is it?” he says.

“These are the kinds of questions we can answer when we do what we call ‘multispectral band combinations.’ And it gives us a really clear picture that cannot be detected by the human eye.”

What truly sets this mission apart is that it’s not just drones involved. InDro will be deploying ground robots, carrying out autonomous missions with their own multispectral sensors. We will then compare the view (and data) from the top-down and the bottom-up.

“This is a way of doing ground-based validation of what we’re seeing from the air,” says Dr. Saczuk.

Once that validation is complete, if there are any areas that require attention then precision spraying will be carried out by an Agras industrial spraying drone, and possibly by ground robots as well.

“Anything in agriculture, the more information you get, you’re not going to be worse off,” says Riley Johnson, a manager at Byrnes Farms – one of the two locations where the project is being carried out.

“Especially for new farmers coming into the industry, any new kind of information can help out ten-fold – particularly if you’re on new land. Any information outside of the Old Farmer’s Almanac is always appreciated.”

Below: Data from the Kelowna project, followed by an image of Dr. Saczuk with the Agras drone

SkyScout Ai Eric Saczuk

WAIT, THERE’S MORE

 

We’ve also built a very sophisticated system involving a jacked-up industrial quadruped (where we’ve installed the InDro Backpack (a smaller version of InDro Commander), along with a manipulator arm and some very special capabilities. Unfortunately we can’t tell you much more about that one, due to NDA. But we can say we had a very successful demonstration for VIPs in late July. We also have another project, currently under wraps, that will set a new bar for autonomous exploration, scanning and mapping. More on that to come.

We also continued to elevate the capabilities of our Street Smart Robot, designed to detect anomalies along bike paths in winter. If the SSR’s AI senses potholes, ice, unexpected obstacles or generally anything that might impede safe cycling, that data can be relayed instantly to municipal maintenance crews. We completed the project and successfully demonstrated its capabilities at Area X.O this summer as well.

In addition, InDro’s Dr. Eric Saczuk and Pilot Jon Chubb helped support SkyScoutAI, an innovative company that’s set to be a game-changer in the detection of wildfires and the protection of critical infrastructure in cities threatened by this growing danger. The company has exclusive rights to an amazing fire suppressant product which can be sprayed with a drone tanker onto the roofs of buildings that may be at risk. What SkyScout is doing is pretty amazing, and it’s worth checking out this read. Dr. Saczuk was also busy this summer carrying out methane detection on behalf of Aerometrix in Michigan.

Come to think of it, I’ve been busy too. In addition to covering all the developments above, we’ve also started to profile some of the members of Team InDro and Team Forge who help us achieve the many things we do. You can take a dive into how we work with clients with this profile of Head of R&D Sales Luke Corbeth (who set up and ran his own auto-detailing business while in Highschool before making the leap to robots, drones and sales). And, ICYMI, we just published a feature on Forge Project Manager Stephan Tzolov. He nearly became a doctor, but was just too creative for that field. It’s really quite the story.

Below: Luke Corbeth and Stephan Tzolov

 

Stephan Tzolov

INDRO’S TAKE

 

As we said in the headline, it’s been busy, busy, busy. InDro people work hard, regardless of the season (but we do give them time off and reward their hard work). Looking at all of these builds and milestones and projects, we cannot help but be proud.

“The teams at InDro Robotics and InDro Forge are truly world-class,” says Founder and CEO Philip Reece.

“We are fortunate to have an incredible sense of shared spirit and collaboration – along with an amazing collective skillset. I couldn’t be more pleased with their accomplishments – along with the pride they take in their work. And, by the way, I work hard too,” he says with a grin.

We hope you’ve been enjoying your summer. And that you haven’t been quite as busy as we are.

InDro’s Stephan Tzolov: Next-level creativity

InDro’s Stephan Tzolov: Next-level creativity

Aug 14, 2024 | InDro Forge, InDro News, InDro Profile, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

At InDro Robotics, our engineering team is known for being creative. That’s how we come up with innovative solutions – whether they’re inventions like InDro Commander or InDro Controller, or designing and integrating a ground-up robotic solution based on a client’s needs. That’s technical creativity – and every member of the InDro team has that skill in spades.

But there’s another type of creativity – one that involves a truly artistic sense of design; the ability to visualise a beautiful but functional form, design it, and bring it to life. When it comes to those kinds of tasks, we inevitably turn to InDro Forge Project Manager Stephan Tzolov. He’s truly gifted in this realm.

What makes his story particularly interesting is that he initially had plans to become a doctor – and studied biochemistry at Carleton University en route to that goal. He found the topic fascinating, but it was also somewhat dry. It involved (as you can imagine) a lot of memorisation of cold, hard facts – followed by more cold, hard facts. By the time he was in his third year, he was starting to wonder if this truly was his passion.

“I was pretty close to graduating, and I thought: ‘Oh my gosh, this isn’t it.’ It was fascinating, but it wasn’t fulfilling,” he recalls.

That’s when he started doing some soul-searching, and sat down with a good friend. In a nutshell, that friend told him something Tzolov intuitively knew: “‘You’re not built for medicine – you’re too creative for that.’ And then he showed me Industrial Design, and it really was a perfect fit, kind of mixing engineering with creativity.

“I thought: I’d rather be a little unhappy now than unhappy forever. So I pulled the plug.”

He switched to Industrial Design, learning everything from the basics (like how to sketch out an idea) through to a full complement of rendering skills and manufacturing techniques. He loved it, immersing himself in acquiring every possible skill to take something from an idea to a real-world product.

His eight-month capstone project in the course (completed during the peak of the pandemic) was designing and then manufacturing a fully functional propulsion system for SCUBA divers. These images are taken from his graduate presentation. (No, that’s not Stephan in the underwater shot – though people commonly make that assumption. In fact, Stephan deliberately chose someone who kind of looked like him for the image.)

 

Stephan Tzolov grad project
Stephan Tzolov grad project

DESIGN CAREER COMMENCES

 

Stephan’s work at Carleton was impressive. So impressive, that one of his professors (who had also become a mentor) told him he had a job waiting the moment he was done school. And so Stephan jumped in at Ottawa’s Studio 63, a small but award-winning design studio that, says its website, “helps businesses and entrepreneurs make some of the most futuristic and innovative products on the planet.”

If you think about it, virtually every single consumer product in the world (and, potentially, on other planets) involves Industrial Design. Whether it’s a coffee mug or a passenger jet, someone with Industrial Design chops is involved. At Studio 63, Stephan was involved in helping to design everything from high-end audio equipment and automobile features right through to – wait for it – sex toys. Most of these tasks involved not only working with clients on the form factor, where he could unleash his creativity with spectacular designs and renders, right through to electronics and integration.

Then, luckily for InDro, there was a fortuitous bit of synchronicity. InDro Engineering Lead Arron Griffiths knew the head of Studio 63. He had a design project for them which required a high-end shell for a very large ground robot. That robot was being produced for one of the world’s biggest tech companies, so it had to be *perfect.* (We’d love to tell you more, but can’t due to NDA).

Long story short, Stephan produced a shell so sleek and curvaceous and beautiful that it would look right at home in a Batman movie.

“The client loved it,” says Stephan. (In fact, this project turned into a multi-year contract with many of these robots produced, each one covered in that slippery, stealthy grey shell.)

 

HARD BODY VS SURFACE

 

In the engineering world, there are basically two styles of design: hard body and surface.

“So hard body – think of cubes and hard shapes,” explains Tzolov. “Surface modelling is more like organic, it’s more sculptural, it’s more soft. Think of the exterior of a car – it flows, it has a shape, there’s rarely a right angle. It’s all curvature.”

And that shell? Its design flows like a liquid.

Stephan’s abilities and personality impressed Griffiths. Right around that time, things had slowed a bit at Studio 63, partly due to the ongoing pandemic. Stephan’s boss gave him his blessings if he wanted to look around. Soon there was a conversation directly with Griffiths – who saw an ideal fit.

“Stephan was exactly the person we were looking for,” he says. “His shell design was outstanding, and he had exceptional knowledge of production techniques. Plus, he’s just a great person to work with.”

And so, two years ago, Stephan made the jump to InDro, hired as Production Engineer. His skillset quickly became apparent to the entire team. He was not only stellar at rendering, but knew how to take those renders to reality.

Below: A couple of Stephan’s renders – A B1 robot with the InDro Backpack, and an InDro holiday greeting card

Stephan Tzolov
Stephan Tzolov

THE FORGE CONNECTION

 

When InDro took over operations of what was known as the Bayview Yards Prototyping Lab (in collaboration with Invest Ottawa), our manufacturing capabilities took a quantum leap. InDro Forge is stocked with state-of-the-art tools for additive and subtractive manufacturing. We have a CNC machine, an OMAX water jet table, the BigRep ONE large format 3D printer – and a host of other machines and capabilities. Whether it’s producing prototypes or parts for clients, or manufacturing components for InDro Robotics projects, this facility has it all.

It was a perfect fit for Stephan. He already had expertise in multiple manufacturing techniques, and was eager to learn more. He moved over to the Forge facility with the new job title of Applications Engineer, and has since been promoted to Project Manager. He’s now overseeing the Big Picture, often working on the design and fabrication of parts and the integration of electronics and sensors, frequently hand-in-hand with the engineering team at Area X.O.

“The project management side covers things like organizing tasks, keeping keeping track of people’s capacity and who’s available for what at what time. So basically integration is what I’m covering. And when I delegate, I’m often delegating to myself.”

All, while working closely with Lead Engineer Arron Griffiths.

“There’s a lot of cross-pollination,” says Stephan.

But don’t worry, despite his promotion he still gets his hands dirty with all of the tools at Forge (though his hands stay pretty clean while carrying out renders).

 

ONE ROBOT STANDS OUT

 

Stephan has been integral to a lot of projects. That shell for the tech robot remains his highlight.

But one other project also stands out. Prior to Tzolov’s transition to InDro Forge, a client (another global tech company), wanted InDro to produce a robot capable of navigating in spaces crowded with people. It would be deployed in crowded spaces like boardwalks, malls – anywhere there were people around. It was part of a long-term project at that company about autonomous navigation and the human-robot interface. It also had to be tall, with sensors at roughly head height.

Stephan immediately got to work on the renders, as the client was under a tight deadline. But then something happened that made that deadline even more pressing: Engineering Lead Griffiths was taking a couple of weeks off to get married. And he had a tiny request before leaving: Could you please have the robot finished by the time I return?

The task would fall to Stephan, who would be lead on the project, working in conjunction with technologist Ujas Patel. The pair had worked closely together on the aforementioned large ground robot, and the synergy between the two of them was spectacular.

“We had worked shoulder-to-shoulder on that project and were very familiar with each other’s workflow,” says Stephan. “It’s almost like we communicate telepathically.”

Though he’s not a software expert, Stephan had the manufacturing and electro-mechanical chops for the task. In conjunction with Patel’s considerable skills, the two worked long (and we mean long) hours while Arron was away. The project had to be done. And, when the newlywed arrived back at the office, it was. What’s more, the client was unbelievable happy when it received the end product. Head of R&D Sales Luke Corbeth, who had put the deal together, received an absolutely glowing email from the client: They loved the design, the form factor, the functionality. It was, they said, perfect.

“That was just the cherry on top,” says Tzolov.

Below: Stephan working on the robot, under the gun. Image two: Stephan with Area X.O colleagues Ujas Patel (left) and technologist Tirth Gajera (also known in the shop as “T”)

Stephan Tzolov
Stephan Tzolov, Ujas Patel, Tirth Gajera

A PERFECT FIT

 

Stephan Tzolov has had quite the journey. (If we want to go way back, he was born in Canada but spent his early years in Bulgaria. When he started school in Canada he spoke only Bulgarian.)

But we’re talking here more about his recent journey – that soul-searching decision to leave medicine and enter Industrial Design. It was exactly the right choice for Tzolov. His enthusiasm for seeing his creations come to life gives him tremendous satisfaction. He literally beams when describing how much he loves what he does.

“It’s freaking awesome,” he says.

“It’s so interesting when you have an idea – it almost becomes its own weirdly living thing. Creating something robotic on a design, mechanical and electrical level that lives and breathes wasn’t something I thought of doing before coming on board with InDro. I absolutely love making things. So this job is really cool. Actually, it’s the coolest ever.”

And those long hours that some projects involve? Not a problem. InDro recognises – and rewards – hard work.

“Arron has always taken care of me when it comes to work. It’s like, you work hard – and you get to rest hard. You put in crazy overtime and it gets noted, and you’re compensated in one way or another. There’s a mutual respect and appreciation for one another at InDro. I have never complained to my partner about work politics or interpersonal stuff, because there’s never any issue. Everyone here is on the same page.”

Below: That crowd-avoiding robot, completed to an exceedingly tight timeline

Stephan Tzolov

INDRO’S TAKE

 

Like all InDro employees, Stephan Tzolov is a valued team member. And like his colleagues, he has specific skills that contribute immensely to what InDro produces. We plan on profiling other members of Team InDro in the future, but wanted to take a moment to acknowledge Stephan’s particularly creative skillset.

“Everyone at InDro has specific strengths and knows how to work well in a team environment toward our common goals,” says InDro Robotics Founder and CEO Philip Reece. “That’s one of the things I believe truly sets InDro apart. Stephan’s creativity, along with his manufacturing knowledge and electrical and mechanical capabilities are a valuable asset to InDro Forge and InDro Robotics as a whole. I’m sure he would have made a great doctor, but we’re definitely pleased he opted for that career change.”

Every single InDro employee brings something special to the company. This time, it was Stephan’s turn to be highlighted. We look forward to introducing you to other members of Team InDro down the road.

From napkin sketch to prototype reality: InDro Forge does it all

From napkin sketch to prototype reality: InDro Forge does it all

Aug 8, 2024 | InDro Forge, InDro Solutions, RealLife Robotics, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

What’s in a name? Let’s take a look at InDro Forge – our custom fabrication and prototyping facility operated by InDro Robotics in collaboration with Invest Ottawa.

The “InDro” part obviously comes from InDro Robotics. But what about that second word?

One of the most common definitions of “forge” is to “produce a fraudulent copy or imitation.” Think currency, signatures, or maybe a work of art. We don’t do that.

Another is to “make or shape (a metal object) by heating it in a fire or furnace and hammering it.” While we don’t have a blast furnace, we do like the imagery here – of taking raw materials and producing useful and functional end products. It’s also easy to picture our engineers and technicians as high-tech blacksmiths, using state-of-the-art tools to achieve similar transformations.

And that also meshes nicely with  the third definition: To “create something strong, enduring or successful.” At InDro Forge, we do both. We also forge solid relationships with clients during the production journey. Whether it’s a single part, a fully functioning prototype or even a limited production run, the Forge team does it all.

“InDro Forge – as a whole – is an integration facility for robotics and other client projects where those clients don’t have in-house manufacturing capabilities or expertise,” explains Joel Koscielski, Lead Manufacturing Engineer. InDro Forge has a wide range of high-end tools at its disposal, and the expertise to take something from a concept in someone’s head to a fully functional product in their hands.

“So if they know what they need at a high level, but don’t necessarily know what material to make it out of, or what the right process is, or how to design for those processes to reduce cost – we can provide that expertise to support their prototyping journey, whether that be in robotics or in any other field.”

In other words, InDro Forge turns ideas into reality.

Below: Production Engineer Stephan Tzolov operates the facility’s OMAX water jet table, which can slice through metal and other materials using a focussed, high-pressure slurry. Photo by Scott Simmie

PLUS AND MINUS

 

When it comes down to basics, there are really two ways to build something. You can do so by adding things together, or taking things away. Someone building a shed takes wood, adds more wood, adds windows and a roof and a door (and, presumably, a floor unless they’re on a really tight budget). That’s a backyard version of additive manufacturing (AM).

On the oppositve end, a sculptor takes a cube of marble and removes the excess material to reveal the inner vision. That’s subtractive manufacturing (SM). The water jet table in the image above is a subtractive tool.

InDro Forge has wide array of AM and SM tools at its disposal, including CNC machines, industrial 3D printers, lasers and more. Many of the projects we work on involve both of those techniques before we integrate the various parts (including electronics and software) to arrive at the final prototype or product.

“We even do things like casting, where we’re taking a mold we’ve created of what the client wants and pouring in a liquid so that either cures as it cools or is cured by ultraviolet light or whatever other kind of process is required,” says Koscielski.

Tools at InDro Forge includes SLS – or Selective Laser Sintering. This is a specialized type of 3D printing particularly suited to parts with complex geometries. Starting with a heap of powder (and there are many types of powders to choose from – including plastics, composites, metal, glass and ceramics), and a laser precisely fuses (sinters) those tiny particles into a solid.

TOOLS, TIMELINES

 

With such a wide variety of tools available – and the expertise to operate them – Forge has become the one-stop shop for many clients. As Koscielski mentioned, very few companies have these kinds of AM and SM tools in-house. That’s why companies like InDro Forge exist.

One of the differentiators of InDro Forge is its agility. On Friday, August 2 – right before the long weekend – a robotics client called up. They were in a bit of a panic; they had a demo coming up the following week. They needed custom parts printed in a hurry.

“They needed a bunch of parts and didn’t have a printer capable of handling them. They said: ‘Hey, we’re in a bind, we need some help,'” recalls Koscielski. “They asked if we have printers available and if there was any possible way we could spin these up in a couple of days.”

Sound impossible? Not to the InDro Forge team.

“We burned through the weekend and got them what they needed so we could support them as a fellow member of the robotics community. The order came in Friday; the parts were ready to ship on Tuesday.”

Below: Mechatronic engineer Matthieu Tanguay programs InDro Forge’s CNC machine. Photo by Scott Simmie

 

MAJOR PROJECTS

 

While the example just cited illustrates our ability to take on smaller, urgent projects with a tight timeline, InDro Forge also executes much larger projects. Much, much larger.

In fact, we’re nearing completion of an entire delivery robot for client Real Life Robotics. The Ontario company specializes in zero-carbon cargo and last mile delivery. Earlier this year, RLR was one of eight Canadian startups selected by the Canadian Food Innovation Network to receive funding through its FoodTech Next program. FoodTech Next offers funding for early-stage Canadian technology firms who seek to be part of – or sell to – the wider food industry. With this funding, RLR will be putting its delivery robot through real-world testing and validating ROI for the Canadian food sector.

One of its core delivery robots is named BUBS. It has been demonstrated across the country, using wireless teleoperation and autonomy to show off its delivery capabilities. But the time had come to upgrade to a sleeker and smarter robot, with a plethora of new features and capabilities. InDro Robotics is RLR’s contract manufacturer, so the company came to InDro Forge to build the next-gen BUBS from the ground up.

“RLR is growing lightning fast and our solution is a customizable platform to fit our client’s exact last-mile delivery needs,” says RLR Founder and CEO Cameron Waite.

“This client had some pretty unique sizing and design requirements – and knowing that the fabricators at Forge have the same depth of engineering experience as our own team builds the trust you need to move fast and meet budgets for a project like this….. The fact they are also a Canadian tech startup and not far away is a bonus,” he adds.

We don’t want to steal their thunder, but this is one of those “everything” projects. InDro Forge worked in tandem with the engineering team from RLR to build, assemble and test the entire robot – on time, on spec and on budget. It incorporates multiple advancements from the first iteration.

“We’ve built a full skeleton electronic system based on RLR’s designs and a suite of sensors to be able to do the autonomy, as well as an exterior shell that allows them to do remote, last-mile delivery,” says Koscielski.

And BUBS 2.0 will have much more on board than its predecessor.

“This next version of BUBS takes much of the learnings from the last year and brings them to reality. We’ve done countless customer demos and interviews to learn and iterate as a result,” says Waite. “BUBS has a number of new features that our engineering team is really proud of – and we look forward to sharing those soon.”

The skeletal structure for BUBS is all aluminum, and was cut using the water jet table. Those parts were then welded and powder-coated. Smaller brackets used to affix electronics (and this machine has a lot of electronics) were produced by the Prusa MK3.5 3D printers (Forge has three of them).

Like all 3D printers, the Prusa has limitations to the dimensions of the objects it can produce. It can manufacture very strong, high-resolution parts using a number of different plastics and composites, but it can’t print anything huge. Because BUBS is a large robot, it needed some very large parts for its outer shell. Forge had the solution.

 

BIGREP ONE

 

 

BigRep is a German company, known for its award-winning industrial 3D printers. The BigRep ONE is capable of printing objects up to one cubic metre. It is one of the key tools at InDro Forge for large-scale projects like BUBS. The machine is compatible with eight different types of printing material, depending on the application requirements. (One of those materials is water-soluable and perfect for support structures – those lattice-like bits that help support the complex main structures as they’re being printed. When complete, water turns that plastic into something with the consistency of thick syrup and it can be easily removed by hand.)

Because the side panels of BUBS are large, BigRep ONE was the perfect solution.

“We used the BigRep to print the side panels in two pieces and glued them together to make those large parts – and in a fraction of the time that it would take using any of the other methods,” says Koscielski. “In doing the two sides we went through just over 13 kilos of material over the span of about six days.”

For Real Life Robotics, the capabilities and machines at InDro Forge were a perfect fit.

“InDro Forge accelerates my ability to take our designs and get my product to market; we’d have to spin up an entire manufacturing department to do these things,” says Waite. “The team at Forge is professional and exceptionally talented. They’ve been able to take our vision and designs and turn them into reality.”

There’s a lot we could say about the capabilities of BigRep ONE – including the fact there are but 350 worldwide and only a handful in Ontario. But we’ll let the company give you a more complete picture with this video:

INDRO’S TAKE

 

September will mark the first anniversary since what was formerly known as the Bayview Yards Prototyping Lab became InDro Forge. A lot has happened since then, including additional staff with engineering and design expertise, the hiring of a sales and client relations specialist, and – in February – a new strategic roadmap for the future.

“In addition to prototypes, we are now equipped to take on clients with projects at any point along the Technology Level Readiness (TLR) scale,” says InDro Robotics Founder and CEO Philip Reece. “There are some very good prototyping labs in Ontario. But what elevates our value proposition is that InDro Forge, when required, has the full engineering support of the InDro Robotics team at Area X.O. That’s a winning combination, and we have proven that with increasingly complex projects over the past year.”

So whether you’ve got an idea floating around in the back of your head – or fully formed specs for a new robot or other technology – InDro Forge is ready.

Are you? Get in touch with Account Executive Callum Cameron here.

 

 

InDro Robotics ROS-based drone an R&D powerhouse

InDro Robotics ROS-based drone an R&D powerhouse

Apr 16, 2024 | InDro Forge, InDro News, Innovation, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

InDro Robotics is pleased to unveil details of its highly capable new R&D drone.

Running the Robot Operating System (ROS) and with powerful onboard compute capabilities, the drone is perfect for advanced Research and Development.

“It’s a drone geared toward R&D first and foremost,” explains Luke Corbeth, Head of R&D Sales. “It truly is a flying robot – and you can program and use it in a very similar fashion to all our other robots.”

There’s a real demand in the research world for open-source drones that can be programmed and run highly complex algorithms. These kinds of drones can be used to study swarm behaviour, object detection and identification, mapping in GPS-denied locations and much more.

For some researchers, the budget go-to has been the Crazyflie, a micro-drone that uses a Raspberry Pi for compute. Its advantage is that it’s quite affordable. But its low cost, 27 gram weight and relatively low computing power means it has limitations – including the ability add sensors of any weight.

“This drone can do so much more,” says Corbeth. “With the NVIDIA Xavier NX onboard for compute, it can effectively map entire environments. And when it comes to landing and object recognition, it’s truly phenomenal. It can even land on a moving vehicle.”

Below: A look at InDro’s new drone, which comes complete with LiDAR, a depth-perception camera, 5G connectivity – and much more.

InDro ROS drone

THE BACK STORY

 

If you’ve been following the latest news from InDro, you’ll be aware we have an incubation agreement with Cypher Robotics. That company builds solutions for cycle counting and precision scanning in the industrial/supply chain space. InDro assisted with the development of its signature product, Captis.

Captis integrates an autonomous ground robot with a tethered drone. As the Captis robot autonomously navigates even narrow stock aisles, the drone ascends from a tether attached to that ground robot. The drone then scans the barcodes (it’s code-agnostic) of the products on the shelves. All of that data is transferred seamlessly, in real-time, to the client’s Warehouse Management System (WMS), WCS (Warehouse Control System) and WES (Warehouse Execution System) software.

The capabilities of Captis led to a partnership with global AI fulfilment experts GreyOrange and leading global telco innovator Ericsson. The product debuted at the recent MODEX2024 conference (one of the biggies in the automated supply chain world), where it gained a *lot* of attention.

While working on the project, it was always clear the drone – thanks to multiple modifications – would be highly suitable as a research and development tool. It’s capable of machine vision/object recognition, machine learning, and can find its way around in completely unfamiliar, GPS-denied environments.

“In fact, I have one client that’s using it for research in mines,” says Corbeth.

 

THE JETSON DIFFERENCE

 

NVIDIA has made quite a name for itself – and quite a profit for its shareholders – with its powerful AI-capable processors. The Jetson Xavier NX features a 6-core NVIDIA Carmel Arm®v8.2 64-bit processor running at speeds of up to 1.9 GHz. Its graphics processor unit features a 384-core NVIDIA Volta™ architecture with 48 Tensor Cores. Put it all together, and the computing power is astonishing: The Xavier NX is rated with a maximum achievable output of 21 TOPS – trillion operations per second. (We were going to try to count, but thought it more efficient to rely on NVIDIA’s specs for this.)

The LiDAR unit currently shipping with the drone also has some flex. It’s the Ouster 32-channel OS1 (Rev6.2). With a maximum range of 200 metres (90 metres on a dark, 10 per cent target), its powerful L3 chip is capable of processing scans of up to 5.2 million points per second with 128 channels of vertical resolution (again, we didn’t count). Hostile environment? No problem. The LiDAR can operate from -40°C to 60°C and has an IP68 Ingress Protection rating.

“The OS1 is designed for all-weather environments and use in industrial automation, autonomous vehicles, mapping, smart infrastructure, and robotics,” states its manufacturer. “The OS1 offers clean, dense data across its entire field of view for accurate perception and crisp detail in industrial, automotive, robotics, and mapping applications.”

The unit uses open source ROS and C++ drivers, and comes with Ouster’s Software Development Kit. Its ability to accurately sense its environment (down to distances of 0.5 metres away), combined with the NVIDIA processor and the depth camera also allows this machine to do something pretty extraordinary: It can recognise and land on a moving platform.

“That’s a very challenging problem to solve and requires not only specific sensing but also really powerful onboard compute. This drone can do it,” explains Corbeth.

Already, word about the product has been spreading. A number of units have already been sold to academic institutions for research purposes – and the team has been hard at work building and testing for the next set of orders (as seen below).

THE FORGE CONNECTION

 

Like all new products, the new drone required custom parts. We looked no further than InDro Forge, our rapid prototyping and limited production run facility in Ottawa.

Using state of the art additive and subtractive tools, the Forge team created custom mounts using carbon fibre and other strong but lightweight materials, while also ensuring the frame was robust enough to take on even the most challenging environments where these drones will be deployed.

“InDro Forge has been critical to the finished product,” says Corbeth. “We wanted a look, feel and quality that matches this drone’s capabilities – and InDro Forge delivered.”

InDro ROS drone

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We’re obviously excited about the capabilities of this new drone, and we’re not alone. Interest in this product from researchers has already been significant. In fact, we’re not aware of any other drone on the market offering this combination of specific capabilities.

It was that void – in concert with our partnership with Cypher Robotics – that led to its creation.

“InDro has always placed a great emphasis on the development of innovative new products,” says CEO Philip Reece. “We build new products at the request of clients and also develop our own when we see a market opportunity. In this case, the requirements for Cypher Robotics dovetailed nicely with demand for such a drone from researchers.”

Production of the new drone is moving at a swift pace. If you’re interested in a briefing or demo, you can contact us here.

InDro Forge prepped for next-phase expansion

InDro Forge prepped for next-phase expansion

Feb 8, 2024 | InDro Forge, InDro Solutions, Industry News, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

Have an idea for a prototype? InDro Forge has got you covered.

The company can take a napkin sketch, turn it into a full-fledged design – and then produce a single prototype or limited manufacturing run.

But the Ottawa-based facility, equipped with multiple machines for additive and subtractive manufacturing and an A-level team of engineers and support staff, is now capable of much, much more.

If you happened to miss this story, here’s the headline: Back in September, InDro Robotics took over operations of what was known as the Bayview Yards Prototyping Lab. Previously run by Invest Ottawa, InDro could see the synergy of running this in conjunction with its R&D headquarters (based at Ottawa’s Area X.O).

But the acquisition has involved much more than a name change. Under the guidance of Stacey Connors (Head of Strategic Innovations) and Joel Koscielski (Senior Manager, Design and Fabrication), a longer-term plan for growth quickly began to form. Soon, there were new hires in engineering and sales. There was a comprehensive review of the existing market to identify gaps.

And, ultimately, a new roadmap for the future. Though prototypes will still be an important part of the core business operation, InDro Forge now has the expertise and capacity to be of service to companies with products anywhere along the Technology Level Readiness (TLR) scale.

“I was initially excited about the synergies with robotics,” says Luke Corbeth, Head of R&D Sales with InDro Robotics.

“But after seeing the all-star cast, I’m also excited for its potential as a standalone alongside InDro Robotics. There are so many other industries we can touch. I feel so confident, talking to anyone and knowing that wherever they are in their journey we’re going to be able to help. I know we can take it on – and that’s super exciting.”

It is. Now, let’s find out why – and how.

Below: The water jet table at InDro Forge. Using a fine slurry under immensely high pressure, it can slice through steel up to 2″ thick

Advanced Manufacturing

NEW STAFF

 

It was clear at the outset that InDro Forge would be able to tap into the expertise of InDro engineers who work at the Area X.O site. But it was equally clear that InDro Forge would also benefit from additional full-time engineers at its own location.

We were fortunate in finding Matthieu Tanguay, a Mechatronics Engineer with a deep background in robotics, along with experience in forestry and oceanography. Tanguay also worked for four years with another Canadian robotics leader, Clearpath. He helped design, validate and deliver multiple different robots to clients during that period (including a robot custom-built for Antarctica).

“I’ve always described myself as a ‘Jack of all trades'” he says. “I’ve always been a curious person with a wide variety of interests. At InDro Forge I think I will be able to tap in these skillsets acquired through the years to help InDro Forge push through to another level.”

Stephan Tzolov was eager to make the jump from Area X.O to join the growing team at InDro Forge. Tzolov has a degree in Industrial Design – and design is integral to the InDro Forge process. Tzolov also loves learning new skills, and saw a perfect fit with InDro Forge.

“I made the jump to InDro Forge when I wrapped up a large, long-term project,” says Tzolov. “Timing worked out perfectly in that we had just announced the new expansion into Forge and the cool new opportunities for a dedicated mechanical engineering/design team. With the new skills and technical know-how I’d acquired via that large project, I decided to push my abilities even further by helping build up the team.”

Tzolov already had experience with a range of production tools. For the past few months, he has immersed himself in learning new ones.

“There were already quite a few machines and tools I’d familiarized myself with via my university education. However, in recent months it’s been quite the deep dive on these machines and processes – including operating the waterjet cutter and CNC.”

Below: Stephan at the controls of the waterjet cutter

 

THE PATH TO PRODUCTION

 

Prior to becoming InDro Forge, the lab specialised in designing and producing prototypes. And while that will still be part of its business model, the company is positioning itself to take on clients with products that are anywhere along the TRL scale. Perhaps you’ve already got a prototype – but it doesn’t have quite the look and feel desired. Maybe you have a functioning product that has some bugs. Or perhaps you’re looking for a polished, finished product that can be shown to your own clients or displayed at a conference. InDro Forge does it all.

“Our initial conversations with industry partners have helped us identify, these are the things that matter,” explains Connors. “We can help customers wherever they are on the TRL.” Offerings include:

  • Design
  • Production
  • Builds
  • Prototypes
  • Testing/validation
  • Engineering

Whether it’s a new client, a new concept – or a completely new application – InDro Forge can shape the path to a finished product. And while there are other companies out there (and some doing very good work), we believe that the synergy of InDro Forge’s leadership and staff – combined with the R&D expertise of InDro Robotics and our state-of-the-art production tools – sets us apart.

“We are leading with technical expertise – that’s our strongest differentiator,” says Stacey Connors. “We work closely with clients – with recommendations, collaboration and consultation – every step of the way. And we really have a wide array of equipment.”

Below: How the relationship between InDro Forge and InDro Robotics works for clients

Prototyping Lab Canada
Rapid Prototyping Canada

NEW SUPPORT

 

Companies need clients. And clients need knowledgeable staff who truly understand their needs – people who understand both the technical requirements and the customer journey. InDro Forge is fortunate to have newly hired Account Executive Callum Cameron. With a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Ottawa – and a passion for understanding the technical side of things – Callum isn’t simply after sales. He is dedicated to helping customers find the precise solution to their needs, along with keeping them in the loop throughout the process.

“InDro Forge provides clients with end-to-end prototyping services that can turn any idea into a ready-for-market product,” he says. “Our services help businesses of all sizes accelerate their time to market and pathway to profitable growth.”

As part of getting settled into the role, Callum researched other companies offering similar services, drilling right down to the capabilities and machines at those facilities. And he’s reached some conclusions.

“InDro Forge offers a range of specialized services that competitors simply can’t replicate. We have the technical expertise and a state-of-the-art facility that allows clients to choose different levels of involvement along their prototyping journey. Furthermore, our team has years of experience in every phase of rapid prototyping, which allows us to guide our clients in the right direction every step of the way.”

 

INVESTMENT

 

In the transition to InDro Forge, great emphasis was put on identifying areas – and hires – that would allow for greater capacity going forward. Senior Manager of Design and Fabrication Joel Koscielski, who was previously with the Bayview Yards Prototyping Lab, sees that as a significant step forward.

“InDro made an immediate investment in building the Forge team by adding new capacity. We now have an Applications Engineer to help clients develop a solution tailored to their needs, plus a Mechatronics Engineer to bring a greater technical expertise in the integration of mechanical, electrical and code into a single solution.”

The other significant difference is the new ability to tap into the broad expertise of the InDro Robotics engineering team, based at Area X.O.

“The InDro Robotics engineers being included in design reviews or in a design consulting capacity during projects ensures higher quality output from Forge – and the opportunity for more creativity in solutions.  The InDro team also has a large number of industry contacts including trusted suppliers and partners which pre-date the InDro Forge. These contacts have served to bolster the list of partner companies which Forge draws from to deliver great prototypes when the needs exceed our in-house capacity or current equipment capabilities.”

In addition, the InDro Forge team all share a trait that’s reflected in their work ethic, and ultimately the finished product: Passion.

“The best part of starting a project from scratch is being able to breathe life into something that was originally just an idea, maybe just a sketch on a piece of paper,” says Stephan Tzolov.

“Taking that spark of innovation from an idea to reality never gets old. So, I’d say those beginning steps of concept development and iterative design are the most rewarding.”

 

Below: InDro Forge’s new Mechatronics Engineer, Matthieu Tanguay

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We obviously felt there was a synergy in developing InDro Forge. And while the Bayview Yards Prototyping Lab was known for its excellent work, we wanted to both expand in-house capabilities and leverage the expertise of our Area X.O engineering team. The result, we believe, is a solution we intend on refining until it is unrivalled in the country.

“Expanding the core team at InDro Forge, and creating a roadmap under the guidace of Stacey Connors, was the first step,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece.

“We now have outstanding in-house capabilities, with more hires to come. That, in combination with the ability to tap additional expertise from our Area X.O team, positions InDro Forge for a truly exciting path forward – both for InDro Robotics and for InDro Forge clients.”

Interested in learning more? Feel free to contact Account Executive Callum Cameron here.