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  • How Robot Arms Are Learning to Paint Cars

    How Robot Arms Are Learning to Paint Cars
    2026/06/07
    In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how robotics companies are bringing precision painting to automotive manufacturing—a task that has long resisted automation due to the need for consistent, flawless finishes. They focus on a specific case: a startup called PaintJet that retrofits existing car factory lines with computer-vision-guided robot arms capable of matching paint quality to human painters. Lucas breaks down the technical challenges, like dealing with overspray and variable surface curvature, while Luna highlights the cost savings and labor shortages driving adoption. They also touch on how this technology is spilling into aerospace and furniture finishing. By the end, listeners will understand why painting is one of the last frontiers in factory automation and what it means for the future of skilled trades. #PaintJet #RobotPainting #AutomotiveManufacturing #IndustrialRobots #ComputerVision #ManufacturingAutomation #FactoryOfTheFuture #SkilledTrades #Aerospace #FurnitureFinishing #LaborShortage #Robotics #Business #Technology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Podcast #Episode36 Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    10 分
  • Why Robotics Companies Are Betting Big on Soft Grippers

    Why Robotics Companies Are Betting Big on Soft Grippers
    2026/06/06
    Episode 35 of The Robotics Business shifts the focus from rigid claws and suction cups to the emerging category of soft robotic grippers. Lucas and Luna examine why companies like Soft Robotics and OnRobot are developing flexible, air-powered end-effectors that can handle delicate items—from produce to auto parts—without damage. They discuss the technical trade-offs between speed and gentleness, the economic case for grippers that reduce waste and rework, and how the market for soft grippers is projected to grow from $1.2 billion in 2025 to over $6 billion by 2030. Luna shares a counterpoint from a factory manager who worries about reliability at high cycle rates. The conversation also touches on how gripper design affects system integration costs and the rise of suction-free alternatives for porous or irregularly shaped objects. A concrete look at the business of hands for robots. #SoftRobotics #RoboticGrippers #IndustrialAutomation #SoftGrippers #EndEffectors #RoboticsBusiness #ManufacturingTech #AutomationTrends #OnRobot #SoftRoboticsInc #PickAndPlace #FoodProcessingAutomation #WarehouseRobotics #SupplyChainTech #BusinessAndTechnology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #RobotHands Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    11 分
  • How Robot Dogs Are Inspecting Industrial Sites

    How Robot Dogs Are Inspecting Industrial Sites
    2026/06/06
    Lucas and Luna explore how four-legged robots — often called robot dogs — are moving from novelty to serious industrial inspection tools. They break down the specific use case at a major oil refinery where a Spot robot from Boston Dynamics replaced human inspectors in a confined-space inspection task, cutting downtime from three days to four hours. The episode covers the economics: why leasing a robot for $1,500 a month beats paying teams for hazardous entry work, and how sensor payloads like thermal cameras and gas detectors make these machines more than just walking GoPros. They also discuss the regulatory gap — nobody has written the safety rules for a robot that can climb stairs and open doors on its own. No hype about robot armies. Just a clear-eyed look at where legged robots are actually earning their keep in 2026. #Robotics #IndustrialAutomation #RobotDogs #BostonDynamics #SpotRobot #Inspection #OilAndGas #SafetyTech #ThermalImaging #ConfinedSpace #PredictiveMaintenance #BusinessAndTechnology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Automation #FieldTrials #LeasingModel #IndustrialTech Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    15 分
  • How Robotics Companies Are Using Leasing Models to Win Customers

    How Robotics Companies Are Using Leasing Models to Win Customers
    2026/06/05
    In this episode of The Robotics Business with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore how robotics companies are shifting from selling robots outright to offering leasing and robotic-as-a-service (RaaS) models. They examine why this change matters for both startups and customers, using examples like a mid-sized warehouse operator who replaced a $2 million capital expenditure with a $30,000 monthly fee. The hosts break down the financial benefits (recurring revenue, lower barriers to adoption), the accounting differences (operating vs capital leases), and the risks (customer churn, maintenance costs). They also discuss how leasing can accelerate innovation by forcing manufacturers to keep hardware reliable. Tune in for a specific, numbers-driven look at how financing is reshaping industrial automation. #Robotics #Automation #Leasing #RaaS #RoboticsAsAService #IndustrialRobots #HardwareStartups #BusinessStrategy #RecurringRevenue #CapitalExpenditure #OperatingLease #Finance #BusinessPodcast #FexingoBusiness #Technology #Innovation #CustomerAcquisition #StartupFunding Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    8 分
  • How Robotics Startups Are Financing R&D Through Government Grants

    How Robotics Startups Are Financing R&D Through Government Grants
    2026/06/05
    In this episode of The Robotics Business, Lucas and Luna explore how early-stage robotics startups are increasingly turning to government grants — specifically the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program — to fund their R&D without diluting equity. They walk through the mechanics of SBIR grants, the three-phase structure, and real numbers: over $4 billion awarded annually across US agencies. Lucas highlights a specific example — a warehouse robotics startup that used $1.2 million in SBIR Phase II funding to develop a vision system for autonomous pallet handling, avoiding a seed round at unfavorable terms. Luna questions the downsides: application complexity, lengthy timelines, and the risk of becoming dependent on non-dilutive funding. They also touch on the European Innovation Council's EIC Accelerator and how it compares. The episode closes with a reflection on whether grant funding is shaping the kind of robotics being built — toward projects that fit agency priorities rather than market demand. #SBIR #GovernmentGrants #RoboticsStartups #NonDilutiveFunding #R&D #WarehouseRobotics #EICAccelerator #HardwareStartup #InnovationFunding #SBIRPhaseII #RobotVision #AutonomousPalletHandling #EuropeanInnovationCouncil #SeedRound #EquityDilution #Business #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    11 分
  • How Robotics Startups Are Navigating Tariff Uncertainty

    How Robotics Startups Are Navigating Tariff Uncertainty
    2026/06/04
    Episode 31 of The Robotics Business examines how trade tariffs are reshaping the economics of building a robot. Lucas and Luna dig into the specific case of a US-based startup that sources precision motors from Japan and aluminum castings from China. They walk through how a 25 percent tariff on Chinese components and a 10 percent tariff on Japanese motors add roughly $8,000 to the bill of materials for a single collaborative robot arm — forcing founders to rethink assembly location, supplier contracts, and customer pricing. The hosts also discuss whether so-called 'reshoring' actually helps hardware startups or just replaces one set of risks with another. A grounded look at how macro policy hits the workbench, not just the boardroom. #Robotics #TradeTariffs #HardwareStartups #SupplyChain #Reshoring #IndustrialRobots #BusinessAndTechnology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Automation #TariffUncertainty #Cobot #Manufacturing #PrecisionMotors #ComponentSourcing #TradePolicy #StartupEconomics #LucasAndLuna Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    7 分
  • How Drones Are Inspecting Bridges and Power Lines

    How Drones Are Inspecting Bridges and Power Lines
    2026/06/04
    Lucas and Luna explore how drones are moving beyond photography into industrial inspection, focusing on bridge and power line safety. With the U.S. infrastructure bill funding billions in repairs, drones are cutting inspection costs by up to 50 percent and reducing worker risk. Lucas breaks down the key players—from Skydio to DJI—and the regulatory hurdles still slowing adoption. Luna questions whether the data these drones collect is actually useful or just a gimmick. They also discuss how machine learning is automating defect detection, turning raw images into actionable reports. This episode drills into one concrete case: a rural Iowa power cooperative that used drones to inspect 200 miles of lines in two days, a job that used to take weeks with ground crews. A practical look at a quiet robotics revolution happening above our heads. #Drones #IndustrialInspection #Infrastructure #BridgeSafety #PowerLines #Skydio #DJI #Robotics #Automation #MachineLearning #Safety #CostSavings #Regulation #FAA #Iowa #Business #Technology #FexingoBusiness Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    12 分
  • How Warehouses Are Training Robots With Simulation

    How Warehouses Are Training Robots With Simulation
    2026/06/03
    Lucas and Luna explore a quiet revolution in robotics: training industrial robots entirely in simulated environments before they ever touch a real factory floor. They walk through how simulation-first approaches are cutting deployment timelines from months to days, reducing hardware costs, and enabling robots to handle edge cases that would be dangerous or impossible to train in the physical world. The episode centers on a specific breakthrough: a warehouse robot that learned to pick 500 different objects in simulation and transferred that skill to the real world with 97 percent accuracy on day one. They also discuss the economics—how simulation is lowering the barrier for smaller manufacturers to adopt robotics—and what's still missing, like tactile feedback and sensor noise. The conversation ends with a reflection on whether simulation will eventually replace physical testing entirely. #RobotTraining #Simulation #WarehouseRobotics #DigitalTwin #RoboticsSoftware #IndustrialAutomation #MachineLearning #RobotPickAndPlace #SimToReal #ManufacturingTech #LogisticsTech #RoboticsStartups #Business #Technology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #TheRoboticsBusiness #Automation Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    12 分