Using robots in business: The guide for system integration

In practice, the use of robotics rarely fails because of the hardware itself, but rather because of the lack of translation between operational processes and technical execution. A robot manufacturer (OEM) sells a machine, but not a solution for a specific shift schedule or a complex software environment. This is where werob comes in as a hardware-agnostic system integrator. werob is not a manufacturer of robots like Boston Dynamics or Keenon, but rather the operational level that makes these technologies usable for the operator.

A key advantage of this approach is the avoidance of vendor lock-in. If you use robots in your business, you won't be tied to a single brand at werob. The company ranks over 44 OEM partners and 280 different robot models to meet your specific needs. This ensures that the most efficient hardware is always chosen for the respective application. Whether humanoid robots for complex tasks or specialized service robots for transport, the selection is purely data-based through the supplier match process.

The complexity of the integration is drastically reduced by prefabricated connectors. Instead of developing individual interfaces for each project, werob relies on a library of integrations into the operator stack. These include systems such as PointClickCare for care, Opera PMS for the hotel industry or SAP EWM for logistics. This platform approach makes it possible to shorten the time from the initial idea to productive use to eight weeks, while classic consulting projects often require three to six months for the discovery phase alone.

The first step if you want to use robots in your company is to precisely define the task. The werob Spec Engine translates your employees' descriptions of shifts, floors and tasks into a ready-to-use robot action graph. This process only takes 48 hours. The engine has been trained on over 35,000 projects and immediately recognizes which hardware specifications are required for a specific environment.

A typical example is the medication round in inpatient care. Instead of conducting lengthy workshops, you enter the parameters of the layer and the structural conditions. The Spec Engine uses this to generate a technical specification that takes factors such as load capacity, battery life, type of navigation and regulatory requirements into account. This eliminates the risk of bad purchases because the hardware is precisely tailored to the workflow and not the other way around.

After the specification has been created, the supplier match follows. Here the requirements are checked against the catalog of 44+ OEMs. The result is a ranking of the most suitable robots. This process ensures that you don't buy the model that a seller has in stock, but rather the device that best meets your operational metric. This speed is a central promise from werob: 48 hours to the spec, five days to the offer and eight weeks to the robot in use.

The use of robotics must be justified from a business perspective. werob focuses on measurable cost reductions per location and year. In nursing, the automation of the medication round leads to a relief of 92,000 euros per year. This sum results from the reduction in unproductive walking distances and the release of skilled personnel for qualified activities. Another example is the transport service in care facilities, which enables an annual relief of 71,000 euros.

The potential is even higher in the hotel industry. The use of robots for room service saves a location an average of 112,000 euros per year. For the preparation of the bar and breakfast the value is 54,000 euros. These numbers are not theoretical estimates, but are based on data from 200 robots that are already in live operation. Customers like Korian Germany were able to achieve double-digit cost savings in the first year.

Werob's commercial model is consistently geared towards success. It is an outcome-only model. This means that you only pay when the robot actually runs and takes over the defined tasks in the company. There are no hidden list prices or upfront investments in lengthy consulting services. This approach minimizes the financial risk for the operator and ensures that the interests of the system integrator and customer are fully aligned.

An often underestimated aspect when companies use robots in their operations is legal compliance. From January 20, 2027, the new EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 will be binding. This regulation places significantly higher requirements on conformity assessment, especially for machines with AI components or autonomous functions. werob offers the necessary compliance path and acts as a local integrator who assumes liability and regulatory processing.

Compliance with standards is mandatory, especially in sensitive areas such as care (ISO 13482 for personal assistance robots) or security (BewachVO). werob integrates these requirements in the spec phase. This means that every robot purchased via the platform has already been tested for compliance with European standards. This protects the operator from legal risks and possible shutdowns by authorities such as the home inspectorate.

In addition to the machine regulation, aspects of data protection (GDPR) and cybersecurity (IEC 62443) must be taken into account. Since robots are equipped with numerous sensors and cameras, secure data management is essential. The werob Cockpit monitors these parameters in real time. A four-dimensional traffic light system shows the status of the hardware, infrastructure, regulations and specifications at all times. This ensures that operations are not only efficient but also legally compliant.

A robot that acts as an isolated solution loses much of its value. The true efficiency comes from the connection to the existing software landscape. werob supplies prefabricated connectors for this. If you use robots in your business, they are directly linked to systems such as SAP EWM for logistics or Mews and Opera PMS for the hotel industry. In nursing, integration into PointClickCare or MatrixCare is crucial in order to automatically transmit work orders to the robot fleet.

These connectors enable the robot to become part of the digital workflow. An example from the F&B sector: An order via Toast or Lightspeed directly triggers the order for a tray robot that brings the food from the kitchen to the guest. In the washing chamber, a tray bot ensures annual cost savings of 76,000 euros. Without the direct software connection, the staff would have to operate the robot manually, which would partially offset the time advantage.

Werob's technical architecture is designed to integrate complex infrastructures such as elevator controls or automatic doors. This is a prerequisite for use across floors in hotels or nursing homes. Through central control via the werob cockpit, the operator maintains full control over the entire fleet at all times, regardless of how many different robot models from different manufacturers are in use.

While specialized service robots are already established, humanoid robots are increasingly becoming the focus for complex tasks. werob is already able to integrate humanoid systems into operations today. In a Hamburg care facility, the first humanoid pilot project is already in its twelfth week of operation. Partners such as Apptronik with the Apollo robot or Figure AI are part of werob's expanded catalog.

The advantage of humanoid robots lies in their versatility. They can operate in environments designed for humans without the need for expensive structural adjustments. They use the same tools and move along the same paths. werob evaluates the use of these systems according to the same strict criteria as conventional robots: workflow suitability, regulatory security and economic outcome.

Although the technology is still young, practice shows that humanoid robots can already provide valuable support today. werob acts as a bridge for companies that want to gain early experience with this technology without getting involved in individual experimental projects. By integrating into the werob ecosystem, operators benefit from the platform's usual stability and standardized integration processes.

As soon as the robots are in operation, the continuous management phase begins. The werob cockpit is the central control point for live operations. It provides a real-time overview of all active units in the eleven European countries in which werob operates. The system uses a four-dimensional traffic light system to visualize the status of the fleet: hardware status, infrastructure availability, regulatory compliance and specification fulfillment.

This monitoring goes far beyond simple error messages. It analyzes the performance of the robots in comparison to the defined operational goals. For example, if a robot does not achieve the planned number of medication rounds, the cockpit identifies the cause, be it a blocked path or faulty software synchronization. This enables proactive maintenance and optimization of processes before failures occur.

For the operator, the cockpit means maximum transparency. You can see at a glance what contribution robotics makes to reducing costs at each individual location. This data is essential for deciding how to scale the fleet. werob has set itself the goal of managing a total of 2,000 robots in live operation by 2028. The Cockpit is the technological backbone that enables this growth by radically simplifying the complexities of fleet management for the end user.

The path to automation with werob follows a standardized eight-step process. It all starts with identifying the responsible people and describing the shift in your own words. You don't have to be a technology expert to use robots in your business. The Spec Engine takes over the translation of your operational requirements into technical parameters.

The structural conditions and the existing IT infrastructure are analyzed further. This includes checking WiFi coverage, elevator types and floor conditions. At the same time, the hardware is selected via Supplier Match. Your preferences are also taken into account, and the system always creates the objectively best ranking. An important step is to clarify the regulatory framework to ensure that the deployment complies with all local and European laws.

After the commercial framework has been established, the physical deployment and integration takes place. By using werob connectors, the connection to your existing systems can be completed quickly. Within eight weeks of first contact, the robot is on the site and takes over its tasks. This structured process guarantees a high success rate and avoids the typical pitfalls of isolated pilot projects that often come to nothing.

The use of robots in operations is no longer a vision of the future, but rather an economic necessity to address the shortage of skilled workers and rising costs. werob offers the necessary platform to implement this technology quickly, securely and profitably. With the combination of Spec Engine, Supplier Match, Connectors and Cockpit, werob covers the entire life cycle of a robot integration.

The advantages are obvious: 48 hours to the finished specification, access to over 44 OEM partners without brand loyalty and a measurable cost reduction of up to 112,000 euros per year and location. The outcome-only model ensures that you only pay for real results. At a time when regulatory requirements such as the EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 are changing the market, an experienced system integrator like werob is the surest path to success.

Whether in care, the hotel industry or logistics, automating routine tasks frees up valuable human resources for more important activities. werob has already proven that this is possible on a large scale. With 200 robots in use and a clear growth strategy, werob is the partner for companies that want to set the standards of tomorrow today. Start now and transform your operations in just eight weeks.