Robot supplier selection tool: To the specification in 48 hours

In the current industrial landscape, finding the right robot supplier is often like flying blind. Companies rely on discovery decks from consulting firms or the promises of individual resellers. The result is often vendor lock-in, where the hardware dictates the process rather than the other way around. A manual robot supplier selection tool in the form of Excel tables quickly reaches its limits as it cannot map either the dynamic software interfaces or the complex regulatory requirements of the EU Machinery Regulation.

Conventional market screening takes an average of three to six months. During this time, operators lose valuable margins. werob has radically shortened this process. By analyzing over 35,000 projects, we have developed a spec engine that translates your written workflows into a technical specification within 48 hours. We don't view robotics as an isolated product, but rather as part of your operational stack. The goal is not to buy a robot, but to achieve a measurable outcome, such as reducing the burden on the medication round by €92,000 per location and year.

The core of successful automation lies in the precise definition of the task. Our robot supplier selection tool does not start with the product, but with the shift schedule. The werob Spec Engine uses a fine-tuned model to transform descriptions of tasks, floor conditions, elevator controls and safety zones into a machine-readable action graph. While classic integrators need weeks to record requirements, werob delivers a finished specification in two days.

This automated approach eliminates sources of human error in the requirements analysis. The engine takes into account specific parameters such as door widths, WiFi coverage and interaction with people in high-traffic areas. For an operator this means: You don't have to be a robotics expert to find the right hardware. You describe your operational pain point and the tool generates the technical solution. This is the first step of our promise: 48 hours to spec, 5 days to quote, 8 weeks to robot in use.

A crucial mistake when selecting suppliers is deciding on a manufacturer early on. werob is not an OEM reseller, but a hardware-agnostic system integrator. Our catalog currently includes over 44 OEM partners and more than 280 different robot models, from humanoid systems like Apptronik Apollo to specialized service robots from Keenon or Pudu. Our Supplier Match Tool objectively ranks this hardware against your individual specification.

Through this broad market overview, we ensure that you always get the most powerful and cost-effective hardware. We are not bound to the sales targets of any individual manufacturer. When a new, more efficient robot comes onto the market, it is immediately included in our ranking system. This protects your investment from technological obsolescence and ensures scalability across different locations.

An often underestimated aspect of the robot supplier selection tool is compliance with legal standards. From January 20, 2027, the new EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 will be binding. Many Asian OEMs currently do not have the necessary conformity assessments for the European market. werob acts as your compliance path here. We check every robot in our catalog for compliance with the relevant standards, including ISO 13482 for service robots in direct contact with people.

Without this regulatory protection, operators risk having their fleets shut down by home inspectors or trade regulators. Our system integrates these test steps directly into the selection process. We evaluate not only the hardware, but also cybersecurity according to IEC 62443 and data protection according to GDPR. This legal certainty is particularly indispensable in sensitive areas such as care or in public spaces. With werob you receive a turnkey solution that has already cleared all regulatory hurdles in advance.

A robot that doesn't communicate with your existing software is just an expensive isolated solution. Our approach to supplier selection necessarily includes checking connectivity. werob offers ready-made connectors for leading systems such as SAP EWM, Opera PMS, Mews, Toast or PointClickCare. This means that the robot receives its orders directly from your existing management system without the need for manual intervention.

In the hotel industry, for example, this leads to a cost reduction of €112,000 per year in room service, as the entire process from ordering in the PMS to delivery by the robot is automated. In logistics, the connection to SAP EWM enables efficient yard patrol, which saves around €68,000 annually. Our cockpit monitors these integrations live and offers a four-dimensional traffic light system for hardware, infrastructure, regulations and specifications. This means you always have full control over your automated fleet.

The use of a professional robot supplier selection tool must be reflected in hard numbers. At werob, all calculations are based on real operating data from our 200 active robots in eleven European countries. We do not promise any synergies, but rather calculate the exact cost reduction per location. In nursing, the automated medication round relieves staff by €92,000 per year. In the F&B area, a tray bot in the dishwashing chamber saves €76,000 annually.

These savings are not theoretical values, but validated results from customers like Korian Germany. By reducing unproductive walking distances and taking on repetitive tasks, your employees gain time for value-adding activities. Our commercial model is consistently geared towards your success: outcome-only. You only pay when the robot is running productively on your site. There are no hidden list prices or high upfront investments that make the ROI seem distant.

Selecting a supplier is just the beginning. The true value of the werob platform is evident in daily operations. As soon as the robots are live, the werob cockpit takes over fleet management. It is the central operating level that brings together all data across manufacturers. Whether you operate a humanoid robot in Hamburg or a cleaning fleet in Madrid - all information flows together in one dashboard. The system proactively detects disruptions in the infrastructure, such as blocked WiFi access points or defective elevator controls.

This live monitoring is crucial for long-term performance. By continuously analyzing the action graphs, the platform optimizes the robots’ routing and task distribution. If an OEM partner does not comply with the agreed service level agreements, the cockpit provides the necessary database for corrective measures. werob thus offers a level of security that goes far beyond what a single manufacturer can provide. We manage the complexity so you can concentrate on your core business.

Speed ​​is a critical factor in today's economy. While traditional automation projects often take years, werob implements the rollout in eight weeks. This tight schedule is only possible because our robot supplier selection tool parallelizes all processes. While the Spec Engine defines the requirements, the Supplier Match Tool is already checking the availability at the OEMs. The connectors are prepared for your software environment at the same time.

This process has proven itself in practice, as shown by the example of a nursing facility in Hamburg, in which the first humanoid pilot project went into full operation in week 12. We eliminate the lengthy discovery phase and replace it with data-driven decisions. Our goal for 2028 is to have 2,000 robots operating across Europe. Join this development and start your automation not with a consultation, but with a ready-to-use specification.