Meeting your challenges with custom solutions.
Custom Automation Engineering for Heavy Industry
Solve your problems with custom robotic systems.
In the steel, aluminum and forestry industries, every application is unique. While everything Radian engineers is tailored for your mill, sometimes you need a robotic system that requires out-of-the-box thinking. If you haven’t found exactly what you’re looking for on our website, get in touch with our sales team.
Detailed proposals with accurate projections.
We take genuine pleasure in solving new problems and tackling new challenges. Consult with our in-house engineers and see the difference experience makes. Your proposal will be comprehensive, with projections that hit their targets.
Determine Whether Automation Fits Your Line
Not every manual process should be automated in the same way. Before developing a system concept, we work to understand what the process must accomplish, what currently limits it and how new equipment would interact with the rest of the line.
The early application review helps answer questions such as:
Is the process technically suitable for robotic automation?
Can automation fit within the available footprint?
Which product variations and process conditions must the system handle?
Where are operators involved today?
What cycle time must the automated process achieve?
What safety, access and maintenance requirements must be considered?
How would the system interface with existing equipment and controls?
What additional information or testing is needed before the project advances?
The objective is not to force a robot into the process. It is to determine whether automation is practical and define the engineering approach that best fits the operation.
Work Directly With an Application Engineer
Your application engineer helps translate an operating challenge into a defined automation application.
The process begins by listening to your operations, engineering, maintenance and safety teams. We want to understand how the work is actually performed—not only how it appears on a layout drawing.
Your application engineer studies the production requirements, asks where variability and interruptions occur, and coordinates with Radian’s mechanical, electrical, controls and robotic engineering teams as the concept develops.
Product and Application Requirements
We review the products the system must handle, including their dimensions, weight, orientation, temperature, surface condition and expected variation.
We also define what the automated operation must accomplish and what constitutes a successfully completed cycle.
Current Process and Operator Interaction
We examine the present operating sequence, manual steps, operator touchpoints, workarounds and recovery procedures.
This helps us understand where automation may improve consistency, reduce repetitive handling or reduce operator exposure to hazards.
Cycle Time and Production Flow
We review current production rates, target cycle time, product changeovers, line accumulation and upstream or downstream dependencies.
The complete material flow must be considered so that automating one operation does not create a new bottleneck somewhere else.
Line Layout and Material Movement
We evaluate how products enter, move through and leave the proposed automation area.
Existing conveyors, transfer equipment, platforms, columns, overhead restrictions and available floor space can all influence the system layout.
Controls and Equipment Integration
We identify the signals and interfaces required between the robotic system and existing production equipment.
Depending on the application, this may include PLC and HMI standards, conveyors, sensors, safety systems, material-tracking systems and Level 1 or Level 2 production data.
Safety, Access and Maintainability
Operator access, guarding, maintenance clearances, tool replacement and recovery from abnormal conditions are considered during concept development.
The system must be practical for the people who will operate and maintain it—not only capable of completing the automatic cycle.
Production Environment
Steel, aluminum and wood-product facilities can introduce heat, dust, moisture, scale, vibration, poor lighting and reflective product surfaces.
These conditions influence the selection and placement of robots, sensors, vision equipment, controls and protective components.
How Radian Evaluates a Custom Automation Application
1. Initial Application Discussion
We begin with the operating challenge your team wants to address.
This discussion covers the current process, why it is being evaluated, the desired outcome and any known production, safety, labor or reliability concerns.
2. Engineering Information Review
Our application engineering team reviews the information already available.
Useful inputs may include:
Line and equipment drawings
Product specifications and dimensional ranges
Photos and process videos
Current operating sequence
Production and cycle-time information
Existing equipment documentation
Controls and communication standards
Known safety or access concerns
Available floor space and installation restrictions
This initial review helps us identify what is already understood and which questions still need to be resolved.
3. Onsite Application Study
When the process, layout or equipment interaction requires a closer review, Radian can visit the facility to study the application onsite.
During the visit, our team may:
Observe the process during normal production
Walk through the operating sequence with operators
Document manual interventions and recovery steps
Review product movement and orientation
Confirm equipment positions and available space
Discuss production requirements with operations
Review access and service needs with maintenance
Identify existing controls and integration points
Discuss safety requirements with the appropriate plant stakeholders
Review installation access and potential shutdown constraints
Speaking with the people who operate and maintain the line often reveals important application details that are not visible in drawings or equipment specifications.
4. 3D Site Scanning When Needed
For brownfield installations, crowded production areas or applications with multiple physical interfaces, Radian can use 3D site scanning to capture the existing area in greater spatial detail.
The scan provides our engineering team with a detailed reference of the current line and its surroundings. It can support:
Preliminary equipment placement
Robot reach and tooling access evaluation
Guarding and clearance planning
Conveyor and machine interface review
Identification of columns, platforms, piping and overhead obstructions
Maintenance and operator-access planning
Installation and rigging discussions
Comparison of the proposed design with existing site conditions
The captured data also allows our engineering team to revisit the production area after the site visit without relying only on photographs and individually recorded measurements.
3D scanning supports concept and layout development. Critical installation dimensions, structural requirements and final site conditions are verified according to the needs of the project.
5. Concept Development and Validation
Once the process and site conditions are understood, our engineering team develops an automation direction around the application requirements.
Concept development may include:
Preliminary system layout
Proposed sequence of operations
Robot configuration and reach evaluation
End-of-arm tooling concept
Product sensing or machine-vision approach
Material-handling requirements
Controls and equipment interfaces
Preliminary cycle-time evaluation
Safety and access considerations
Maintenance and recovery requirements
Project assumptions and outstanding questions
When an unfamiliar process or higher-risk technical question must be resolved, additional simulation or proof-of-principle testing may be recommended before the final system scope is established.
6. Concept Review and Proposal
Radian reviews the proposed concept with your team before the project moves forward.
The proposal defines the engineering basis behind the recommended system, including the proposed scope, major equipment, operating concept, known interfaces, assumptions, customer responsibilities and project considerations.
This gives both teams a clearer understanding of what the system is expected to do and what information still needs to be confirmed.
When Is an Onsite Study Recommended?
An initial application review can often begin with drawings, photos, videos and production information. An onsite study may be recommended when:
Existing drawings are incomplete or outdated
The automation must fit into an operating production line
The available footprint is restricted
Operator interaction is difficult to understand remotely
Product flow or orientation varies
Several pieces of existing equipment must be integrated
Maintenance or recovery access is a concern
Heat, dust, moisture or other site conditions may affect the design
Installation access and shutdown time are limited
Additional measurements are required before concept development
If detailed spatial information is important, Radian can also recommend adding 3D site scanning to the study.
What the Application Study Helps Define
The scope of each study depends on the application and the amount of information available. The review may help establish:
Whether the application is technically suitable for automation
The proposed automation approach
Preliminary cell or equipment layout
Robot, tooling, sensing and material-handling requirements
Expected operating sequence
Preliminary cycle-time considerations
Existing equipment and controls interfaces
Operator, maintenance and recovery access
Known application risks and constraints
Customer-supplied information or equipment
Additional simulation or testing requirements
Preliminary installation considerations
Recommended next steps toward a project proposal
By identifying these conditions early, both teams can have more practical discussions about scope, investment and implementation.
Custom Engineering for Existing Production Lines
Many Radian systems are retrofitted into existing facilities where the surrounding equipment cannot simply be moved or replaced.
A brownfield automation project may need to work around conveyors, walking beams, uncoilers, production platforms, existing controls, limited floor space and scheduled shutdown windows.
Radian evaluates the automation as part of the complete line. The objective is to develop a system that performs the required task while integrating with the equipment, people and production sequence already around it.
Proven Custom Automation in Heavy Industry
Robotic Coil De-Banding for Two Existing Lines
For Steelscape’s rolling mill, Radian developed a robotic de-banding system that handles varying quantities and positions of ID and OD bands.
The six-axis robot moves between two coil lines on a seventh-axis indexing base and integrates with the existing walking-beam conveyor feeding the pickling line.
Hot Aluminum Coil Marking and Product Tracking
For Novelis Oswego Works, Radian developed a robotic coil-marking system around hot aluminum products, custom marking ink and the mill’s product-tracking requirements.
The project included mechanical and electrical design, programming, controls integration, weighing, temperature and product-tracking interfaces.
From Application Review to a Working System
Once the application and project scope are approved, Radian can carry the system through detailed engineering, fabrication, programming, assembly, testing, installation and commissioning.
Depending on the project, the process may include:
Detailed mechanical and electrical design
Controls and robot programming
Tooling and equipment fabrication
System assembly and internal testing
Customer design and progress reviews
Factory acceptance testing
Site installation and integration
Commissioning and production validation
Operator and maintenance training
Ongoing service and reliability support
This continuity helps preserve the operating requirements and design decisions established during the application study.
From Application Review to a Working System
Once the application and project scope are approved, Radian can carry the system through detailed engineering, fabrication, programming, assembly, testing, installation and commissioning.
Depending on the project, the process may include:
Detailed mechanical and electrical design
Controls and robot programming
Tooling and equipment fabrication
System assembly and internal testing
Customer design and progress reviews
Factory acceptance testing
Site installation and integration
Commissioning and production validation
Operator and maintenance training
Ongoing service and reliability support
This continuity helps preserve the operating requirements and design decisions established during the application study.
[Learn About the Radian Reliability Program]
Custom Automation Engineering FAQs
What information should we provide for an initial application review?
Useful starting information includes a description of the current process, photos or videos, product dimensions and weights, target cycle time, available drawings, equipment information and the main problem your team wants to address.
You do not need to have every detail available before contacting Radian. The initial review will help identify what additional information is required.
Is an onsite study always required?
No. Some applications can be evaluated initially using drawings, photos, videos, product information and remote discussions.
An onsite study may be recommended when the process is complex, the available space is restricted, drawings are incomplete or the system must interface closely with existing equipment and operators.
What happens during an onsite application study?
Radian observes the current process, speaks with relevant plant stakeholders, reviews product movement, documents operator interaction and examines the proposed automation area.
The visit is used to identify application requirements, physical constraints, controls interfaces, safety considerations and information needed for concept development.
Who should participate in the site study?
The right participants depend on the application. Input may be needed from operations, engineering, maintenance, controls, safety and the operators who perform or support the process today.
Including these groups early helps uncover practical requirements that may otherwise appear later in the project.
Why would Radian use 3D site scanning?
3D site scanning can provide a detailed spatial reference when an automation system must fit into an existing production area.
It is particularly useful when drawings are outdated, clearances are tight or the concept must account for surrounding machines, platforms, columns, piping and access routes.
Can Radian evaluate a process if our drawings are incomplete?
Yes. Available photos, videos, equipment information and production data can be used to begin the review.
If missing layout information prevents reliable concept development, Radian may recommend an onsite study, additional measurements or 3D scanning.
Can a custom robotic system be retrofitted into an operating line?
Yes. Radian has developed robotic systems for existing production lines. The engineering review considers the available footprint, product flow, controls interfaces, surrounding equipment, installation access and allowable shutdown time.
Final feasibility depends on the specific line and application conditions.
How does Radian evaluate robot reach and cycle time?
The application engineer first defines the product positions, required movements, process steps and available cycle time.
The engineering team can then evaluate robot selection, reach, payload, tooling, sequence and interaction with other equipment. Simulation or additional testing may be used when the application requires further validation.
Does the application study include a formal safety risk assessment?
The application review considers operator interaction, access, guarding and hazards that may affect the proposed concept.
Formal risk assessment, safeguarding design and validation requirements are defined according to the scope and stage of the project.
What will we receive after the application review?
The output depends on the agreed scope and maturity of the application. It may include findings, a preliminary layout, operating concept, equipment approach, identified constraints, project assumptions, additional information requirements and a proposal for the next stage.
Radian will define the expected outputs before beginning a more detailed engineering or onsite study.
Customize your robotic system.
Call 905.639.7370, email [email protected], or fill out the form below to start the process with our sales team.