Faced with historic acceleration challenges, the defence industry is evolving daily to push its limits further. It is in this context, at the heart of MBDA's factories in Bourges, that the Repplix solution was born, redefining the standards of industrial robotics far beyond the sector that saw its inception. Let's look back at the journey, from idea to commercialisation, alongside Nicolas, Automation Technical Referent at MBDA, Vincent, Head of Mechanical and Electromechanical Production Innovation Team at MBDA, and Gaëtan, Director of the Repplix solution at Atol CD.

Towards Productive and Cost-Efficient Industrial Automation

It all started with an observation made by Nicolas and Vincent within MBDA factories: programming an industrial robot takes so much time that this part of the process can represent up to 70% of its total cost. "We found ourselves faced with the problem of financially unviable robotisation," explains Nicolas. A situation that hinders many manufacturers from automating their production processes, and thereby, limits their performance.
This challenge led Nicolas and Vincent to embark on an ambitious project: to provide a concrete solution to this problem, not just within their own factory, but for all manufacturers facing the same difficulty. 

This vision led to the Repplix project, based on a simple idea: allowing an operator to show the robot how to perform a task, and for the robot to repeat it, without having to go through a full programming stage. This approach helps bypass the shortage of skilled labour and increase the flexibility of production lines.

Human Expertise at the Heart of the Repplix Solution

Repplix is based on an advanced motion capture technique similar to those used in a completely different industry—cinema. "Have you ever seen behind-the-scenes footage of blockbusters?" illustrates Vincent. "For certain special effects, actors wear sensors all over their bodies that record their movements. The same technology is deployed on Repplix." Thus, the operator performs the task equipped with ultra-precise sensors that capture each of their technical gestures and tool movement, transmitting them to the robot for replication.

Through this process, Repplix keeps the operator and their expertise at the heart of the process. A valuable commitment to ensure high-quality execution while also facilitating the integration of the solution within production sites. "The acceptance of robots in factories is a real sociological challenge, and Repplix facilitates this acceptance by placing the operator at the centre of the system," explains Nicolas.

This was enough for Repplix to appear as a solution for the future, highly scalable and applicable far beyond the walls of MBDA factories. The group’s innovation managers quickly recognised its potential and committed to taking the project, initially carried out independently by Nicolas and Vincent, to the next level.

Moving From Idea to Prototype with Smart Visions

Once their project was identified, Nicolas and Vincent joined Smart Visions, an internal entrepreneurship programme at MBDA that helps innovative project leaders transform promising ideas into solid industrial projects. For Repplix, this internal development phase lasted 18 months, punctuated by flexible working hours and coaching, as well as the support of an executive committee following the project closely.

At the end of its incubation within Smart Visions, Repplix had grown significantly: the solution now features a functional prototype capable of replicating operator gestures with up to 3 mm precision.

This is where Atol CD, an open-source integrator specialising in digital transformation, discovered the solution through the Robotics Valley cluster. After a commercial offer and an operational contract, the Repplix project transitioned into the hands of the Atol CD’s teams and Gaëtan, head of the solution within the company. The goal is to bring the project to maturity and then launch its commercialisation phase.

Collaborating to Make Repplix Marketable and Accessible

Since its integration into Atol CD, Repplix has continued to develop. At each stage, Gaëtan can count on the support and expertise of Nicolas and Vincent. "Their knowledge of the industrial world is very valuable," says Gaëtan. "It's not a field we often address at Atol CD, and their insights are essential for understanding the needs and responding to them as best we can." A relationship of trust in the service of this cutting-edge solution, which has evolved into a true collaborative partnership.

This collaboration has yielded results: less than 8 months after its integration at Atol CD, Repplix has become a solution marketable on a large scale. Regular exchanges between MBDA and Gaëtan continue to refine and enrich the solution based on field feedback. Each new version of Repplix includes improvements, such as launching tasks via a connected watch, which marks a new milestone in terms of ease of use.

"Repplix embodies MBDA' vision of making industrial robotics accessible to everyone", summarise the three project leaders. "In this endeavor, the rapid progress of Repplix was made possible both by MBDA's commitment through Smart Visions and by the work of Atol CD."

The Repplix solution has now been launched on the market under the Atol CD brand, promising a bright future. The company is already in contact with potential buyers from various sectors, all facing the same challenge. Repplix has already been implemented in production sites by its first industrial client—none other than... MBDA itself. The loop is closed.

>> Visit Repplix.fr