Simplification is Our Innovation

Radiall’s Fast Lab

08
August 2017

In 2015, Radiall launched a company-wide project called Radiall 2025. The employee led project focuses on building the Radiall of the future. It is comprised of 5 working groups – Culture, Agility, Innovation, Factory of the Future, and Digital Transformation – each designed to generate unique sets of ideas and objectives for creating a sustainable, successful Radiall.

Within the working group “Factory of the Future”, employees proposed an idea for a Fast Lab project at our Centr’Alp facility. Here’s what happened.

“For several months, we had been developing the idea – within the R&T team and specifically the Radiall 2025 working group at Centr’Alp “Collaborate to Innovate” – of a space devoted to creativity, sharing ideas, and developing prototypes. Our thought process stemmed from a single observation: more and more of our desks are turning into workbenches!”

Without realizing it, Radiall was proposing the idea of a fast lab. Neil Gershenfeld, MIT Professor, originated the idea of a “fast lab”, or fabrication laboratory, where tools and manufacturing equipment are provided for creating objects. The purpose of the lab is to shorten the time between the concept of a design and the prototyping phase, and then the subsequent development and roll-out phases.

Radiall now has a fast lab space designed as a drop-in center where our technically-minded community can come discuss engineering problems and find solutions more quickly. The equipment includes 3D printers, soldering stations, digital milling machines, and more. Beyond the manufacturing of small tools and parts, our engineers are utilizing 3D printers to create prototypes to present to our customers. It allows us to be more responsive and flexible in our design phases.

Called an “idea accelerator”, the fast lab is open to everyone. We’re excited for this new space that empowers our people to bring their ideas to fruition!