Fraunhofer USA CMI’s Capabilities in Custom Automation

At Fraunhofer USA CMI we have more than 20 years’ experience in developing turnkey automation solutions for customers from a broad range of industries, including biotech/biomedical, consumer products, aerospace, renewable energy, and fiber optics/photonics.

Companies, governmental institutions, and start-ups collaborate with Fraunhofer USA CMI when they face challenges in their production processes, such as meeting the demand to produce products faster, more efficiently and with less waste, or scaling up their production volume. As diverse as the requests of Fraunhofer USA CMI’s clients are, we always operate in close collaboration with our customers to find unique solutions that address their specific challenges.

Manufacturing automation begins with a thorough understanding of the requirements of the process, followed by a review of commercially available state-of-the-art technologies that may be incorporated. In the cases where there is sufficient commercially available technology to accomplish the desired task, Fraunhofer USA CMI’s engineers and scientists work with our clients to select the best solutions and implement the chosen technologies in a cost effective fashion. If commercial technology is not available, we create new, alternative solutions for our clients.

The Custom Automation Process

Fraunhofer USA CMI takes a process-centric approach to custom automation development. We believe that custom automation without a thorough process understanding only results in making bad product faster! Thus, we begin by analyzing and, if necessary, modifying the process to make it more conducive to automation.

Once the manufacturing process is completely understood, we begin process development in a phased manner that typically include the following steps:

  • Conceptual design: Mechanical and electrical engineering design
  • Feasibility experiments
  • Detailed design
  • Software and controls development
  • Procurement and fabrication
  • Assembly and testing
  • Controls and installation
  • Service

After each phase, a project review is conducted with the client.

After delivery

Fraunhofer USA CMI’s systems are delivered with extensive documentation, and the industrial client's workforce is trained to independently operate and service the equipment. We can be called upon, of course, to provide spare parts and technical support should they be required after installation.

Contact Us

Together we'll find a customized automation solution for the unique challenges you face! For more information on the way we work, please see:


Custom Automation Work Examples

Recent Custom Automation News

Fraunhofer USA CMI Donates Thousands of Masks to Those In Need.

USA CMI, Fraunhofer USA CMI, April 6, 2021. Fraunhofer USA CMI's Mask Machine produces 1000 of protective masks for testing, giving an opportunity to donate those...

On-Demand, Automated Face Mask Production.

Sharon, Fraunhofer USA CMI, January 19, 2021. Point of Use Face Mask Production

Experts in Custom Laboratory Automation.

Fraunhofer USA CMI, February 21, 2020. Fraunhofer USA CMI is able to take the arduous process of isolating primary cells from samples through the...

Recent Publications

Rapid phenotypic stress-based microfluidic antibiotic susceptibility testing of Gram-negative clinical isolates

Kalashnikov, M., Mueller, M., McBeth, C., Lee, J.C., Campbell, J., Sharon, A., et al. (2017). In: Scientific Reports. 7(1), : NCBI, p. 8031.
Bacteremia is a life-threatening condition for which antibiotics must be prescribed within hours of clinical diagnosis....

Wearable near-infrared optical probe for continuous monitoring during breast cancer neoadjuvant chemotherapy infusions

Teng, F., Cormier, T., Sauer-Budge, A.F., Chaudhury, R., Pera, V., Istfan, R., et al. (2017). In: Journal of Biomedical Optics. 22(1), : SPIE.Digital Library, p. 014001.
We present a new continuous-wave wearable diffuse optical probe aimed at investigating the hemodynamic response of...

3D bioprinting of GelMA scaffolds triggers mineral deposition by primary human osteoblasts

McBeth, C., Lauer, J., Ottersbach, M., Campbell, J., Sharon, A., Sauer-Budge, A.F. (2017). In: Biofabrication. 9(1), Bethesda: NCBI, p. 015009.
Due to its relatively low level of antigenicity and high durability, titanium has successfully been used as the major...