Sawyer Announcement FAQs
Elevator Pitch
Our customers are building factories of the future, today.
Our smart, collaborative robots adapt to real-world variability, are agile enough to change
applications quickly, and perform tasks like humans do.
We’ve created this new category of robots for the 90% of tasks that couldn’t be economically or
practically automated before.
Sawyer Launch Timing
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When will we get to see Sawyer live for the first time?
– We are planning on unveiling Sawyer at an event sometime in the summer of 2015.
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I hear Sawyer will be an international robot. What countries will Sawyer be for sale in?
– We are in the process of securing all applicable certifications for Sawyer for
international sale and use in manufacturing facilities. While we plan to use Sawyer to
expand into manufacturing plants worldwide, we will initially focus on markets in
Western Europe, China, and Mexico.
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Do you have customers using Sawyer?
– We are in the process of beta testing Sawyer with some key customers, including GE
Healthcare, Jabil, and Steelcase.
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How long did it take you to develop Sawyer?
– Sawyer has been in development at Rethink for a little over a year.
Product Overview
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What is Sawyer designed to do?
– Sawyer is designed for a range of high performance tasks, including machine tending.
Many machine tending work cells are designed for humans to operate. We will utilize
Sawyer’s mechanical compliance, force sensitivity and intuitive UI to make integrating
them into existing machine tending work cells simple and inexpensive.
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Sawyer looks like any other industrial robot - what’s different?
– Sawyer, just like Baxter, is smart, collaborative robot that is quite different than its
industrial counterparts. First, Sawyer is designed to work like humans do, by adapting
to real world environments and operating in human inspired work cells. This means it
can be deployed safely next to human operators without requiring caging or other
modifications to the work cell. Because you won’t be required to completely redesign
your work cell, this cuts down on the integration costs substantially. Also, Sawyer can
change tasks quickly, thanks to an interactive training process, embedded cameras and
simple SW programs like the Robot Positioning System. Finally, Sawyer can be
implemented quickly and easily into the semi-structured environments of today’s
manufacturing plants, thanks to an intuitive UI powered by our software platform,
Intera.
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What are your plans for Baxter?
– Baxter is still Rethink’s flagship robot, and we will continue to sell, support, and
upgrade Baxter. Baxter continues to excel at tasks such as material transfer, packing,
kitting and other tasks where 2 arms offer efficiency benefits. Because Baxter and
Sawyer will run the same Intera software, all future upgrades will be designed for both
robots.
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Name me 3 similarities and 3 differences between Baxter and Sawyer.
– 3 similarities
 Adapt to real world variability in semi structured environments
 Change applications quickly
 Work like humans do
– 3 differences
 More precise – better repeatability
 Smaller, more compact design makes it ideal for machine tending tasks
 Certified for global markets
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Will there be a research version of Sawyer?
– At this time, Sawyer will only be available as a manufacturing platform. The Baxter
Research Robot will continue to function as our sole Rethink product in the Research
and Education market.
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Who is your main competition?
– Since we introduced the concept of collaborative robots in 2012, there have been a
number of robots entering this space. We believe every deployment of a collaborative
robot, helps expand the overall market for collaborative robots. But Rethink robots are
unique: interactive, providing hands on training of tasks; agile to facilitate quick and
easy task change; affordable, with an ROI under 1 year, and adaptive, operating
successfully in semi-structured environment, like people do.
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How is Sawyer different than a Universal Robot?
– Sawyer offers 3 key technical differentiators. Software, embedded vision, and series
elastic actuators. Our Intera software allows you to train tasks quickly, and integrate
inexpensively. Robot Positioning System uses embedded cameras and software to
reference the robot to its workspace without having to integrate with 3 rd party
systems. Series elastic actuators give us inherent safety, where UR counts on software
control to claim collaborative operation.
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Did you hear about the UR3 from Universal Robots? How does this compare to Sawyer?
– Sawyer is a robot designed for machine tending tasks, where a higher payload and a
longer reach is required. Sawyer will not initially be targeted toward light assembly
applications.
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When are you guys going to make a mini-desktop robot? (Or a large, heavy payload robot)?
– Sawyer is the second robot in the Rethink family. We expect that this family will
continue to grow over time as the application pool for collaborative robots continues
to grow. We will continue to respond to the market needs of our customers as we
build new robots.
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Will Rethink stop selling Baxter once Sawyer is available for sale to the public?
– No. Baxter and Sawyer are part of the same family of smart, collaborative robots, and
will be run from a common software platform – Intera. Baxter is designed for specific
tasks, like material transfer and line loading/unloading, while Sawyer is designed for
precision machine tending. We expect these robots to work side by side in many cases!

How much does Sawyer cost?
– Sawyer will cost $29,000.

Why is Sawyer more expensive than Baxter?
– Sawyer is more expensive than Baxter due to some higher cost components, including a
zero backlash gear box, better optical encoders for improved precision, and tighter
series elastic actuators.

When can I order a Sawyer?
– We will start taking orders for Sawyer as soon as the Announcement is made in March.
We expect the first shipments to specific customers sometime in the summer of 2015.
Most other orders will ship later in the year.

I have an application in mind – should I wait for Sawyer to be available?
– Depending on the specific application, you should try to find a task that would fit within
Baxter’s specifications, even if there are more opportunities for Sawyer in your plant.
There are 3 reasons for this: Since the software is the same for both robots, any time
spent getting familiar with the Intera interface will be worth it in the long run. If this is
your first experience with collaborative robots, going through the process of running a
risk assessment will be valuable knowledge for your organization, and will be
transferable to Sawyer. Finally, using this time to get a Rethink on your preferred
vendors list will help with bringing Sawyer in when available.
Product Details
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What are Sawyer’s specifications?
– Here are the specs and features
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Payload - 4 kg
Embedded Vision - Cognex camera in the wrist, Wide view camera in the head
Embedded Force Sensors - High resolution force sensors at each joint
IP Classification - IP54 rating
7 Degrees of Freedom
Weight - 19 kg
Reach - 1026 mm
Price - $29,000
Power Retirement - Standard power outlet
– Sawyer is designed for precision machine tending tasks, such as circuit board testing
and programming. We are in the process of validating Sawyer’s final performance
specifications (repeatability, speed), and will publish them sometime before we start
shipping Sawyer in the summer of 2015.

Why are you not releasing your repeatability?
– Collaborative robotics is all about how a robot interacts with its environment. With
industrial robots, repeatability is typically measured with a point in free space. Because
of our mechanical compliance and force sensing, we are able to achieve much tighter
tolerances than you would normally achieve by just measuring standard repeatability.
We are in the process of measuring Sawyer’s compliant repeatability, and will publish
these results as we get closer to shipping the robot.

Will Sawyer be as safe as Baxter?
– Yes, Sawyer is designed with the same inherent safety features, and will therefore not
require safety cages when implemented.

What makes your robots smart?
– There are a number of features, delivered through Intera, that make our robots smart,
and they all lead to reduced time and less expensive integration of our robots into your
work cells. Two good examples are robot positioning system, and place to contact.

What is that camera for? May I use it for inspecting parts? Bin picking?
– Sawyer contains a Cognex camera in its wrist, and will be used initially for the Robot
Positioning System to reference the robot to its work space. The power of a Cognex
camera, however, opens up a number of new applications, including bar code reading
and inspection, and will be added to the platform over time.

Can I mount Sawyer sideways or from the ceiling?
– For the first version of Sawyer, we recommend mounting the robot in an upright,
vertical position – either on its available mobile pedestal or mounted to a table. We
will look into the potential of mounting the arm from ceilings and walls in the future.

Can I program the robot in a way other than by demonstration?
– As we have learned with Baxter, learning by demonstration is a great way to show the
robot how to perform a task. Once the task has been trained, the user can adjust and
build up the task through the Intera interface.
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What is the external controller used for? Does it still have an embedded control system like
Baxter does?
– An external controller contains the PC that runs Sawyer. Unlike Baxter, which has its
controller embedded in its chest, Sawyer’s controller is connected to the robot via
cable. This gives us the opportunity to design Sawyer with a smaller footprint, an
important consideration in many machine tending tasks. It also gives us a chance to
add more functionality to the controller, including multiple USB and Ethernet ports, 8
inputs and 8 outputs, and a safety rated controller.

Does Sawyer have a teach pendant?
– No, like Baxter, Sawyer is trained by demonstration, and he UI is embedded in Sawyer
face. A teach pendent is not part of the Sawyer experience.

Can Sawyer be trained by line workers and in-house staff, like Baxter? Or does it require an
integrator to get it running?
– Because Sawyer and Baxter will run the same software platform, Intera, it can be
trained and integrated into work cells with existing in-house staff. For most
applications, and outside integrator is not required to set up a work cell.

How does this one arm differ from one arm on Baxter, mechanically?
– Sawyer incorporates much of the same technology that was used in Baxter, including
series elastic actuators. That said, there are some key differences. Sawyer’s motors are
designed for higher repeatability, allowing it to perform machine tending tasks where
greater precision is required. Also, Sawyer’s arms are encased in aluminum, as
compared to Baxter’s plastic shells. This will allow Sawyer to get a higher IP rating than
Baxter and make it more suitable for a wider range of environments.

How much can Sawyer lift? Is that for the entire work area?
– Sawyer has a linear reach of 1026mm with Rethink end effectors, and can rotate
around its central axis 360 degrees. Sawyer has a working payload of 4 kg.

How will Sawyer deal with extreme environments? Dust? High temperatures? Water or oily
spray?
– Sawyer will be classified with an IP54 rating for solid particle protection and liquid
ingress protection.
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Baxter needs to be calibrated, does Sawyer need the same calibration routine?
– Sawyer’s motors and actuators are completely different than Baxter’s and will require
calibration much less frequently. The exact time between calibrations is currently
being characterized, and will be published at first customer shipment in the summer of
2015.
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What kind of end effectors will Sawyer have?
– Sawyer will use the same end effectors as Baxter. Upon launch, there will be an
available standard tool plate that will allow mounting both the electric gripper and the
vacuum gripper array.
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For the tasks I have on Baxter – can I port them over Sawyer?
– No, since Baxter is a two armed robot, and Sawyer is one, the tasks will not be
transferable.
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What kind of service and support warranties are available for Sawyer?
– Like Baxter, Sawyer will be supported by an available extended warranty, which will
cover the entire product under normal use cases. Sawyer will also be supported
internally by Rethink’s Service and Support team, as well as our network of distributors,
who can help with robot set-up and integration.
Corporate
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I remember when Baxter came out, you talked about re-shoring, and bringing jobs back to
the US. Is this still a goal for Rethink Robotics, and Sawyer in particular?
– While Sawyer will be the product that expands Rethink globally, there is still a
significant opportunity for Sawyer in the USA for applications that could not be cost
effectively automated with traditional automation. As labor rates throughout the
world continue to rise, the opportunity for collaborative robots everywhere will grow.
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Is this made in the USA as Baxter is?
– Yes, Sawyer is made in the USA.

How many robots has Rethink sold?
– I am not at liberty to discuss specific sales #s for our robots, but we are taking in orders
and shipping robots daily.
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How much larger do you think Sawyer’s market will be v. Baxter?
– Based on our market research, the total available market for tasks that Sawyer is
designed to perform is about 10 times that of Baxter’s. Many of these opportunities
are overseas, which is why we are going to certify Sawyer globally.
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How big is Rethink now?
– Rethink is approaching 100 employees.
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What is Rethink’s annualized revenue?
– I am not at liberty to discuss specific revenue numbers.
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What are you doing with the money you just raised?
– Rethink plans two major initiatives in the coming year – the launch of Sawyer and
International expansion. We will also continue to invest heavily in Baxter, as we
continue to improve its performance and increase its task capabilities by continuing to
advance our Intera software platform.
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Robots are stealing my job!
– Collaborative robots are designed to work side by side with humans, and are therefore
being implemented as ‘workforce multipliers’. In many cases, when a robot is
deployed, the worker moves on to do a job that has more value to the organization.
Our customers are not experiencing lost jobs, instead becoming more efficient and
competitive and in many cases able to expand operations and hire more workers.