CHALLENGE
Relativity is readying for an ambitious leap, evolving from a company working on one rocket to a complex manufacturer that could build upwards of 10 or more new rockets annually.
As Relativity’s operations expanded, it came to realize the eventual need for a modern integrated solution that could scale at the new pace required to meet customer needs without sacrificing efficiency or accuracy.
With our rapid rate of development and scaled production goals, we knew we needed more advanced tools and technology to better support both complex workflows and constant improvement.
This transition to higher volume production of the Terran R rocket would introduce a variety of new complexities emanating from the previous solution provider, including:
- Manual, disconnected processes: Production and ERP systems were not integrated, leading to manual data entry and ticket management. New parts and BOM updates required significant manual effort, slowing down operations. .
- Fragmented data collection: Information was siloed across multiple systems, making traceability a challenge. The manual nature of data collection introduced errors and delayed reporting.
- Challenge to scale efficiently: As Relativity’s production volume increased, its existing systems could not keep pace.
Wormhole Factory / Terran 1 Launch
SOLUTION
To alleviate these pain points, Relativity initiated its search for a modern integrated solution that could scale and simplify the complexities inherent in the intricate production of the Terran R vehicle.
Relativity’s familiarity with the industry veterans behind Manufacturo’s solution eased its decision. The system’s design, tailored for complex manufacturers, addressed its challenges head-on.
Key features and benefits that influenced their decision included:
- A unified system for complex workflows: Manufacturo replaced multiple systems with one comprehensive software solution, consolidating all production workflows and data collection. This eliminated manual handoffs and ensured seamless integration with the ERP system, reducing errors, and increasing speed.
- Enhanced data traceability: Manufacturo’s “OneView” feature allows Relativity to access real-time, unified views of their as-built data, making it easy to track non-conformances, part histories, and manufacturing issues. This capability drastically improved their ability to respond to production challenges quickly and effectively.
- Scalability without additional resources: Manufacturo’s automation capabilities will allow Relativity to scale from one rocket to multiple rockets more efficiently. Tasks that previously took hours were now automated or completed in minutes, allowing the company to keep pace with its aggressive growth targets.
Relativity is growing. Our operations are expanding, and we are managing much more data—as Terran R is a significantly more complex vehicle than Terran 1. Manufacturo offered us one comprehensive system that could handle all our complex workflows and data management requirements, to help us move faster with greater efficiency.
A synergistic partnership yields better outcomes
Relativity’s collaborative relationship with Manufacturo features a multi-directional feedback loop that provides mutually beneficial value: Continuous improvement from this consultative feedback helps bolster Relativity’s performance and results. Conversely, the direct feedback shared with Manufacturo inspires product design and development and helps shape the product roadmap.
Manufacturo's engineers, project managers, and services and support teams hold weekly stand-ups to discuss open requests for support, feedback, and progress executing on the product roadmap. Executive leaders from Product Development, Quality, and Operations are regularly on-site at Relativity, personally engaging various user groups in hands-on workshops and learning sessions.
Manufacturo’s senior leadership team is highly regarded and very well respected here. They are viewed as the industry experts that we can always depend on to help us solve any problem. Their level of direct engagement with all levels of our team and users is something I have never seen from any previous partner.
RESULTS
Manufacturo has had a transformative impact on Relativity’s operations, scalability, and speed. Optimizing their manufacturing, build, quality, and test operations has accelerated the pace of the end-to-end production cycle, from development to production readiness.
Saving time in these operations is really important for companies like Relativity. Now it’s just automatic as part of the new process with Manufacturo.
Manufacturo is equipping Relativity with the advanced tools and capabilities to:
- Accelerate development: The introduction of work orders independent of production orders allowed Relativity’s teams to iterate faster, enabling rapid development cycles for modern designs.
- Enhance nonconformance management: With better tracking and reporting capabilities, Relativity’s teams can now monitor non-conformances at every stage of production, delivering quicker resolutions and fewer production delays.
- Inform data-driven decisions: By leveraging Manufacturo’s data accessibility, Relativity integrated their MES data with business intelligence tools like Power BI. This enabled a culture of well-informed decision-making across the organization.
Manufacturo gives us stellar workflow flexibility and a strong user experience backed by a world-class team of product, engineering and support.
Terran 1 Launch
The Road Ahead: Shaping the Future of Commercial Launch
Manufacturo’s flexible, scalable software solution has been instrumental in supporting Relativity’s growth.
The close collaboration and personal engagement that differentiates Manufacturo from its peers never ends at implementation. Manufacturo serves as a trusted partner, providing guidance and expertise every step of the way.
We have long recognized Relativity as a natural fit for a partner considering the innovative, forward-looking team in place, groundbreaking pace of production, and vision for the future. It’s proven to be everything we thought, and much more.
Our consultative approach, coupled with the transparency and the complete trust we have in each other, means the feedback loop in place, is the catalyst for continuous improvement, smarter solutions, and improved results for both companies.
We are thrilled to be a partner alongside our friends at Relativity on their path to being the industry-leader in high-performance rocket manufacturing and launch services.
The collaborative partnership being nurtured by Relativity and Manufacturo marks a significant milestone in advancing commercial space manufacturing operations.
Manufacturo’s integrated solution will continue to power Relativity’s growth and evolution in enhanced rocket production in new, innovative ways—to rise up and meet the increasing demand for new space infrastructure—and the launch vehicles that will make it possible.
How Manufacturo could help your organization achieve similar goals
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