About the Customer
Gener8 is a contract design and manufacturing company, founded by engineer David Klein in 2002. Based in San Jose, California, they have been going strong with accelerated growth over several decades as they have served over 400 clients in Biotech, Medical, and Industrial.
Problem: Current Supplier’s Slow Lead Times on Critical Components
Gener8 was tasked with taking a genetic engineering client’s proof-of-concept instrument to the next level by creating the first commercially available digital genome engineering platform.
The principal movement inside the machine required three linear motion axes to move sample material through each stage.
At first, the mechanical engineers at Gener8 looked at using linear actuators from a major linear component supplier, but due to prohibitively long lead times, they had to seek out an alternative supplier.
Solution: MISUMI Offered More Options and Faster Lead Times
The Gener8 engineering team turned to MISUMI. With MISUMI, the team was able to move quickly and download the CAD models of the linear motion component they were interested in, the LX Actuator.
Geoffrey Green partners with engineering teams in medical lab and automation to identify products and services required to meet a project’s needs. Since lead time was an issue, Geoffrey quickly set up an in-person visit and included a MISUMI linear motion expert and fellow engineer to support. They were both able to see the legacy equipment and better understand the requirements.
Results: 9 Linear Actuators Delivered in 2 Weeks
During the alpha build, MISUMI was able to provide nine high-quality LX series linear actuators, in three different sizes, in only two weeks. Once the alpha build was complete, another 21 actuators were ordered and delivered as required a few months later, alleviating the long lead times from their original supplier.
The MISUMI LX Actuator Series are pre-built models, providing a cost-effective solution for faster design and assembly. With a solid U-channel construction and one of the most rigid actuators on the market, the LX is ideal for high-precision applications. Below is an overview of the different models and features. You can also click here to download a product overview.
As the design continued to progress over the next few years, MISUMI was able to continue to fill in more gaps by working with the engineering team on other components such as:
Furthermore, the MISUMI team worked with the production buyers for production pricing as demand increased.
They also trained the production buyers on how to use MISUMI’s online ordering system to easily place orders and check status, saving time and money for Gener8.
