With the turfRad®, TerraRad Tech AG produces a high-precision sensor for golf courses. It is mounted on a mower or utility vehicle and measures soil moisture while mowing or driving across the golf course. The information is made available via an app and provides high-resolution moisture data that helps golf course operators make informed decisions about irrigation, improve resource efficiency, and optimize playing conditions. TerraRad was looking for a local partner to help transition the product from prototype to industrial-scale production. Drawing on our production experience, we were able to actively contribute optimization suggestions and continuously improve the production process. Thanks to fair terms and just-in-time deliveries, the collaboration expanded to include the entire box-build assembly process.
As order volumes increased, so did the pressure to ensure the quality of the assembly process and to industrialize it. One technical challenge was the seal between the bracket and the enclosure, where Phoenix Mecano was able to offer a new solution. Another requirement was to increase the efficiency of the entire supply chain. This includes optimizing the procurement and storage of components. The goal was to establish an assembly process that would provide the foundation for rapid scaling as production volumes increase, while also ensuring consistently high quality. Furthermore, the customer wanted a product that is tested and packaged, ready for shipment to customers.
Phoenix Mecano initially contributed its engineering expertise to have components, such as the enclosure gasket, manufactured by existing suppliers. To improve both quality and productivity, a key focus was on setting up the assembly process using the one-piece flow method. This ensures that a final test is performed after each product is assembled, thereby preventing unnecessary production defects. In the future, production will take place at a specially developed assembly cell at the Stein am Rhein site, which was designed according to LEAN principles. The existing assembly instructions were digitized using the Setago worker assistance system. This not only safeguards assembly know-how but also enables rapid changes and ensures that data is consistently up to date. Thanks to the sensor’s automatic tracking, the Setago software is also crucial for traceability. The end-of-line test is performed on the customer’s own test bench, which has been directly integrated into the assembly cell. After a successful test, the box-build assembly is packaged and made ready for shipment. This has resulted in a scalable manufacturing structure that enables TerraRad to meet rising international demand while ensuring high quality standards.
By outsourcing the entire device manufacturing process, TerraRad can directly leverage Phoenix Mecano’s production expertise, flexibility, and scalability. Furthermore, TerraRad does not need its own intralogistics or warehouse capacity. The combination of technical hardware optimization, digitized assembly, and close collaboration with TerraRad supported the successful industrialization of the product for series production.
By outsourcing the entire device manufacturing process, TerraRad can directly leverage Phoenix Mecano’s production expertise, flexibility, and scalability. Furthermore, TerraRad does not need its own intralogistics or warehouse capacity. The combination of technical hardware optimization, digitized assembly, and close collaboration with TerraRad supported the successful industrialization of the product for series production.
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