How Lexicon discovered a faster way forward

For Lexicon, solving the bottleneck wasn’t simply a matter of adding more of the same machines. The company had been using the same etching setup for years and knew its limitations, but figuring out what kind of automation was possible – and where to start – wasn’t straightforward. With limited in-house experience in robotics, it was hard to know which technologies were proven, who could deliver them, or what a realistic project would look like.

That’s why Lexicon turned to HowToRobot, a platform that helps manufacturers define automation needs, connect with suppliers, and compare solution options. An impartial advisor from HowToRobot’s network visited the Atlanta facility to review the laser-etching process and scope out what could be automated. The findings became the basis for a clear project brief, shared on the platform with multiple automation suppliers.

Within weeks, four proposals came in – most suggesting robotic handling around the company’s existing etchers. One solution, however, immediately caught David’s attention.

“One supplier completely reimagined the process,” Word said. “They introduced a different etching system altogether – something we didn’t even know existed.”

That supplier, New Way Automation, proposed a high-speed laser system capable of marking each device in about ten seconds instead of nearly two minutes. Using hybrid laser technology (Keyence MD-X), the system combines fiber and YVO₄ methods to enable faster marking with minimal heat transfer. The new system wouldn’t just speed up the current process – it would also greatly reduce the manual handling of devices over time. The initial setup will still involve manual handling, but the final version is planned to include automated label application and conveyor systems to move devices between workstations.

“This will change the scale of operations entirely,” said Word. “Our new machine will do the same work as ten of our existing ones, and it’s designed from the start to be automated.”

Following HowToRobot’s structured sourcing process and tapping into its supplier network was what enabled the discovery, according to Word:

“HowToRobot connects companies like ours with partners that bring new ideas and technologies,” he said. “We could see all the different approaches side by side. That made it easy to decide which one truly solved the problem. If we’d tried to solve this ourselves, we’d probably have bought ten more of the same machines.”

Lexicon turns bottleneck into advantage

Lexicon is now installing the new etching system as the first step in a phased automation setup. Future stages will add robotic handling and conveyor integration for a fully automated line.

The setup is expected to free several operators per line, reduce the need for seasonal hires, and provide more consistent results.

“The robots don’t call in sick,” Word said. “We’ll still have people maintaining and monitoring, but not standing there loading laptops all day.”

The new technology also sets Lexicon apart from competitors still using older systems. “The customer we’re working with now is using four different companies,” Word said. “I learned that the others are all using the older technology we’re replacing – so we’ll be ahead of the competition in this.”

For Lexicon’s school district customers, that difference matters. “Every customer wants to know how fast they can get their devices back,” Word said. “This gives us a real edge.”

How Lexicon is making its breakthrough feasible

Discovering a breakthrough solution was only part of the challenge. The next question was how to fund it. Lexicon needed to invest in the new system to meet customer demand but didn’t want to tie up cash needed for other parts of the operation.

To make that possible, the company used the HowToRobot platform to facilitate financing through Holman, one of the financing providers available to customers on the platform. The arrangement allows Lexicon to start payments only once the new etcher is running – helping the company move ahead without slowing other improvements.

Looking back, Word said the experience did more than lead to a single project. It showed his team how a structured process and outside input could reveal new ways of thinking.

“When you’re in the weeds, it’s hard to look outside and see how to do things differently,” Word said. “HowToRobot brought in outside influences and new ways of thinking that we hadn’t considered before.”