Toddco 3 Incorporated designs and builds custom automation cells and has worked with KEYENCE since around 2017, integrating KEYENCE vision systems and measurement sensors such as the LJ-S8000 Series. With reliable hardware and dependable pre-sale and post-sale support, the team can complete a system, move on to the next project and grow its business.
This case at a glance
- Toddco 3 Incorporated designs and builds custom automation cells and holds 23 patents for making electrical connections to glass.
- Since 2017, the company has worked with KEYENCE, starting with a project to mount an LS-9000 Series Optical Micrometer.
- Vision systems are the KEYENCE products the team knows best, while the LJ-S8000 Series is the sensor that has surprised it most with its versatility.
- Pre-sale testing and post-sale support from KEYENCE are critical to how Toddco 3 plans and delivers each project.
- No calls about the KEYENCE hardware: once a system is running after debug, the team can move on without reassigning resources to completed projects.
- The cornerstone of its growth: Toddco 3 describes KEYENCE as a partner and presents KEYENCE reliability to its own customers.
About Toddco 3 Incorporated
Toddco 3 Incorporated began with a focus on electronic assembly and holds 23 patents for making electrical connections to glass. Since 2017, the company has focused on general automation, designing and building custom automation cells for its customers with a network of engineers.
"I just want to design and build cool cells."
The team is small, and everyone wears multiple hats. Dave, who heads the company, brings around 20 years of experience in the field.
ChallengeWhat does an automation integrator need from the hardware it builds in?
For Toddco 3, every purchase order is a commitment. Regardless of the cost, the team delivers the process it promised to the customer.
"When we take a PO, it's a promise to build that and provide that process."
Every new system needs a debug period. For a couple of months after installation, the team revisits the system to resolve small issues and omissions. What an integrator cannot afford is hardware that keeps calling it back after that, because the team's real work is solving the customer's process.
"We're busy trying to solve the process solution. We don't need to worry about whether or not the hardware is actually going to work."
SelectionHow did Toddco 3 start working with KEYENCE?
The relationship began in 2017. A KEYENCE sales engineer brought Toddco 3 a project in which a customer needed to mount an LS-9000 Series Optical Micrometer in a dimensionally stable fixture. Toddco 3 took on the project, and visits from KEYENCE representatives followed as more opportunities came along.
As the team worked on more projects, the pre-sale support and the post-sale support became the reasons it kept choosing KEYENCE.
"We just loved the pre-sale support and the post-sale support. It's a great product. It's reliable, and that's exactly what we need as integrators: not to have to worry about the hardware that we're integrating."
The pre-sale testing is critical for Toddco 3. When implementing measurement sensors, the team relies heavily on the expertise of both it's KEYENCE sales and applications engineers, because there are so many different applications, measurement tools and possible approaches. The collaboration works in both directions: when Toddco 3 has an inspection opportunity, the team contacts KEYENCE, and the two companies work closely together on it.
In practiceWhy does the LJ-S8000 Series stand out for Toddco 3?
Toddco 3 has integrated several KEYENCE product families into its cells. Vision systems are the products the team is most familiar with, and among the measurement sensors, the LJ-S8000 Series is the one that has impressed Dave most.
"I wouldn't say it's a surprise because I've seen a lot of stuff in 20 years, but I think the most surprising sensor is probably the LJ-S, its versatility and what it can be used for."
The capabilities of the LJ-S8000 Series overlap with those of a typical vision system, so Toddco 3 chooses between them project by project. Every quote is customized for the particular customer, based on what the customer actually needs.
ResultsWhat has KEYENCE reliability changed for Toddco 3?
Once the debug period is over, the KEYENCE hardware in Toddco 3's systems keeps running. The team does not receive calls about it, and no customer has called to report a down situation on the systems Toddco 3 has in place.
"Once a system is up and running after debug, it's almost like we can forget about it and move on. That peace of mind, being able to move on and not have to reassign resources to projects that are completed, is huge. The product reliability has really helped us be successful in the integration space."
For Toddco 3, knowing that what it installed will continue to run and be effective for the customer is what matters most.
ImpactHow has the partnership with KEYENCE shaped Toddco 3's growth?
Dave describes KEYENCE as more than a supplier.
"It has been the cornerstone of our growth."
That partnership now shows up in Toddco 3's own sales conversations. When Dave meets with customers, he presents KEYENCE reliability and the KEYENCE brand, so customers have no doubt that the product selected for their system is going to work.
"I feel like we have a partnership with KEYENCE. When I go into businesses, it's like, 'Hey, I know a KEYENCE rep. I know a KEYENCE vision guy. When it comes to inspection, I know that they have a product that can do this.'"
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Q How does Toddco 3 Incorporated use KEYENCE products?
A
Toddco 3 Incorporated designs and builds custom automation cells and integrates KEYENCE products into them, including vision systems and measurement sensors such as the LJ-S8000 Series. Vision systems are the products the team is most familiar with.
Q Why does an automation integrator like Toddco 3 value the reliability of KEYENCE hardware?
A
Toddco 3 treats every purchase order as a promise to build and deliver the process the customer needs. Reliable hardware lets the team concentrate on solving the process instead of worrying whether the hardware will work, and once a system is up and running after debug, the team can move on to the next project.
Q What does Toddco 3 find most surprising about the KEYENCE LJ-S8000 Series?
A
Dave of Toddco 3 calls the LJ-S the most surprising sensor he has seen, because of its versatility and the range of applications it can be used for. Its capabilities overlap with a typical vision system, so the team chooses between them according to each customer's actual needs.
Q What role does KEYENCE support play in Toddco 3's projects?
A
Toddco 3 values both the pre-sale and post-sale support. The pre-sale testing is critical to its projects, and when implementing measurement sensors the team relies on the expertise of its KEYENCE sales engineer to decide which measurement tool and approach fit the application.
Q What has changed for Toddco 3 since it began integrating KEYENCE products?
A
The team does not get calls about the KEYENCE hardware in its systems, and no customer has called to report a down situation on the systems Toddco 3 has in place. The team no longer has to reassign resources to completed projects, which gives it peace of mind.
Q How does Toddco 3 describe its relationship with KEYENCE?
A
Toddco 3 describes KEYENCE as a partner and the cornerstone of its growth. When Dave meets with customers, he presents KEYENCE reliability and the KEYENCE brand, so customers have no doubt that the selected product is going to work.
