Case Study: RMFG

Overview

RMFG is a vertically integrated manufacturing company that focuses on automation to deliver rapid, high-quality sheet metal fabrication. The company is based in Fort Worth, Texas and was founded by Kenneth Cassel in 2024. RMFG's primary mission is to make producing custom hardware faster for companies of any size.

As founder, Kenneth's journey was always rooted in a passion for building things—he started his career in the trades, doing plumbing, electrical, and other maintenance work, then, over time, he developed an interest in technology and software development. This amalgamation of worlds, plus a passion to build software technology that can affect the real world around us, led him to create RMFG. RMFG's customers range from smaller hardware startups to larger, established companies that depend on quick, efficient sheet metal production.

The Challenge

When it comes to building an automated sheet metal fabrication business, production speed and user experience are paramount. RMFG needed a streamlined way to process their customers' uploaded CAD designs quickly and efficiently. One technical challenge they faced was converting 3D CAD files into a format suitable for smooth, browser-based visualization across devices. This would be a key feature for RMFG's user-driven interface.

Before discovering Zoo, Kenneth considered developing an in-house solution, but the engineering resources required—both time and cost—would detract from RMFG's primary mission of operational automation and could delay their launch by months. As a startup, RMFG needed a partner with an API that could handle CAD file transformation reliably and effortlessly, without straining their resources.

The Solution

After coming across Zoo on X, Kenneth realized that Zoo built a File Transformation API which offered exactly what RMFG needed. The Zoo API allowed RMFG to convert STEP files to GLTF format, enabling quick, browser-based visualizations of 3D models. This transformation was crucial in RMFG's workflow: it let customers easily upload their part files to RMFG's website, visualize them immediately, then configure manufacturing details on the spot. This sets RMFG squarely apart from traditional manufacturers.

By integrating Zoo's API, RMFG was able to save months of engineering effort and could instead focus on perfecting their end-to-end automated factory model.

Beyond that, the flexibility of Zoo's APIs offer additional future possibilities for RMFG. While RMFG currently only uses the Zoo API for file conversion, RMFG envisions potentially expanding its usage to Zoo's Modeling API and the Machine Learning API (ML-ephant). Integrating these APIs into RMFG's product flow could support even more customization in design, like allowing their customers to simply type in a text prompt like: “design me a 18” x 12” piece of sheet metal with 1” 90 degree bends on all sides and a single 2” diameter hole in the center”, show a 3D model of that design to them, and then let them order it directly to their door through RMFG.

These future possibilities are another reason why Kenneth is optimistic about a lasting partnership with Zoo.

“The Zoo team is phenomenal. When we've hit an occasional bug they're so fast to fix it. It's great having a partner that is building software to make our work easier so we can focus on making parts.” - Kenneth Cassel, Founder at RMFG

The Results

• Operational Efficiency and Cost Savings: By implementing Zoo's File Conversion API, RMFG saved tens of thousands of dollars and avoided months of development work that would otherwise have diverted resources from their core mission. These savings, both in time and money, immediately contributed to RMFG's bottom line, offering an ROI that was “immediate,” according to Kenneth.
• Enhanced User Experience: One of RMFG's competitive advantages is providing customers with the ability to upload, visualize, and configure 3D parts in real time. Zoo's API powers this functionality, giving RMFG's customers an interactive experience that allows them to see and adjust their designs immediately. This feature has proven invaluable, especially as RMFG differentiates itself by delivering a faster, more user-friendly process than traditional sheet metal manufacturing solutions.
• Future Flexibility and Innovation: Zoo's modular API offerings support RMFG's future plans for enhanced design capabilities. Kenneth is particularly excited about the potential of Zoo's Modeling API to create a catalog of pre-configured parts and Zoo's Machine Learning API, which could give customers a way to use generative AI to develop custom part designs on-the-fly. By offering these expanded functionalities, RMFG can meet more diverse customer needs while retaining the flexibility to pivot and grow as new technologies emerge.

The Conclusion

Integrating Zoo's CAD File Transformation API has been a game-changer for RMFG, not only in terms of immediate cost savings but also by empowering the company to deliver a highly engaging, interactive, and efficient customer experience. With Zoo as a trusted partner, RMFG is well-positioned to continue pushing boundaries in automated sheet metal fabrication. As new API features become available, RMFG anticipates leveraging them to introduce even more automation and customization to their product, keeping them at the forefront of innovation in the manufacturing industry. This partnership with Zoo not only supports RMFG's core mission today but also paves the way for future advancements that promise to redefine what's possible in manufacturing.

“We're excited to be building in an industry that really matters and bringing new technology to the space. We hope to build some more interesting integrations with Zoo's Text-to-CAD features soon!” - Kenneth Cassel, Founder at RMFG