Expanding Production with an Experienced Automation Partner

Challenge

Fentanyl overdose has been a leading cause of death for people ages 18-45 in the United States. Methadone is the most effective treatment available for fentanyl and other opioid addictions, but most regions within the country face challenges preparing and administering this life-saving drug.

Only around 20% of counties within the U.S. have opioid treatment programs. Diligent nurses at these programs spend up to 75% of their time manually preparing the required doses. When speed and availability can mean the difference between life and death, improvements are clearly worthwhile.

Opio, a Montana-based technology company dedicated to helping Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) expand access to coverage, saw a need to automate methadone preparation. Their ZING® unit robotically prepares up to 400 methadone doses per hour, multiple times faster than manual methods.

With the potential of their product proven, Opio needed to scale their production to meet full market demand. They needed a partner with automation and robotics expertise who could produce Opio systems in high volumes as they expanded their network.

Solutions

JR Automation worked closely with Opio’s design team to optimize their ZING prototype. Using a collaborative design for manufacturing approach, the primary goals were to increase efficiency and lower production costs without sacrificing quality.

Changes as simple as modifying fasteners and revising the tray drawer fabrication process added significant mass manufacturing savings without compromising product performance.

The solution ultimately shifted from building one unit at a time to a repetitive equipment manufacturing approach that supported multiple orders and deployment across treatment facilities. This required dependable, repeatable manufacturing processes so customers could trust each machine to operate reliably and consistently in the field.

As demand increased, JR Automation helped Opio scale output by improving labor efficiency and building multiple units in parallel to keep production flowing while lowering costs.

Beyond initial production, JRA also functioned as a growth partner: retaining project knowledge within a consistent team, ramping capacity as needed, and providing long-term service and support. Opio could confidently and reliably expand faster as future systems leverage the same core automation.

Outcomes and Benefits

Moving the ZING® system from prototype to repetitive equipment manufacturing enables consistent, reliable production so machines can be deployed broadly and perform dependably in treatment settings. This gave Opio the confidence to scale without compromising quality or uptime.

As volumes increased, production efficiency was improved by refining assembly processes and building multiple machines in parallel, reducing labor costs while maintaining precision. This foundation also supports production of

Opio’s new ZING Satellite™ product, a comprehensive booth system where patients can talk with OTP nurses and receive their medications remotely. Opio returned to JR Automation for repetitive equipment manufacturing of ZING Satellite based on their trust in our previous work. The continuity enables Opio to scale more quickly into underserved and rural communities, expanding access to treatment while maintaining the reliability and trust required in life sciences environments.