42 Technology and Synaptics partner to speed Edge AI adoption in manufacturing
42 Technology (42T), a UK-based product development and manufacturing consultancy, has formed a strategic partnership with Synaptics to bring scalable Edge AI into factories faster. The aim is to shorten the path from early concept to deployable systems by combining 42T's delivery experience with Synaptics' AI-native processors and open development environment.
For product teams, this means quicker prototypes, fewer platform dead-ends, and a clearer line to production. The focus is real-time AI on production lines and embedded products without being forced into a single vendor toolchain.
Why this matters for product development
- Open toolchain, less lock-in: Synaptics' Astra family supports mainstream frameworks and models, so teams can reuse what they already have and swap components as needs change.
- Retrofittable: Add vision, audio, or sensor AI to existing machines with minimal redesign instead of a full hardware refresh.
- Production-focused silicon: Low power, predictable performance, and long-term availability fit factory duty cycles and product lifecycles.
- Faster concept-to-pilot: 42T's delivery track record plus an open platform helps de-risk early bets and keep BOM and NRE (non-recurring engineering) under control.
What's in the stack: Synaptics Astra
Astra is a family of AI-native system-on-chips for edge and industrial IoT. Each combines general-purpose CPU cores with dedicated AI acceleration, multimedia, and connectivity on a single chip, enabling on-device inference without constant cloud dependence.
The platform's open development approach supports standard frameworks and toolchains, which simplifies prototyping and scaling. That flexibility helps teams validate models quickly, iterate, and lock down a production-ready stack.
Use cases the partnership targets
- Process control with on-device decisioning
- Automated visual inspection for defects and assembly checks
- Output monitoring and anomaly detection
- Operator guidance and safety prompts at the line
"42 Technology's clients want fast, flexible access to the latest AI innovations but without being restricted by a vendor-specific build environment," said Dr Jon Spratley, chief executive of 42 Technology. "Partnering with Synaptics allows us to quickly prototype Edge AI solutions and deliver technology that directly addresses real manufacturing challenges."
John Weil, vice-president and general manager of IoT processors at Synaptics, said the collaboration helps manufacturers deploy scalable AI faster while reducing development risk. The announcement builds on recent 42T projects across industrial, medical, and pharmaceutical environments.
A practical 90-day plan for your team
- Week 1-2: Pick one narrow station or asset with clear pain (scrap, line stops, or rework). Define success metrics such as false accept/false reject rates, cycle-time impact, and MTBF.
- Week 3-4: Collect representative data under normal variance. Lock a baseline model and latency budget that meets takt time.
- Week 5-6: Prototype on an Astra-based dev kit, integrate with PLC/SCADA or an edge gateway, and stand up a simple MLOps path for model updates.
- Week 7-8: Run side-by-side trials, compare against current process, and track energy, throughput, and quality deltas.
- Week 9-10: Plan the production unit: enclosure and thermals, I/O, cybersecurity, OTA updates, logging, and field service procedures.
- Week 11-12: Validate against compliance and safety requirements, finalize BOM, and set a model monitoring process for drift and retraining.
What this means
If you're building products or retrofits around Edge AI, this partnership offers a practical path: open tools, industrial-grade silicon, and a delivery partner used to factory constraints. The result is less time debating platforms and more time proving value on the line.
Credit: 42 Technology
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