Employee Relief How Cobots Strengthen Sheet Metal Processing

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Relieving from monotonous tasks – in welding, grinding, and powder coating. That was one of the reasons why Ferk Metallbau invested in cobots from UR. The company emphasizes that the robot works for the human and not the other way around.

"The joy of discovering something new, trying out new techniques, attempting the impossible – that's part of our approach," says Karl Ferk, managing director of Ferk Metallbau. To support employees with time-consuming, monotonous tasks such as welding, grinding, or powder coating, the company from Southern Styria in Austria uses cobots as flexible tools. This gives people more time for what they do best: finding solutions and thinking ahead.

Only a good coater or a good welder can show a robot what it needs to do.

Cobot Use in Modern Craftsmanship

"I believe one must change with the times and, above all, remain flexible as a small business," says Ferk. He leads the family-owned company, which was founded by his great-grandfather in 1870 in an old barn, now in its fourth generation. Over time, the business has transformed from a former horseshoe and scale forge into a modern industrial supplier. Around 50 employees contribute to designing, shaping, and refining metal components, from custom-made parts to large series. For Karl Ferk, metal is not just a building material but a work of art. And as diverse as the material is, so too are the products that can be produced with it.

One thing is particularly important to the manager: that the work never becomes monotonous. Every job should challenge the team to try new things and further develop their craftsmanship. However, welding, grinding, or powder coating metal are tasks that require time and concentration—especially when dealing with a series of hundreds of parts. So Ferk asked himself: How can I relieve employees from monotonous tasks without losing the connection to craftsmanship? The answer he found was in the cobots from Universal Robots.

Flexible Tool for Monotonous Tasks

Four UR10e robots are now helping to streamline processes, increase speed and precision, and, most importantly, remain flexible. One of the cobots is fixed for a welding application, while a second is responsible for powder coating. A third, permanently installed UR10e is used for de-masking.

The fourth cobot is used by the Ferk Metallbau team as a flexible tool, just like any other, which can be quickly and conveniently employed for various tasks. It is utilized in tasks such as welding and grinding using different end effectors. The intuitive user interface and easy operation enable employees to set up the cobots themselves in no time and adjust them for new tasks. They apply their expertise, teach the cobot, and then focus on more challenging work.

Karl Ferk emphasizes that the robot cannot replace humans: "Only a skilled coater or a good welder can show a robot what to do. It is important to us that the robot works for the human and not vice versa."

The result is consistently high quality of products, reduced physical strain, and a more varied workday for employees. Karl Ferk is confident: "We have been around for four generations. Much has changed, but one thing remains: we perform our work diligently. And we do not stand still. New technologies like cobots are part of this. They help us continuously improve."

*Freelance Author