Welding robots to replace laborious work

Welding robots are a win for both company, customers and employees. Not only do robots streamline production and shorten time from order placement to delivery, but they also address the recruitment challenge and eliminate arduous, repetitive work, thus greatly improving the working environment at BSB Industry.

BSB Industry expects to invest in several welding robots for production in both Denmark and Poland in 2024. However, employees in the welding departments at BSB Industry have no reason to fear for their jobs. This is emphasized by Production Manager Heino Pedersen, who is responsible for the investments in and operation of the company's welding robots in the production of welded steel components and constructions.

- The purpose of automating welding work is not saving wage costs in either Denmark or Poland. On the contrary, it's about improving working conditions for our welders by removing a large portion of the repetitive and wearing work, where our staff now have to adopt awkward postures that are detrimental to the body, explains Heino Pedersen.

Welding robots increase capacity

Qualified welders are in really short supply, and even though we're willing to invest in upskilling our employees, it turns out to not be enough. This is where welding robots come to our rescue, as they can boost our productive capacity in the department.
Heino Pedersen / Production Manager

Robots can address recruitment challenges

Like their counterparts in the market, BSB Industry struggles to recruit the number of welders needed to keep up with production.

- Qualified welders are in really short supply, and even though we're willing to invest in upskilling our employees, it turns out to not be enough. This is where welding robots come to our rescue, as they can boost our productive capacity in the department, Heino Pedersen explains, highlighting another significant benefit of investing in welding robots.

Welders need to upskill

Welding robots will undoubtedly take on more tasks in the future because they are efficient and deliver high, consistent quality.

- Our investments in welding robots increase our capacity and make us more competitive in terms of price, quality, and delivery reliability. These are important factors that help ensure that we will continue to be an attractive partner for our customers and win large-quantity production orders in a highly competitive market, explains Heino Pedersen.

He puts emphasis on the point that without skilled employees, robots are worthless.

- We will still need skilled employees to prepare the work and "feed" the robots, just as we are already working on upskilling employees who can, will, and have ambitions to program and build fixtures for the welding robots. With the advent of welding robots, new exciting opportunities arise for our employees, and we will do everything to upskill our current workforce instead of just recruiting new employees, emphasizes Heino Pedersen.

Robots are deployed where they make a real difference

In recent years, BSB Industry has invested in a Yaskawa Welding Robot and a Migatronic CoWelder, and the company continuously strives to improve and select the welding tasks where robots can make the greatest difference.

- A welding robot never takes a vacation and never has an off-day. The robot is reliable and delivers the same high, consistent quality on every single item. However, using robots requires the right product mix. There needs to be volume in larger-scale production before it becomes economical to invest in programming, setup, and fixtures, explains Heino Pedersen, who doesn't hide the fact that the company's investments in welding robots are a must.

Welding robots score points on the ESG account

Welding robots not only make BSB Industry more competitive in terms of price, quality, and delivery reliability but also improve the working environment for welders.

- First and foremost, welding robots remove much of the arduous and monotonous work involved in series production. The amount of static work is reduced, which is beneficial to the body. Additionally, the new technology is professionally stimulating for our employees as many will be offered the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills to the point where they can do programming and build fixtures for the welding robots in the near future, explains Heino Pedersen, who expects additional investments in welding robots during this year.

- Welding robots will play a crucial role in, not eliminating, but preserving jobs and developing our company. These developments will take place in cooperation with our skilled employees, who remain the heart and soul of BSB Industry's operations, emphasizes Heino Pedersen.