Collaborative robots streamline metal fabrication and painting processes

Ferk Metallbau

In short

Where sparks fly and metal takes shape is where Ferk Metallbau’s work begins. The family business designs, forms and finishes metal components – from custom one-offs to large series. Karl Ferk runs the company in its fourth generation. For him, one thing matters most: that work never becomes monotonous. Each job should challenge his team to try new things and further develop their craftsmanship. Employees use cobots as tools. They weld, grind, powder coat and are implemented wherever it makes sense. That way, more time remains for what humans do best: finding solutions and thinking ahead.

The challenge

Every job brings new requirements. The team at Ferk Metallbau finds expert solutions and contributes its technical know-how. But welding, grinding, or powder coating metal are tasks that demand time and focus – especially when it involves a series with hundreds of parts. So Ferk asked himself: how can employees ease the burden of monotonous tasks without losing touch with the craft?

Ferk Metallbau

Industry Metal & Machining

Country Austria

Number of employees 50

Cobot used UR10e

Key value drivers:

Flexible production using cobots as tools

Precise processing of metal

Employee motivation through intuitive-to-use technology

Tasks solved by collaborative robots:

Laser welding

Arc welding

Grinding

Powder coating

Automation challenges solved:

Processing metal components, from single pieces to large series

How they did it

Up, down, left, right – the UR10e powder coats with consistently high precision. And never gets tired.

Robots flexibly deployed to answer diverse automation needs

The managing director found the answer in cobots. His team uses them as tools, like any other: practical when needed, set aside when not. Some UR10e models automate flexibly. They switch between tasks like welding and grinding. Other cobots are permanently integrated into the production process – for example, for demasking or powder coating.

Employees at Ferk set up the cobots themselves and adapt them for new orders. No matter the task: they apply their expertise, teach it to the cobot, and then focus on the more demanding work. The result: consistently high quality, reduced physical strain, and work that remains varied.

We’ve been around for four generations. Much has changed, but one thing remains: we do our work conscientiously. And we don’t stand still. New technologies like cobots are part of that. They help us improve.

Karl Ferk, Managing Director at Ferk Metallbau