In the past, nexAir has supplied hardgoods to Browning Enterprise, Inc, a steel processing and fabrication company. Like nexAir, Browning made their beginnings as a family-owned business. As they have grown from a one-man team to a company that creates components for skyscrapers, bridges, and ships, Browning was faced with the reality of the modern fabrication industry. With the rising welder shortage, the company realized that it was imperative to try something new.
When our Territory Manager met with the Browning team and assessed their situation, it was clear that a switch to automation would be extremely beneficial in terms of productivity. During the following nexAir Lunch and Learn Day, the Territory Manager invited Browning to demo some of their materials on the Vectis Cobot to see how it could function in their production process. After customizing the program to fit their needs, Browning saw the potential that automation would bring to their company and wanted to implement the cobot as soon as possible.
With the free training provided to Browning, they were able to get the system into production within a few weeks, greatly impacting welding efficiency. Currently, the company is working on a project creating locks for prison cells that require high quality welds for durability. By utilizing the cobot, they were able to increase productivity by approximately 50% in comparison to manual labor. Because automation decreases the need for highly skilled welders while maintaining quality, Browning experienced success quickly in their switch to automation.
