When manual welding couldn’t keep up with demand, KODA GmbH ran into a common problem for small and medium-sized manufacturers: classic robot automation was too rigid and too expensive for small batches. FSK Industries had the answer, a cobot welding solution simple enough for anyone on the shop floor to run.
Problem: Rigid automation didn’t fit small batches
At KODA GmbH, welding has long been a cornerstone of production. The company specializes in stamping, bending, and welding complex metal components in small to medium batch sizes for the automotive industry. But that exact production profile posed a challenge: traditional automation was too rigid and costly to be feasible. “The main problem with our production is that we work largely with relatively small quantities,” explains Dr. Gerrit Schlömer, Head of Projects & Infrastructure at KODA. “This means that a classic automation solution with an integrator is out of the question for us. We need to be flexible and have control over our own systems.”
Collaborative robots changed that. Unlike conventional industrial robots, cobots can be programmed easily, installed without heavy safety measures, and operated safely close to workers. For the first time, automation became affordable even for small quantities. That opened the door for KODA to rethink not just productivity, but also where the work gets done: “Through automation, we are able to bring back to Germany labor-intensive activities that we previously outsourced abroad to our plant in Slovakia. This saves CO₂ emissions, keeps the supply chain in Germany, and allows us to perform these activities here with good quality, better than manual labor.”
Welding had always been a sticking point. It’s a true craft, and finding young people who want to train, and who can reach consistently high quality, has become harder. Classic welding robots brought their own hurdle: programming them takes a rare mix of robot programming knowledge and deep welding expertise. “It is becoming increasingly difficult to find someone with both of these skills,” notes Dr. Schlömer.
“It is now possible for even relatively inexperienced employees to program the robot and weld perfectly.”
Dr. Gerrit Schlömer, Head of Projects & Infrastructure at KODA GmbH
A simpler path to cobot welding
FSK Industries builds cobot welding solutions for manufacturers whose batch sizes and part variety rule out a classic, integrator-led robot cell. Their answer is SmartARC, a programming approach built around the welder’s own hands-on know-how instead of robot code, paired with collaborative robot hardware from partners including NEURA Robotics. At KODA, that combination is a NEURA Robotics cobot arm running FSK’s SmartARC software: NEURA’s robotics technology provides the precision and safety, FSK’s interface provides the welding simplicity.
The breakthrough came with FSK’s SmartARC interface, which combines cobot technology with an intuitive programming approach. The ease of use was so convincing that the decision to purchase was made the very first day. “I couldn’t have imagined it myself. But sometime in the fall of 2022, I drove to FSK, put a part on the table, and we produced good components right away. The decision to purchase the robot was actually made that same afternoon,” says Dr. Schlömer.
From a single part to a group-wide rollout
Since then, KODA has rolled out six welding solutions from FSK across its group of companies in a variety of configurations. At the KODA plant, cobots now handle series production of automotive parts, running up to 16 hours a day in two shifts, five days a week. At the sister company SH Anbaugeräte, it looks completely different: components are large, made one at a time rather than in batches, and need complex multi-layer welds. Here, FSK and KODA jointly further developed the software so that the robot can automatically fill in multiple layers after the operator teaches the basic weld. The resulting weld seams are several centimeters thick, sometimes taking up to 45 minutes to complete. During that time, skilled workers are free to focus on other tasks. That turns the cobot into a real productivity multiplier.
“We really have a system here that supports skilled workers, counteracts the shortage of welders and massively increases our profitability. “
Dr. Gerrit Schlömer, Head of Projects & Infrastructure at KODA GmbH
A partnership that keeps evolving
For KODA, working with FSK has never been a one-time purchase. That same openness carries through the whole relationship: KODA engineers sometimes design and manufacture their own rotary axes, while in other cases they integrate ready-made solutions from FSK. The open nature of the cobot system makes it possible to combine in-house ingenuity with off-the-shelf modules. “I think it’s great that the cobot system is so open that I can implement and connect my own solutions, which are very specific to my field, as well as fall back on ready-made solutions from FSK. The combination simply makes it a perfect solution for a manufacturing company like ours.” It is the same combination that runs through the whole project: NEURA Robotics supplies the cobot hardware, FSK builds the welding-specific software and interface on top of it, and KODA brings the production knowledge that keeps pushing both further.
Today, cobot welding at KODA has transformed the way the company works: productivity has increased, quality has improved, and the physical strain on workers has been reduced.
Results: Flexible, faster, and easier to staff
Production flexibility: Cobots made automation economical even for KODA’s small and highly varied batch sizes, from high-volume series production at the KODA plant to genuine batch-of-one components at sister company SH Anbaugeräte.
Quality and consistency: The jointly developed multi-layer software lets the robot automatically fill in multiple weld layers once an operator teaches the basic weld, producing reproducible results even on seams several centimeters thick.
Reshoring and sustainability: Automation made it economical to bring labor-intensive welding work back to Germany from KODA’s plant in Slovakia, cutting CO₂ emissions and keeping the supply chain closer to home.
Workforce impact: SmartARC’s intuitive programming means even relatively inexperienced employees can teach and operate the robot, easing the shortage of skilled welders while freeing experienced staff for other tasks during long multi-layer welds.
Scale: What started as a single test part in the fall of 2022 has grown into six welding solutions deployed across KODA’s group of companies.
A model for flexible manufacturers
KODA’s experience shows that cobot welding doesn’t require choosing between craftsmanship and productivity. With SmartARC, welding craftsmanship isn’t lost to automation. It’s supported by it, turning welding from a bottleneck into a genuine productivity multiplier without taking away the flexibility small and medium-sized manufacturers depend on.
