Metal fabrication is an age-old industry. Despite being around for so long, the metalworking sector of today is an entirely different animal than it was in the past. Rising automation is the biggest factor behind this evolution.

While the basic steps in metalworking remain unchanged over the years, businesses increasingly rely on machines to complete them. While not unique to fabrication, this shift is seeing particular growth in the sector, so companies within the industry should pay attention.

Automation Skyrockets in the Metalworking Sector

Metalworking had fallen behind the general manufacturing industry in terms of automation, but that’s changing. In 2023, there were 101.7 thousand metal fabrication robots in service in the U.S. Current trends suggest this figure will more than triple by 2030.

Such rapid growth is happening across applications. Cutting, welding, machining and material handling have all seen rising automation levels over the past few years. In some cases, automated technologies have produced entirely new workflows, as with 3D-printed metal products.

The industry’s newfound enthusiasm for robots is more than just a trend. It is the beginning of a sector-wide shift that will forever change how businesses produce metal materials and products. Leaders who have yet to embrace robotics to the same degree should take note and ask themselves what’s behind this growth and what it means going forward.

Why Is Metalworking Automation Growing?

The sudden surge in metalworking robotics is due to a combination of several coinciding trends. Identifying these underlying causes will help organizations learn how they can benefit from new technologies in the future.

Improved Precision

Much of the drive behind fabricators’ skyrocketing automation comes from robots’ advantages over manual workflows. Greater precision is among the most significant of these, especially as demand for waste and error reduction rises. Many metalworking processes are highly repetitive, which makes them prone to human mistakes, but robots can’t get tired or distracted.

Automated systems can achieve greater levels of precision than humanly possible and maintain that standard consistently. As a result, they produce fewer errors, leading to less scrap. Considering the U.S. generates 19.2 million tons of metal waste annually, a little reduction goes a long way.

Enhanced Efficiency

Automation can also work faster than humans. Part of its efficiency stems from robots’ sheer speed, but removing errors and related rework plays a role, too. Regardless of the reasons, automating repetitive tasks lets fabricators increase their throughput as demand rises without needing expensive facility or workforce expansions.

Some businesses may fear that using robots this way takes jobs away from workers, but in reality, automation fills skills gaps. The industry currently faces a shortage of 375,000 welders, so robots are less of a replacement and more of a solution to the lack of available human labor.

IoT Connectivity

The rise of metalworking automation operations is also due in part to new technologies making robots more practical. Internet of Things (IoT) functionality is a prime example. Connected sensors can guide automated systems for increased accuracy or enable new ways of managing them so fabricators get a better return on their investment.

Predictive maintenance is one such advantage. Regular preventive care can significantly extend equipment life spans, but many ongoing repairs are unnecessary, leading to high downtime and costs. Using IoT sensors to predict failures and alert technicians of the need for maintenance maximizes robots’ useful life while minimizing costs and downtime.

AI Functionality

Integrating AI into metalworking robots has similar effects. One of the biggest issues with conventional automation is its inflexibility. Robotic workflows are highly efficient until an unexpected deviation appears, causing a chain reaction of errors. AI can give robots the flexibility to adapt to such circumstances.

A machine vision system can recognize when parts are out of alignment and direct a robotic arm to adapt its workflow accordingly. Alternatively, AI models can analyze materials to determine the best way to handle them in each situation instead of applying the same process every time. AI functionality means robots can become adaptable enough to work alongside humans and handle changing workflows if necessary.

Better Safety

A renewed emphasis on worker safety has also promoted broader robotics adoption in the industry. Primary metal manufacturers saw 3.9 injuries per 100 workers in 2020 alone — well above the all-industry average. As attention to the issue grows, automation becomes an increasingly valuable alternative to hazardous manual labor.

Many of the most automatable processes also have the greatest risk of injury. Consequently, metalworkers can avoid safety incidents by implementing robots, as they create distance between their workers and their biggest hazards. Newer robots are also safer than older ones, thanks to AI guidance and IoT connectivity.

Ease of Implementation

Robotics have become easier to implement over time. A lack of technical skills has always been a barrier to tech adoption in heavy industries like metal manufacturing. However, newer options require less expertise to install and manage, so the skills gap is no longer an issue.

Many modern automation solutions are modular and feature no-code or low-code programming. As a result, businesses with little to no experience with advanced technologies can control them without a significant learning curve. Removing this obstacle means quicker returns on investment, encouraging a wider range of companies to embrace robotics.

How Metalworkers Should Respond

In light of these trends, metalworking organizations face some large decisions. While they may be able to get by without automation today, the same likely won’t apply in the future. Robotics are only becoming more valuable and accessible, so even if one company doesn’t use them, their competitors likely will.

Metalworkers must act on their potential. However, investing too much at once may be a mistake. Some companies have wasted hundreds of millions of dollars on underperforming automation projects, so businesses should approach robotics carefully.

The key is to ensure the project starts with a relevant and specific vision. Tech adoption for tech’s sake will not produce meaningful results. Instead, businesses should recognize where current workflows struggle to achieve desired outcomes. Then, they can compare these targets to robots’ capabilities to find optimal use cases for their specific facility.

A slow, targeted automation strategy will help metalworkers capitalize on robots where they are most impactful in their unique context. The company can expand from there, but getting it right from the start will make all the difference in long-term gains.

Automation Is Changing the Metalworking Industry

Tomorrow’s metal manufacturing workflows will be more automated than today’s. Getting ahead of this trend will prove vital for facilities hoping to remain at the forefront of their industry. Businesses that recognize how and where they can use robots now will ensure greater success in the future.