Sjolund strengthens production with new robotic welding system

Automation is taking another important step forward at Sjolund. With the introduction of a new robotic welding system dedicated to aluminium, the company is significantly expanding its production capacity while strengthening process stability and documentation.

The investment is part of Sjolund’s long-term strategy to combine advanced manufacturing with digitalisation and automation and to offer customers an even more robust and scalable production setup.

From manual welding to robotic precision

Welding has long been a core process at Sjolund alongside profile bending. In recent years, demands for welded aluminium components have increased both in volume and in technical complexity.

"Robotic welding allows us to handle larger volumes while ensuring consistent quality,” explains CEO Søren Ravn. “It also gives us a more stable and secure production process, because we are less dependent on manual operations.”

The new system is dedicated to aluminium welding, reflecting growing customer demand for lightweight and high-performance components.

A major capacity boost

One of the most tangible benefits of the new robotic system is capacity.

“With robotic welding, we can produce significantly more parts in the same timeframe, so what previously took a month can now be achieved within a week,” Søren adds.

This increased capacity also allows Sjolund to bring more processes in-house rather than relying on external subcontractors, which reduces lead times, improves planning, and strengthens the overall quality control.

For our customers, this means:

• Shorter and more predictable delivery times

• Greater security of supply

• Fewer handovers between suppliers
  
  

Consistency and documentation

Robotic welding further offers repeatability as one of the key advantages. “When the robot performs the same weld in the same way every time, we gain a much higher level of consistency,” Søren explains and continues. “And because the process is digitally controlled, we can also facilitate the documentation process.”

This is particularly important for customers operating in demanding sectors where traceability, durability, and compliance are critical factors, such as within the mobility sector along with additional safety-sensitive applications.

However, robotic welding does not replace craftsmanship.“Manual welding remains essential for certain components and low-volume work,” says Søren. “The robot complements our welders rather than replacing them.”

New skills, new roles

Introducing robotics is not just about machines. It is also about people. Operating the system requires a combination of welding knowledge, programming skills, and engineering understanding. Therefore, we have invested in training and upskilling our employees to work with the new technology.

“It’s a multidisciplinary process,” Søren explains. “You need someone who understands welding behaviour, someone who understands programming, and someone who can translate customer requirements into a stable process.”

This approach ensures that robotic welding is fully integrated into Sjolund’s existing quality culture rather than operating as a standalone solution.

Part of a broader automation strategy

The new welding robot is one step in Sjolund’s wider automation and digitalisation journey. “We look at automation across the entire company. Not just production, but also workflows, documentation, and quality management,” Søren explains and adds. “Robotics is a natural extension of that strategy.”

While we do not work with fixed targets for automation levels, we have defined a clear strategic objective: to enable more stable, scalable, and digitally supported production processes.

Concretely, this will provide our customers with: 

• Higher production capacity

• Improved process stability

• Consistent weld quality

• Stronger documentation

• Shorter lead times

• Increased security of supply

Combined with Sjolund’s expertise in profile bending and machining, the newly acquired robotics system for welding automation strengthens the company’s position as a supplier of complex, finished aluminium components.

“Very few companies can combine all three disciplines at a high level,” Søren concludes. “This investment supports our ambition to deliver complete, high-precision components. Not just parts, but solutions.”

Would your next project benefit from an automated production setup?

Then contact our CEO, Søren Ravn, below, and let's explore how our cutting-edge manufacturing setup can improve your production outcome and adapt to your product capacity. 

Contact

Get in touch with Søren Ravn here.