“I wish we had it earlier.”
How Huncilman Sheet Metal Fabrication consolidated three operations, increased hourly output, and made their hardest job the easiest one on the floor.
At a glance
2–3
Additional units produced per hour
3 → 1
Operations consolidated into a single cell
2.5yrs
Running the same cobot, inside and out
How one cobot took three operations, brought them together, and took the burden off the people doing the work.
The short version
One welder. Three separate operations. Parts moving all over the facility. And at the end of every shift, one guy completely worn out.
Huncilman Sheet Metal Fabrication had a production bottleneck that was capping output and physically grinding down their best people.
Then they brought in a Hirebotics Cobot Welder, consolidated everything into one cell, and changed the equation entirely. Output went up. Weld quality improved. And the person doing the job?
“I don’t go home exhausted entirely. I come in, I like what I do.”
Keith Taylor
Robotic Laser Operator,
Huncilman Sheet Metal Fabrication
Here’s how they got there…
Who is Huncilman?
Huncilman is a sheet metal fabrication company serving a wide range of OEM manufacturers with precision laser cutting, forming, and welding services.
When your customers depend on your output to keep their own lines running, inefficiency isn’t just an internal problem; it’s a risk to every relationship downstream.
The challenge:
Three operations, one exhausted welder
For one specific product line – the front end of a ride-on aerator frame – Huncilman’s production process was fragmented across three separate operations, with parts constantly moving throughout the facility.
Nearly all of the work fell on one person. On a good day, he might finish five units. By the end of the shift, the physical toll was real.
“Before we had the robot, it was just one guy doing almost everything. At the end of the day, he’s all over it, worn out.”
Keith Taylor
Robotic Laser Operator,
Huncilman Sheet Metal Fabrication
The turning point:
A lead welder with a better idea
The push for change didn’t come from the top down — it came from the floor. Huncilman’s lead welder looked at the situation and asked a simple question: how do we make this more productive without putting the full burden on one person?
“The lead welder actually came up with the idea to figure out how can we be more productive where one man’s not getting the heavy bulk of the load. Let’s try to split this job up and make it more convenient.”
The answer was a Hirebotics cobot: purpose-built for this product line, and designed to pull those three operations into a single, streamlined cell.
The results:
More output, better quality, less inspection
The gains showed up across several dimensions:
Material handling improved most dramatically. Eliminating the movement of parts between operations was where the team felt the biggest immediate difference.
Hourly output increased by two to three units — a meaningful jump for a product with steady OEM demand.
Weld consistency went up, inspection time went down. The cobot’s repeatability meant fewer missed welds and less time scrutinizing the work on the back end.
“One of the big benefits we found with the cobot is repeatability. You have the quality output as well as the efficiency output. You’re not seeing as many missed welds. We don’t have to spend so much time inspecting on the other end of things.”
Parker Huncilman
General Manager,
Huncilman Sheet Metal Fabrication
Results at-a-glance
Hourly output increased by two to three units per product line
Three fragmented operations consolidated into a single cobot cell
Weld consistency improved, reducing both missed welds and inspection time
Physical strain on welding staff significantly reduced
“I wish we had it earlier.
Overall, I love it.”
Keith Taylor
Robotic Laser Operator,
Huncilman Sheet Metal Fabrication
One piece of advice from the team?
“Look at the product and see how repeatable your fixturing can be. If you can make it repeatable, these machines will perform.“
Ready to see what a cobot could do for your operation?
If you’re running repetitive, physically demanding welding work and want to consolidate, increase output, and take the physical burden off your team, let’s talk.
