Automation helps FT-Produktion scale production despite labor shortages
FT-Produktion supplies aluminium components to major OEMs including Volvo, Renault, and Scania. With customer demand increasing and skilled labor becoming harder to find, maintaining output while controlling costs has become a growing challenge.
The company manages a highly variable production environment, handling more than 650 different aluminium profiles, with batch sizes ranging from just five units to as many as 150,000. Across roughly 7,000 orders each year, flexibility is not optional, it is critical.
To address this, FT-Produktion implemented a robotic cell built around collaborative robots equipped with two OnRobot RG2 grippers. The setup allows automated handling across different part sizes without complex reconfiguration.
The result is a significantly more efficient production flow. Cycle time has been reduced by 12 seconds per part, nearly cutting it in half. For large production runs, this has a substantial impact. A batch of 150,000 units can now be completed in under two months, saving approximately 500 working hours.Results
Results
Return on investment achieved in 9 months
Higher production volume with shorter delivery times
No need for overtime to meet demand
Cycle time reduced by nearly 50% (12 seconds per part)
Changeovers completed in approximately 10 seconds
Robotic cell operates 16 hours per day, 5 days per week
Increasing output without increasing headcount
“The demand for productivity continues to grow, but relevant manpower is hard to come by these days. Thanks to automation, an operator can keep three or four machines running at once without stress.”
Joakim Karlberg, Co-owner, FT-Produktion
Automation has allowed FT-Produktion to scale output without adding pressure on existing staff. Instead of hiring more operators, the company has increased machine utilization and reduced manual intervention.
A fast and measurable return on investment
“We chose a combination of solutions from OnRobot, Universal Robots, and EasyRobotics because they are easy to program, and the investment will pay for itself in just nine months. It's one of the best business decisions we've ever made.”
Joakim Karlberg, Co-owner, FT-Produktion
The simplicity of deployment and integration played a key role in achieving a fast ROI. The system required minimal setup time and quickly became part of daily operations.
Flexible automation for high-mix production
“Using the robots was actually more intuitive than I expected. The cobot solution is so easy to reconfigure that even small production runs are no longer cost prohibitive. Plus, it makes my job more interesting.”
Mikael Andersson, Machine Technician, FT-Produktion
The ability to switch between different profiles in seconds has removed one of the biggest barriers to automation in high-mix environments. Small batches can now be automated efficiently, not just large-volume runs.
Explore automation options
If you’re dealing with similar challenges around labor shortages, high product variation, or scaling production, it’s worth looking at how a flexible robotic setup could fit into your process.