Next Generation Shipyards, based in Lauwersoog, the Netherlands, has taken an innovative step toward further automation of its production process. With the acquisition of an advanced welding robot, the company aims to make its operations not only more efficiënt, but also more sustainable and safer.
The investment is partly supported by a subsidy of EUR 80,000 from the European Just Transition Fund (JTF) programme “SME Digitisation and Robotisation”.
Next Generation Shipyards builds high-quality, specialised workboats. The yard primarily delivers custom one-off vessels. However, automating the production process has proven challenging until now, precisely because of the unique nature of each ship. Existing welding robots are typically designed for serial production, where repetition and standardisation are key.
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Breakthrough in one-off production
What makes Next Generation Shipyards’ approach unique is that the new welding robot is automatically controlled based on digital work preparation. As a result, manual programming for each individual welding task is no longer necessary — a major breakthrough for companies working with one-off production.
After selecting the object or objects to be welded, the robot automatically performs the entire welding task. This results in higher production reliability, consistent weld quality and an improved working environment for welders, including less exposure to welding fumes and lower physical strain.
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Sustainability and competitive strength
With this investment, Next Generation Shipyards achieves several goals at once: the production process becomes cleaner and more efficient, employees experience reduced physical workload, and the yard strengthens its position in both the national and international markets. Moreover, the welding robot contributes to the ambition of smartly combining technology and craftsmanship in modern shipbuilding.
Picture by Next Generation Shipyards.
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