UK-based bridge and engineering services firm Mabey is investing £2.6 million ($3.2 million) in robots at its Gloucestershire plant to support the speedier manufacture of its Compact 200 (C200) modular steel bridge.

Automated welding systems perform several functions in Mabey's current manufacturing process, including fabricating the panels and chords of the C200 bridges, with smaller welds completed by hand. Panels are manually transported among three separate machines.

The robots will provide Mabey’s factory with the capacity to make up to 2km of bridging per monthIn contrast, the robots will form one complete cell to manufacture both chords and panels, removing the intermediary steps. Once operational, the manufacturing time for the C200’s panels and chords is expected to be nearly halved.

An employee will load the raw materials, at which point the robots take over and maneuver the heavier components, weld all sections together and ready it for drilling. The new process will require the same amount of manpower as previously, and there will be no reduction in head count.

“Significantly, the robots will reduce health and safety risks by removing manual lifting and handling, while enhancing the quality of the weld, guaranteeing consistency and increasing output," says Michael Treacy, chief executive of Mabey Bridge. "In addition, the robots also reduce the need to reach and weld the more awkward places, further improving quality.”

The new robots are currently being installed and will be fully operational by March 2017, providing Mabey’s factory with the capacity to manufacture up to 2 kilometers of steel bridging per month.