Above: Teqram’s suite of vision-guided, AI powered robots can automate processes throughout a production line without the need for programming
January, 2026- Fact or fiction? Some forecasters believe that AI will soon move beyond the boundaries of software and apps to enter the physical world in the form of mainstream companions, social robots, autonomous vehicles and flying taxis. Humanoid and quadrupedal robots [robot dogs] already exist in different forms from a research prototype dribbling a basketball to a support role in healthcare.
Robots mimicking human appearance and motion remind people of characters from the science fiction and fantasy film genres, but most analysts agree that the reality of autonomous systems with human-like intelligence, self-governance and synthetic consciousness is largely speculative.
Productive Robotics fully automated deburring system is equipped with the company’s OB7 cobot and a deburring motor, which generates constant force for consistent deburring.
For the metalforming and fabrication industry, the practical application of AI, industrial cobots and robots to real-world production problems has proved a pragmatic solution that is leveling the playing field.
Deloitte’s 2026 Manufacturing Outlook report maps out several objectives for companies —namely that expectations for machines that can act with minimal human oversight will increase significantly. Deloitte’s 2025 survey of 600 manufacturing executives revealed that 80 percent of participants plan to put at least 20 percent of their 2026 improvement budget toward smart manufacturing technologies. Robots, cobots, autonomous systems and vision-enabled equipment are expected to double in adoption by 2027.
Separately, three of four manufacturers responding to a National Association of Manufacturers 2025 outlook survey also cited trade uncertainty as a top concern and as a driver for adopting smart technology.
Productive Robotics new 8-axis linear rail allows its 7-axis OB7 or Blaze robotic welder to move horizontally along a track to help customers create a large, flexible workspace for a variety of tasks.
ACCESS
Historically, automation and robotics have carried high upfront costs with complex programming requirements, making them less accessible to job shops and contract manufacturers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau and Small Business Administration data, 98.6 percent of all manufacturing companies are classified as small businesses.
There are roughly 239,000 manufacturers in the U.S., and all but about 4,000 of them are considered small.
Teqram’s new compact EasyWelder, its first cobot welding system, provides fast programming with minimal training, and a dual-station setup for maximum uptime.
Machinery builders like Productive Robotics Inc. and Teqram B.V. are helping mom-and-pop shops, midsized manufacturers and large fabricators to harness the advantages of robots and cobots by developing machines that reduce or eliminate operator skill requirements while boosting throughput and cost efficiencies.
“Economic uncertainty and supply chain volatility have put the spotlight on bringing manufacturing back to the U.S.,” says Zac Bogart, president of Productive Robotics. “To do that, you have to reduce the costs associated with manufacturing. Labor shortfalls make that challenging. To be competitive with international suppliers, companies have to automate.”
Productive Robotics is following its own advice. The company’s industrial OB7 collaborative robots and Blaze robotic welding systems are built around its zero programming technology platform. Seven axes mimic the human arm’s seven degrees of freedom from the shoulder to the hand. An operator can set up a new cobot in an hour and teach the machine a particular job in minutes.
READINESS
Manual loading operations in its advanced gear manufacturing division were the first tasks Productive Robotics automated. “We also developed a fully automated deburring system,” Bogart says. “We came up with the concept because a customer asked us to do it. The enclosed cell is equipped with our OB7 and a deburring motor, which generates constant force for consistent deburring. You just put the parts in and press go.”
In addition to the deburring system, Productive Robotics’ OB7 stretch robots manage its CNC machines due to their extra reach at the lower payloads. For higher payload jobs, the company uses its OB7 Max series robots to manage parts weighing up to 16 kilograms.
“Our Stretch cobots have the reach of a conventional 10-kilogram robot but at a lower cost. Gear machinists are hard to find. The skill set is scarce. By automating our gear production department, we were able to increase production in our facility without adding personnel.”
Data from the Association For Manufacturing Technology acknowledges that the trend among smaller manufacturers to adopt cobots and robots is gaining momentum due to increasing affordability and ease of use.
Conventional lead times for equipment can run up to eight weeks. To help customers combat downtime, Productive Robotics carries a large inventory of cobots ready to ship. “My operator just quit; how fast can I get a robot?’” says Bogart. “We get this question in the form of a phone call all the time. Manufacturers need parts made, and they need reliable staff. We are very customer-focused so that we are ready when they need us.”
BRIDGING THE GAP
Part of that readiness included introducing the first of its Blaze robotic welding systems in 2022. Today, the Blaze line carries 11 models from automated enclosed cells to stand-alone and mobile robots. The company introduced two new products at Fabtech 2025. The Blaze Max robot, configured with the new Miller OptX laser welder, gives users the flexibility to reach around complex parts without the need for additional setups. The new Blaze plasma cutting system is able to cut from multiple angles.
“We wanted to target the guy running the machine,” says Bogart. “A large number of experienced welders have retired. The deficit of skilled welders sits around 300,000. We wanted to equip customers with simple-to-use tools that could provide consistent, highquality welds for different types of jobs.”
The manufacturer recently developed an 8-axis linear rail transport that is available in 2- meter lengths up to 8 meters. The linear rail transport was developed in response to customer feedback. When combined with OB7 or Blaze, it gives customers freedom of movement over a long distance.
Bogart says Production Robotics is committed to keeping its technology simple to use but points to the continued incorporation of advances such as AI functionality in the industry. “AI isn’t perfect,” he notes. “It’s not the ChatGPT of manufacturing. It has to be applied in particular ways where it can succeed without compromising robotic precision and accuracy.”
VISION TECHNOLOGY
Frans Tollenaar, co-owner of Teqram B.V., agrees. “There’s a lot of hype about AI,” he says. “If you look at automation, there is a lot of code that does not need AI. Manufacturing requires a very high degree of reliability and use of AI doesn’t always lead to predictable results. Our work in neural networks has helped us develop very specific applications for AI. For example, we are using it for feature recognition on parts.”
Founded in 2016, the company’s objective is to push the limits of autonomous systems. Its vision-guided robots, such as EasyGrinder and EasyDebur, perform tasks without the need for programming. The company has also developed robots to automate shot blasting, drilling and material handling operations. The robots operate with EasyEye, a system that combines advanced vision technology [HD cameras and 3D sensors] with AI. It detects part geometry, size and position without the need for CAD data, generates its own processing or handling sequences, and selects and changes the appropriate grippers and tools based on part requirements.
Productive Robotics’ zero programming 7-axis OB7, mounted on a unique deburring stage, can reach complex geometries and obstructed areas, increasing throughput and part quality while eliminating manual labor.
A mix of sensors, software and distributed I/O also give robots touch technology for greater flexibility, improved safety and a more “humanlike hand-eye coordination,” Tollenaar says. Touch sensors allow robots to monitor forces and pressures to react safely if a problem such as a tool getting jammed occurs.
“It’s unmanned production from start to end with no programming required,” he continues, adding, “Our systems have the flexibility to deal with product variations or changes in environment.”
GROWTH PROSPECTS
At Fabtech 2025, Teqram introduced EasyWelder, its first cobot welding system. The machine’s compact design houses fast programming with minimal training, and a dualstation setup for maximum uptime and UV screens. The EasyTeach device supports tasks that include circular, tack, chain and multilayer welds.
“We’re also developing hardware to automate unloading operations for thick, laser-cut plate,” says Tollenaar. “We’re talking with a customer who laser cuts plate with a 20- kilowatt machine at 1 inch or thicker. We think removal of heavy parts-even if you are using a crane-represents a large market space for automation.”
The company expects to ramp up production of EasyWelder and its new laser sorting solution in 2026.
“We are also going to work on improving all of our systems in the sense of making them faster and more flexible.” Tollenaar says.
Both Productive Robotics and Teqram will work to create practical products that simplify tasks for manufacturers while boosting productivity and efficiency.
WORKFORCE
The two companies want to expand the next generation of individuals in STEM education and skilled trades.
Productive Robotics partners with the College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, California, to leverage student workers for real-world testing. Interns gain hands-on experience while helping the company develop its products. The college is accredited by the American Welding Society to test for Certified Robotic Arc Welding (CRAW).
“We opened a new R&D welding center for our robotic welding products because we wanted to delve deeper,” says Bogart. “We are also selling a number of our welding robots and machine tending CNC cobots to technical schools so our technology is being used to train students in robotic automation.” Teqram has formed partnerships with educators and creates numerous internships.
“The connections with technical universities give us a forum for an exchange of ideas and talents,” says Tollenaar. “We need STEM disciplines (such as physicists, mathematicians and electrical engineers) because they allow us to develop products quickly and based on first principles. If you have a good team, they attract other high-caliber prospects.”
The perspective is shifting rapidly from the fear that robots will replace good jobs to that of seeing cobots and robots as tools to assist manufacturers and allow workers to focus on higher value, more complex tasks.
Companies like Productive Robotics and Teqram are helping job shops and midsized manufacturers break down the barriers of high upfront costs, programming and integration complexities and the lack of in-house expertise.
“We ask customers, ‘What are you waiting for,’” says Bogart. “You want a robot? You just roll it up to your machine, attach a couple of wires and you are ready to go. The dividends are huge and immediate.”
Productive Robotics Inc., 805/244-9300, productiverobotics.com
Teqram B.V., teqram.com
98.6% PORTION OF ALL MANUFACTURING COMPANIES CLASSIFIED AS SMALL BUSINESSES
U.S. Census Bureau, Small Business Administration
375,000 PROJECTED DEFICIT OF SKILLED WELDERS BY 2026
American Welding Society
