CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Welding, and handling of thick metal plates at Mühlhoff.

To increase production stability and reduce manual workload in automotive body manufacturing, Mühlhoff partnered with AWL. The result is a flexible, automated solution combining robotics, vision technology and controlled processes to ensure consistent quality and prepare for future growth.

Customer

Industry

Automotive

Application

Welding, and handling of thick metal plates

Product

Sheet metal components and welded assemblies

Location

Uedem, Germany

Stable processes

Reduced variation through controlled automation

Consistent quality

Repeatable production and quality control

Improved ergonomics

Less physical workload on operaters

About Mühlhoff

Mühlhoff is an international automotive supplier specializing in sheet metal components and complex welded assemblies. Based in Uedem, Germany, the company supports demanding OEM requirements where consistency and quality are critical. Continuous improvement in productivity and process reliability remains central to maintaining competitiveness in automotive body production.

The challenge

Existing automation covered parts of the process, but manual operations were still significant. These activities increased physical demands on employees and introduced variation in production outcomes. At the same time, customer expectations for consistent quality continued to rise. Reducing manual workload while maintaining stable and repeatable processes became essential for long-term competitiveness.

The solution

A production line was designed to improve process consistency while reducing dependence on manual operations. Building on the success of this installation, a second automation project was initiated to manufacture a smaller product variant. Lessons learned and optimization opportunities from the first project were directly incorporated into the new line.

The first project resulted in a flexible manufacturing line integrating:

Robotic arc welding
Robotic handling
Vision-guided processes
Automated storage using dedicated part racks
Automated quality control

Results

The automated solution improves production stability by reducing process variation and enabling repeatable workflows. Consistent quality is supported through integrated control and inspection. Manual workload has been reduced, allowing employees to focus on less physically demanding tasks. The flexible system architecture also enables adaptation to new product variants, supporting Mühlhoff’s ability to respond to changing customer demands.