Teqnow Productivity Circle: Robotization and Automation
- 12-11-2026
- Scholte’s Metalworking, Spoorstraat 2, Buinen
Every order is different. Should you automate anyway?
Productivity Circle #8 - Smart Automation for High-Mix, Low-Volume Production
Many manufacturing companies produce small batches, one-off items, and customer-specific products. Every order is different, the production process varies, and much of the knowledge resides in the minds and hands of experienced professionals.
Automation can quickly seem complicated in this context. After all, how do you recoup the cost of automation or a robot when the products are constantly changing? How do you prevent programming and setup from taking more time than the actual machining? And how do you remain flexible?
During this Productivity Circle, you’ll discover that automation is indeed possible for small production runs. Not by automating the entire factory right away, but by looking at your production in a different way.
Products vary. Repetitive tasks offer opportunities for automation.
Not the product, but the process
The products vary. Yet many tasks are performed on a daily basis.
- Collecting and transporting materials;
- Loading and unloading machines;
- Positioning and clamping products;
- Welding, grinding, and deburring;
- Setup and tool changes;
- Measurement and monitoring;
- Storing and moving parts internally.
It is precisely these repetitive tasks that offer opportunities to work smarter.
Small production runs require a different approach
Automation for mass production often revolves around speed and large quantities. In high-mix, low-volume production, flexibility is key. A solution must be able to switch quickly between products, be easy to program, and process different orders one after another. Preparation must also be in order. After all, an unclear or unstable process won’t automatically improve just by adding a robot. That’s why we don’t just look at the technology. We also address how to first make processes smarter and more easily automatable.
What will be covered?
- Organizing More Efficiently
Where does an order lose time? Where are there delays, searches, movements, or restarting? - Smart Design and Preparation
Sometimes automation begins as early as the product design phase. - Flexible Robotics
Robots and cobots are becoming easier to program and more flexible to deploy. - From Searching and Walking to a Predictable Flow
Automation doesn’t stop at the machine. Searching, storage, and internal transport also take a lot of time. - Automation: A Smart Move or an Expensive Gamble?
Automation requires not only technology, but also sound reasoning, risk mitigation, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
Visiting a fellow metalworking company
We are visiting Scholte Metaal, a supplier of custom industrial solutions for the logistics sector, such as roll containers and cheese boxes. During the tour, we see how the company works with welding robots and cleverly combines different operations. This is only possible if you’ve properly organized your processes before you start automating.
In the workshop following the tour, Teqnow will supplement the host company’s real-world story and experience with examples from other metalworking companies. There will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions and exchange experiences with peers.
What should you bring?
- a method for identifying opportunities for automation;
- examples of technical and organizational solutions;
- insight into the requirements for flexible automation;
- guidelines for evaluating an investment;
- ideas you can apply to your own production;
You won’t leave with just one standard solution. But you will leave with inspiration, examples, and starting points to help you take the next appropriate step.
For whom.
This Productivity Circle is aimed at executives and entrepreneurs, operations managers, and
production and team leaders, as well as specialists at companies who feel the need to improve processes and are curious about the practical experiences of their colleagues.
No prior technical knowledge of automation or robotics is required. However, a curiosity about what’s possible is essential.
Program
2:30 p.m. Welcome
3:00 PM Case study from the guest company
What decisions were made, what works, and what lessons were learned?
3:10 p.m. Tour of the production facility
Together, we’ll identify repetitive tasks, waste, and opportunities for automation.
4:00 PM Interactive workshop and brainstorming with peers
Real-world examples, methods, and technologies for smarter production and automation of small batches. Discuss your own questions, experiences, and possible next steps.
6:15 PM Closing and informal discussion
Practical information
Date: November 12, 2026
Time: 3:00–6:30 p.m. (doors open at 2:30 p.m.)
Location: Scholte’s Metalworking, Spoorstraat 2, Buinen
Sign up
Would you like to discover where opportunities for smarter automation lie in your production process?
Then sign up for Productivity Circle #8 and be sure to bring along your own challenge, bottleneck, process, or colleague. You can register at https://metaalunie.nl/Actueel/Agenda-bijeenkomsten/Details/metaalunie-teqnow-productiviteitskring-robotiseren-en-automatiseren-van-kleine-series-bij-scholte-metaal-in-buinen
Once maximum capacity is reached, we will unfortunately have to close registration. Registrations will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. You cannot register for this workshop at multiple locations without prior consultation.
Costs
Participation is free for members of Koninklijke Metaalunie and Teqnow participants. Thanks to a contribution from EDIH Noord Nederland, other manufacturing companies can also register for this event.
Productivity Circle
Productivity Circles are biannual, regional Teqnow meetings where we are hosted by a fellow Metaalunie member. The focus is on inspiration and knowledge about working smarter and more productively in small and medium-sized metalworking businesses. We’ll share insights, experiences, and real-world examples from Teqnow and fellow companies with you.