Quebec Shop Hits
4× Welding Output
in 60 Days
How a Laval fabrication shop solved its skilled welder shortage and quadrupled throughput — without a single new hire.
A Shop Hitting Its Ceiling
By late 2025, the Laval fabrication shop had a full order book — and a serious problem. Two of their three certified welders had retired within eighteen months of each other. Replacements were impossible to find at any reasonable wage, and the remaining welder was working 55-hour weeks just to keep up with demand.
Overtime costs had ballooned. Lead times were slipping. Two large contracts were at risk of being lost to a competitor. The owner knew automation was the answer, but a full capital purchase felt too risky — they weren't sure which parts would run well on a cobot and didn't want to commit $120,000+ without proof.
That's when they called Camex.
Rent-N-Weld: Zero Risk Entry
Camex recommended the Rent-N-Weld cart system — a mobile, turnkey MIG welding cobot on a monthly rental. No capital expenditure required. The shop could validate performance on real production parts before committing to ownership.
The system paired a Universal Robots UR10e arm with a Fronius CMT MIG welder, mounted on a locking caster cart. Camex engineers designed and fabricated custom welding jigs in-house for the shop's three highest-volume part families — structural brackets, tube assemblies, and flat panel weldments.
Discovery & Scoping
Camex engineers visited the facility, assessed part families, weld geometry, and fixture requirements. A custom ROI estimate was delivered within 5 business days.
JIG Design & Fabrication
In-house engineers designed and built custom welding fixtures for the three highest-volume part families. No outsourcing, no delays.
System Delivery & Installation
The Rent-N-Weld cart system arrived pre-wired with a Fronius MIG welder integrated. Installation and commissioning completed in under a day.
Programming & Training
Camex technicians programmed the first three part families on-site. Two operators were trained and running independently by the end of week eight.
4× Output. Same Floor Space.
By week eight, the cobot was running two shifts autonomously. The remaining certified welder transitioned to a programming and quality oversight role — a promotion in everything but name. Two general-purpose operators took over loading and unloading duties.
Welding throughput on the three programmed part families increased by an average of 4× compared to the manual baseline. Weld rejection rates dropped to near-zero on the bracket family. Both at-risk contracts were retained, and the shop took on a third.
Full ROI on the rental-to-purchase conversion was reached in eight months.
We weren't sure automation was right for us — our parts vary a lot and we run small batches. Camex changed our thinking completely. The jigs they built, the way the system was set up — it just worked. We wish we'd done it two years sooner.
Could This Work
In Your Shop?
Tell us about your parts and production challenges. We'll map out a solution and build you a real ROI estimate — no commitment required.