Case Study: Smoker Craft speeds up pontoon production with FANUC robotic welding

Smoker Craft speeds pontoon welding to 10–12 minutes with FANUC America Corporation

Smoker Craft, Inc., a family-owned recreational boat manufacturer, faced challenges in meeting growing demand due to a lack of skilled welders while needing to maintain high quality standards. They turned to FANUC America and their authorized system integrator, Guide Engineering, to automate their pontoon welding process.

The solution involved implementing a robotic welding system utilizing three FANUC ARC Mate 120iD robots. This automation, implemented by FANUC's partner Guide Engineering, dramatically reduced the weld time for each pontoon to just 10-12 minutes. The results included a higher quality, more consistent product and the alleviation of physical stress on the existing skilled welding team, successfully supporting Smoker Craft's long-term growth.

Smoker Craft, Inc