☎ 1300 029 207

40%
Reduction in welding time

How GripSport cut welding time by 40% and boosted productivity by 30%

A 25-year-old Australian bike rack manufacturer solved a high-mix, low-volume welding challenge — and had two operators trained in a single day.

30%
Increase in productivity

1 day
Operator training time

25 yrs
Gripsport in business

Automated cobot welding melbourne victoria
Automated cobot welding melbourne victoria

The Challenge

Manual welding couldn't hit the standard they were chasing

GripSport's diverse product range made consistency difficult. Programming traditional industrial robots for short runs took a full day or two per job — completely impractical for their workflow.

Welders were spending long shifts with their heads over fume zones. Fatigue was real: productivity dropped noticeably towards the end of each day.

About GripSport

Making bike racks for Australia for 25 years

GripSport manufactures bike racks for the caravan industry, vehicle market, and bike shops across Australia. Their wide product range means constantly changing part types and sizes — a classic high-mix, low-volume challenge.

With 25 years of manufacturing experience, GripSport knew quality mattered. But manual welding was struggling to keep up.

"Welding by hand just didn't cut the standard that we were chasing."

Scott Sullivan, General Manager, GripSport

40% faster welding

The CoboMate doesn't slow at the end of a shift. Consistent pace all day, every day.

"It's intuitive and really easy to program. It ticks all the boxes for quality, safety, and efficiency."

Scott Sullivan, General Manager, GripSport

The solution

CoboMate Welder — up and running in one day

In October 2023, GripSport partnered with Anka Engineering and introduced the CoboMate Welder. The intuitive RB-Ring controller meant existing fabricators — with no robotics background — could be trained and operational immediately.

Two operators were fully trained in a single day. No downtime. No external programmers. The cobot works alongside the team, handling the repetitive runs while skilled welders focus on complex work.

30% more output

Production gains sustained over full shifts — not just in the morning when welders are fresh.

Consistent weld quality

Straight, steady welds every time. No variation between operators or shifts.

Safer workplace

Operators no longer positioned directly over fume zones. Immediate health and safety improvement.

Workforce upskilled

Existing fabricators became cobot operators — broader skills, more value on the floor.

Fast job changeovers

Small parts and short-run jobs now viable to automate. Previously took 1–2 days to set up.

PC

Paul Carmichael

Welding Supervisor, Gripsport

"The weld quality has increased a great deal. It provides a steadier operation that does not wander — we have nice straight welds, all the time, every time."

SS

Scott Sullivan

General Manager, GripSport

"The cobot has created a great opportunity for our existing fabricators and our whole workforce to upskill, learning a new technology which helps them do their everyday job."

"The cobot's been a breath of fresh air for our workplace, and I get excited about implementing more cobots in the future."

— Scott Sullivan, General Manager, GripSport

Ready to see what CoboMate can do for your workshop?

GripSport's results reflect what happens when the right automation meets the right production environment. We offer a free proof of concept — we'll demonstrate CoboMate on your actual parts before you commit to anything.