Metal Forming and Shaping Solutions for Your Business
Metal manufacturing sits at the heart of industries like automotive, construction, aerospace, and beyond. If you're shaping, welding, or cutting metal in those industries, the process demands accuracy, repeatability, and speed, all without compromising strength or finish.
That’s where automation comes in. Modern metal manufacturing requires more than skilled labor alone can support. Robotic welding systems, laser cutting cells, and automated material handling solutions can help bridge that gap by reducing your downtime, eliminating variation, and driving production at scale.
For operations facing labor shortages, tight delivery windows, or rising quality demands, automation is the path forward, and Melton Machine & Control Company is here to help, no matter where you are in your automation processes.
Why Automate Metal Manufacturing and Other Manufacturing Processes?
The metal manufacturing industry is evolving fast, and not always in ways that make it easier for fabricators. Across the country, shops are grappling with shrinking pools of skilled welders and technicians just as demand for metal-formed products continues to rise. At the same time, customers expect faster lead times, tighter tolerances, and consistent performance across every part and project.
Manual Labor and Material Handling Challenges
Tasks like shaping metal into complex geometries or managing consistent MIG and TIG welds require a level of repeatability that’s nearly impossible to maintain with manual methods alone. Manual labor also struggles to keep pace with the physical demands of handling sheet metal, steel plates, or parts that have undergone heat treatment or heat treating. Add in the material handling challenges that come with pouring molten metal or moving heavy components into place, and it’s no surprise that productivity suffers without support.
Quality Control Standards on the Rise
And the pressure doesn’t stop at throughput. Quality control standards are growing more rigorous across many industries (from automotive to metal furniture production), requiring clean welds, proper part geometry, and even documented proof that every weld, bend, and machined part meets spec. That level of consistency is hard to guarantee when relying solely on human labor.
Melton’s automation solutions are designed to meet this moment. As the industry moves toward smarter, leaner manufacturing processes, we're here to ensure your operation isn’t left behind.
Automation Solutions for the Metal Fabrication and Metal Parts Manufacturing Industry
Melton delivers purpose-built automation designed to meet the real-world demands of metal manufacturers. Are you handling thick-gauge structural steel? Executing fine welds on complex assemblies? Either way, our solutions are engineered for consistency, precision, and long-term performance.
Here's how we help metal fabricators modernize their operations:
Robotic Welding Systems for MIG/TIG and Heavy Materials
Our robotic welding cells are built to handle high-amperage, deep-penetration MIG welds and intricate TIG welds with repeatable precision. If you’re joining structural components, assembling light-gauge frames, or working with galvanized, aluminum, or stainless steel, Melton systems will help you deliver rock-solid joints at production speed. We integrate coordinated positioners, adaptive path tracking, and torch cleaning to maximize arc-on time and reduce rework.
Robotic Laser Cutting & ID Marking for Metal Converting Lines
For operations that demand clean cuts, tight tolerances, or traceable markings, Melton offers robotic laser solutions that slot seamlessly into your metal converting lines. Automate your high-speed sheet metal trimming and engraving barcodes or lot numbers directly onto parts.
Our solutions will improve cycle times while reducing secondary finishing needs. They’re ideal for high-mix, low-volume jobs where flexibility and precision are both critical.
Robotic Material Handling for Sheet and Structural Metal
Melton’s material handling solutions, like gantries, articulated arms, and automated guided vehicles (AGVs), are designed to transfer sheet metal, formed components, or assemblies between cutting, welding, and finishing cells without disrupting your flow. Using custom grippers and built-in safety logic, our systems keep your operators out of harm’s way and your production line moving.
Integrated Quality Control for Weld and Dimensional Inspection
Melton’s inspection solutions use laser profilers, vision sensors, and force-feedback probes to verify weld bead profiles, part dimensions, hole locations, and more. You'll receive immediate pass/fail feedback and detailed digital logs, giving you traceability and peace of mind without sacrificing takt time.
Cobot Solutions for Flexible Welding and Finishing
For shops that need agility, our collaborative robot (cobot) platforms bring automation to smaller workspaces and more dynamic production lines. Melton cobots can perform TIG and MIG welding, grinding, polishing, and machine tending, all while working safely alongside your team. They’re a perfect fit for short runs, high-mix parts, or evolving product lines that require frequent changeovers.
Why Choose Melton's Automation Solutions for Sheet Metal, Complex Geometries, and More?
When it comes to metal manufacturing automation, experience matters, and Melton has more of it than almost anyone in the field.
With over 55 years of designing and building automated systems for some of the most demanding metal fabrication environments in North America, we bring unmatched expertise to every project. Our track record includes more than 1,000 systems installed with zero recalls, giving our customers the confidence that their investment is built to last.
We specialize in solving the kinds of challenges that come standard in metal-intensive operations. Our welding cells are engineered to adapt to a wide range of part geometries, weld paths, and production volumes, all while delivering consistent, repeatable results.
Beyond welding, we’re experts in cutting and converting solutions tailored to your materials, and building automation around your part tolerances, material specs, and throughput targets. If you need high-mix flexibility or tight-part integration, we’ve got you covered.
We're Here to Help for the Long Haul
What truly sets Melton apart is our long-term commitment to your success. Every system we build is backed by dedicated engineering support, comprehensive training, and the ability to retool or scale as your operation evolves. In other words, we don’t disappear after installation. We partner with your team to ensure your automation delivers year after year.
When you choose Melton, you’re not just buying equipment. You’re investing in a proven process, a collaborative engineering team, and a system designed for real-world performance.
Start Your Next Metal and Raw Materials Automation Project with Melton
Your metal manufacturing operation deserves a system built for the long haul. At Melton, we design automation solutions that align perfectly with your part geometries, CAD file specs, and production goals.
Our technology supports a wide variety of common types of machinery and other processes used across the industry. No matter what you produce, we'll help you reach the surface finish, tolerances, and throughput your end products demand, without the usual bottlenecks.
At any point in your modernization journey, Melton is the partner you can count on. Contact us today to get a free assessment and start building the automated solution your floor needs for copper, iron, brass, and other widely used metal manufacturing materials.
