Saving 20 to 30 Hours per Production Cell Through Smarter Fixturing – Case Study

Increasing Production Output by Standardising Welding Tables.

CUSTOMER:

Steve from Varley Group – Tomago, NSW, Australia.

• One of Australia’s oldest and most advanced engineering and manufacturing firms, founded in 1886 and operating for well over 130 years.  
• The Tomago facility serves as a major manufacturing hub with in-house fabrication, weld cells, blast chambers, multiple paint booths and extensive production lines designed for agile, high-capacity fabrication and assembly.  
• Varley delivers end-to-end engineering and industrial manufacturing solutions across a wide range of sectors including emergency services vehicles, defence, rail, industrial power services and bespoke fabrication work.  
• The company provides custom turnkey engineering, design, production, assembly and maintenance services, supporting both private and government sectors.  
• With multiple facilities across Australia and a reputation for quality and innovation, Varley Group combines traditional fabrication expertise with modern production capabilities.  

THE CHALLENGE:

Varley had been using German-manufactured welding tables across their production line. While these tables had served their purpose, the production environment had outgrown them.

Fabrication processes were still being carried out in a largely old-school manner, which led to:

• Slower production cycles
• Inefficient workflows
• Limited scalability across production cells

As production demands increased, it became clear the existing setup was restricting output.

THE CONSTRAINT:

Any proposed change needed to:

• Deliver measurable efficiency gains
• Justify investment at a management level
• Integrate smoothly into an active production line

Replacing an established production setup required clear evidence of value.

THE SOLUTION:

After previously procuring a KO Welding Table in another area of the business, inefficiencies in the existing production setup became more apparent.

A proposal was submitted to trial KO Welding Tables within the production area. Following a review, one table was trialled and quickly demonstrated tangible savings and efficiency improvements.

Based on these results, management approved the rollout at a steady pace.

Supplied equipment:

On going K28 Accessories & Kits supplied for each table to support streamlined fabrication

Various sizes of K28 KO Welding Tables over the years across the production area

INSTALLATION AND SETUP:

The tables were supplied with:

• Clear assembly instructions
• A comprehensive setup checklist

The team was able to assemble the tables and begin using them immediately, with minimal disruption to production.

The addition of accessories kits further improved setup efficiency and workflow organisation.

THE RESULT:

Since implementing KO Welding Tables across the production area:

• Production output has increased significantly
• Efficiency gains of approximately 20 to 30 hours per production cell have been achieved
• Fabrication workflows are faster and more consistent

The production line now operates with improved efficiency and scalability.

STEVE’S FEEDBACK:

“Our production line had outgrown the tables we were using. We were still doing things the old-school way, which made the process slow and unproductive.”

“After trialling one KO Welding Table, the savings and efficiency gains were obvious. It was a no brainer for management to approve.”

“The entire setup process was extremely easy. The tables came with clear instructions and a checklist, and the team started using them straight away.”

“The biggest difference has been in production output. We’re seeing savings of around 20 to 30 hours per production cell, which is massive for our workflow.”

“The KO Tables are practical, well-designed and have made a noticeable impact on our efficiency. We’re glad we made the switch.”

— Steve Cashman

Varley Group, Tomago NSW

STEVE’S SUBMITTED PICS:

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