Fabrication has long been the hardest corner of manufacturing to automate: high mix, low volume, constant changeovers, and a workforce that is increasingly difficult to hire. At FABTECH 2026, FANUC America made a clear argument that this is changing, showing cobots and robots that cut, weld, tighten, paint and even read handwritten work orders.
Cobots move beyond simple welding
FANUC showed a CRX-10iA/L on a seventh-axis rail seam-tracking welds around multiple sides of a part, and a CRX-10iA/L running plasma cutting through a Hypertherm interface, with Shape Generation 3 software simplifying setup. In another cell, a CRX-30iA with force control and screw-tightening technology torqued bolts on a heavy track assembly while validating torque in real time. On the heavy end, the M-950/500F-28A (500 kg payload, 2,830 mm reach) teamed with two ARC Mate robots on large welded structures.
The message: one family of robots, one programming philosophy, covering cutting, assembly, welding and inspection. Operators create weld programs with wrist-mounted controls and scan-based path planning rather than code.
Painting goes collaborative
FANUC also presented the CRX-10iA/L Paint, described by the company as the world’s first explosion-proof collaborative paint robot, with Scan-to-Path and no-code programming aimed at high-mix finishing. Alongside it, the new P-55/15-21A paint robot with line tracking showed what high-volume coating looks like. Finishing is a classic bottleneck: it is hazardous, quality-sensitive and dependent on scarce skilled painters. Programming-free painting lowers the barrier for shops that could never justify a dedicated paint cell.
AI reads the paperwork
Perhaps the most telling demo was AI-enabled kitting. A CRX-20iA with iRVision read handwritten work orders, a Gemini Enterprise agent identified the parts and quantities, and an LR Mate picked the components. Physical AI is not only about humanoids; it is about closing the gap between the order and the robot.
What it means for Israeli manufacturers
Israel’s metalworking, machinery and defense-supply shops share the same profile: many part numbers, short runs, and a persistent shortage of welders, painters and machine operators. This is exactly where traditional automation struggled and where easy-to-program cobots now pay off. The practical questions are no longer whether a robot can do the job, but which process to automate first, how to handle fixturing and safety, and how to integrate with existing ERP and quality systems.
That is where experience matters. Since 1997, Assatec has been FANUC’s exclusive partner in Israel, integrating robots and cobots into real Israeli production floors, from first feasibility study to commissioning and long-term support.
Running a fabrication, welding or finishing operation and wondering which process to automate first? Contact Assatec for a practical assessment of where FANUC cobots can deliver the fastest return on your shop floor.
