SSE Steel Fabrication expands with new technology

SSE Steel Fabrication, a large-capacity, full-service fabrication contractor serving commercial clients, industrial facilities, and government agencies, is expanding its St. Bernard, La., facility with a $375,000 investment that will incorporate robotics and augmented reality into the manufacturing process.

The expansion will include the addition of a fleet of welding cobots to the existing robotic manufacturing line. The cobots will be used for metal fabricating and pre- and postwelding tasks such as material handling, part manipulation, and inspection.

Augmented reality headsets and software will be incorporated into quality control processes. The headsets overlay virtual mixed-reality 3D models onto the real-world environment, allowing workers to increase accuracy while decreasing production time by eliminating the need to refer to traditional paper blueprints or computer screens.

The project is expected to create 18 jobs while retaining 64 positions.