In Shenyang, Liaoning province, Siasun Robot and Automation operates a factory where Siasun robots manufacture components for new Siasun robots. The facility is not a show built for press tours, it is Siasun’s primary production facility for robot joint assemblies and structural components, running three shifts, five days a week, with humanoid visitors attending only for factory tours by arrangement. The concept of robots manufacturing robots is not new, FANUC has operated similar facilities in Japan since the 1990s. But Siasun’s facility is the most advanced example in China, and understanding what it actually does (and does not) automate illuminates the realistic state of smart manufacturing in 2025.
What the Factory Actually Automates
Siasun’s Shenyang facility automates the following processes using its own robot systems: structural welding (Siasun welding robots weld robot arm structural frames, a task well-suited to robots because weld paths are consistent and the fixtures are standardized), CNC machining tending (Siasun robots load and unload CNC machine tools that machine precision joint components, the robot handles material logistics, the CNC handles the precision cutting), painting and surface treatment (robotic paint booths apply primer and topcoat to finished assemblies), and automated assembly (screw fastening stations with torque-controlled collaborative robots, applying consistent torque to joint fasteners that must meet exact specifications).
What is not automated: final quality inspection (human operators with calibrated gauges verify critical dimensions on all precision components), cable routing and connector assembly (the fine manipulation required for routing cables through robot arm structures and connecting multi-pin connectors is beyond current robot dexterity at the required speed), and servo drive tuning (final commissioning of each robot, including servo gain tuning and calibration, is performed by skilled technicians). The non-automated tasks are precisely the ones that humanoid robots with dexterous hands and AI-driven manipulation could eventually address. Siasun is therefore simultaneously a customer for its own future humanoid technology.
Production Capacity
The Shenyang facility has approximately 10,000 robot units per year production capacity across all product lines. This covers industrial arms (6-axis, SCARA, delta), collaborative robots, and mobile robot bases. The facility employs approximately 800 people, a significant workforce for a “lights-out” facility, reflecting the non-automated tasks described above. For comparison, FANUC’s Oshino facility in Japan operates with approximately 50-60 humans for similar output through higher automation density, Siasun’s automation density is lower, indicating significant opportunity for further automation investment.
Siasun Robots at Siasun: Specific Models
The Siasun SR10 (10 kg payload, 6-axis, ±0.02mm repeatability) handles the welding tending tasks. The iMRS mobile manipulator (arm on AMR base) handles inter-station parts logistics, moving components between machining, welding, and assembly stations autonomously. The GCR series collaborative robots (3-16 kg payload, ISO/TS 15066 compliant) handle the screw fastening assembly tasks alongside human operators. The factory also uses Siasun’s own AMR fleet (20+ autonomous mobile robots) for material transport, the most heavily automated logistics function in the facility.
Visitor Program and Commercial Value
Siasun’s factory visitor program is a direct commercial asset. Chinese manufacturing executives from automotive, aerospace, electronics, and consumer goods companies visit to see Siasun’s robots in production context. A visitor seeing a Siasun SR10 welding the frame of another Siasun SR10, successfully, repeatably, in a production environment, is more convinced of the robot’s reliability than any specification sheet or trade show demo. Siasun reports that approximately 30% of factory visitor tours lead to sales inquiries within 90 days. The factory is simultaneously a production asset and a $0 marketing budget sales tool.
iMRS 2.0 context: Siasun iMRS 2.0. Full ranking: Top 40 China Robot Rankings 2025.
Sources
- Siasun: Factory tour documentation and production capacity disclosure (2025)
- CCTV: Siasun robot factory documentary (2025)
- Shenyang Institute of Automation: Siasun corporate history
- Industry site visits: Siasun Shenyang facility (reported by manufacturing media, 2024)
