Novotic specialized in process automation and robotics
Novotic is a company based in Rovereto (Trentino-Italy), specializing in process automation and robotics.
It was founded in 1998 and since then it has successfully evolved over time. Last year It moved its headquarters to the Hub 4.0 of Trentino Sviluppo in Rovereto, a mechatronics centre conceived to bring together companies with a strong propensity for innovation.
From the beginning, the company has two clear goals and purposes: building highly innovative plants, and studying systems that would allow existing lines to be revised so that, instead of being abandoned, they could remain competitive in a market that is rapidly and continuously evolving.
Novotic in 2019 met Bonfiglioli Mechatronic Research at the Hub 4.0.
The encounter is an example of co-design for the transformation towards Smart manufacturing:
it lead on the 6th of September to the creation of a line in Rovereto for the full assembly of a planetary gearbox, a machine which relies on both automatic and manual stations and uses mobile robots for component handling and feeding.
The 40 metres long line is made of 6 robots, 5 electric presses, 4 ergonomic manual stations, 4 mobile robots, 11 control systems and has an intuitive graphic user interface. The start is a loading station totally interfaced with the Bonfiglioli management system: from the point of view of Industry 4.0 it is possible to draw on all the data necessary for the machine set up.
Operations are carried out manually in ergonomic work stations, adjustable benches and human-machine interfaces alternate with automatic stations that involve the use of robots, electric presses and control systems connected to the main server for the machine parameterization.
The automatic stations along the line are equipped with robots and presses, which have the task of creating the sub-assemblies before reaching the finished product: the component assembled on the line is completely checked and can therefore reach the quality control and logistics departments before being sent to the final customer.
The system is able to completely trace back the production process: it is possible to create a data storage, on the user’s management system, reporting all the information collected during the process.
Before being available for logistics, the gearbox is laser marked and provided with a unique serial code that distinguishes it from the rest of Bonfiglioli’s product range: the company therefore has the possibility of tracking the component throughout its life and for its use.
The line has been designed to work in make-to-order mode, thus setting the parameters autonomously and avoiding loss of time or additional costs.
