meeting the needs of industrial automation

Founded in 1964, Camozzi Automation has become a leading provider of first-class industrial automation products and solutions. Mr Sebastian Bicelli, the company’s strategic marketing manager, spoke to Romana Moares about the new challenges and opportunities arising from today’s changing marketplace.

Italy-based Camozzi Automation operates in three main sectors, providing solutions for industrial automation, components and systems for the control of liquid and gaseous fluids and applications dedicated to the transport industry. Employing about 1700 people, the company has a strong Italian base and a solid international presence in more than 75 countries throughout the world, supported by 24 subsidiaries and service centres and an extensive network of exclusive distributors.

“Camozzi is present in all main markets and operates six production plants, of which two are located in northern Italy and four abroad, designing and producing for their local markets using the same ‘lean’ operating methods as the Italian factories,” says Mr Bicelli.

Camozzi’s product portfolio includes pneumatic components for industrial automation-actuators, grippers, components and accessories for vacuum technology, sensors, electro valves, solenoid valves, elements for air treatment, systems and special products. The company’s multi-technology approach is to analyse each individual application and develop solutions based on selecting the most appropriate pneumatic, electric or proportional technology. Focus on innovation has always been a central priority for Camozzi. In line with the latest trends

“Last year, our product development was primarily focused on pneumatic grippers, motivated by the growing demand for robots and automated systems. The entire product range has been further expanded to supply our customers with the right mix of performance, reliability and flexibility. The Camozzi grippers are designed to have a compact design, with robust materials while minimising its overall weight,” says Mr Bicelli.

“The aspects of sustainability and energy efficiency have become cornerstones when starting to develop a product,” he continues. “On the one hand there is a trend towards miniaturisation of components, which are consequently lighter and consume less energy (e.g. the solenoid valves, such as the Series K8 solenoid valve). On the other hand, where it is not possible to reduce the size due to regulatory or other constraints, we try to reduce the unnecessary masses and parts, also thanks to sophisticated simulations like FEM, CFD, thermal and electromagnetic analyses.”

To respond to market needs, Camozzi recently added the C_Electrics division to its capability. The division develops solutions that include electromechanical cylinders and axes with auxiliary motors

and drives. Possessing a broad range of accessory components, the C_Electrics products can be combined into various configurations to provide users with the utmost flexibility. “The C_Electrics division was created to satisfy those customers that need more flexible motion control solutions as compared to pneumatic actuation. From the beginning, the goal was to retain the know-how – therefore, organic growth was chosen, both from a design and a production point of view,” explains Mr Bicelli.

Robotised workshops

The one trend that drives most companies’ development is the much discussed concept of Industry 4.0., which is slowly but surely changing the way they operate. “An example of the new development may be the adoption of industrial communication protocols in order to communicate with the company management, or the introduction of sensors inside components to increase their flexibility and diagnostic capacity with the aim of minimising machine downtimes,” says Mr Bicelli. “There is also a trend towards the supply of complete plug & play solutions that involve several technologies, including electronics and communication systems to the outside.”

He affirms that to Camozzi, Industry 4.0 also means flexibility; therefore, in addition to sensorisation and digital monitoring of machines, the company is implementing production systems through cooperative robots, or ‘cobots’. “Flexibility means being able to produce any component quickly and automatically. We have installed a cobot in one of the lines that assemble products with a very high level of variability in small lots. The assembly system is equipped with sensors and communication systems that transmit all data collected, in real time, to a cloud platform, where they are subsequently processed to obtain useful information in order to optimise and monitor the process. Additionally, the use of a cobot allows the operator to avoid very repetitive and exhausting activities, such as the handling of certain items or the screwing of components.”

Smart future

With its strong international footprint, about 80 per cent of Camozzi’s turnover is generated in the export markets and its strategy of increased internationalisation is still ongoing. Most products are sold to industrialised countries including Italy, with two countries gaining increasing momentum: China and Russia. “Despite being consid-

ered emerging economies, they are in all respects huge markets for industrial automation,” Mr Bicelli points out.

In addition to increasing its share in the export markets, the second area of strategic development for Camozzi is consolidation in areas such as the fluid control sectors – both in the medical field and the industrial sector – as well as in the field of mobile automation. “In this regard, Camozzi has recently inaugurated the C_Applications department, which aims to integrate different technologies into more complex systems that can be customised to offer intelligent solutions that increase productivity and reduce assembly and setup times for automatic machines,” says Mr Bicelli. “The last pillar of the strategic vision is represented by smart technologies, i.e. the introduction of intelligence inside components, a path started some years ago but which will occupy our product development department for the next decades,” he concludes. n