Robotics: in the sign of extraordinary

One of the characteristics that makes our machines extraordinary is the synthesis of artisan know-how and advanced on-board robotics.

We began designing robots at the start of 2000 with a view to offering customers machines with enhanced flexibility and superior quality handling of processed products, before rival companies were able to do so. The project started with the idea that robots should become Group assets firmly integrated into its machines. Therefore, the robots used on our machines are designed, produced and assembled in-house. The management software is also entirely developed in-house. The use of proprietary technologies allows us to intervene on these devices promptly and effectively during installation or whenever malfunctions arise. This way, we can offer extremely rapid, and even more effective assistance.

We named our first prototype Robocombi: the anthropomorphic Pick & Place robot linked upstream and downstream machines, enabling the pick-up, transfer and, if requested, bundling or stacking of products and packages. All without any damage whatsoever to the latter.

Over the years, Robocombi evolved, helping to make our machines extremely flexible so they can handle many different types and shapes of product: blisters, strips, trays, flow packs, squeezable or rigid tubes, syringes, cartons, all without the need for any substantial modifications to production times and set-up.

Robocombi, which was developed in 2000, was the trailblazer for Robovision (2004), Gigacombi and Robomaster (2008). The most recent evolutions are the Gigacombi junior and senior (2014): thanks to updated mechanics, they have significantly higher loading capacity compared to the original models, and this is reflected in enhanced performance.

Today, more than 1,600 of our robots are installed around the world. The majority of them - assembled on both standard and ultra-customised lines - continue to use Pick & Place technology to handle products along the production flow with ease. Their main strengths are:

• modularity: they can be installed on board sliding or rotary units;
• the pick-up heads with different axes of rotation according to the product to be handled;
• the wide working area and high loading capacity.