Get Navigation

ORT Italia’s innovative approach to rolling machines does not stop thanks to FANUC controls 

TASK:

Italy is a country specialising in precision mechanical engineering, where many challenging, niche applications have a requirement for sound technological know-how. This is the case with rolling, a chip-less machining process for the creation of threads and the superfinishing of component surfaces that involves feeding the workpiece between continuously rotating rollers.

SOLUTION:

ORT Italia equips its rolling machines with FANUC CNC solutions, particularly model 0i-TF (now also available in the new Plus version) with special functions for turning and the potential to control up to nine axes. ORT 2RP series rolling machines with two axes - which produce high-precision details such as ball screws, worm gears and special profiles - recently adopted the FANUC 0i-TF control. 

RESULT:

FANUC’s partnership with ORT Italia, a company committed to high quality, facilitates the design of fast, accurate rolling machines with essential competitive advantages such as shorter time-to-market and the development of exclusive technological solutions. These factors help to make ORT an outright leader in its sector.

 


ORT Italia is the market leader in the production of Industry 4.0-ready, high-precision rolling machines with two/three rollers. The company has produced over 4,000 units for use all over the world.

Notably, the rolling process is highly appreciated in sectors such as aerospace (e.g. for the production of crack-free screws), automotive (splines, i.e. the teeth and knurling on crankshafts), construction (threading for steel rods), railway (square-head screws for fixing rails to sleepers), oil & gas (finned tubes, rods), wind power, and offroad (earthmoving and agricultural machines), not least because of the reduced cost of rolled products.

“Now that rolling machines are produced all over the world, competition is really fierce,” points out Narinderjit Singh, Technical Manager at ORT Italia. “But when exotic materials such as Inconel have to be rolled, only companies with our level of expertise are able to provide appropriate solutions.”

 

A complete range with customised solutions

ORT Italia supplies many different types of rolling machine: single-slide, with two and three rollers, spline, hot-sleeper, burnishing, and finning. Each machine has proved its suitability for undertaking various types of processing and threading, with both standard or complex materials, and featuring different workpiece diameters. The company’s machines can complete complex machining processes in extremely competitive cycle times to help reduce component costs.

The heart of rolling machine control

It is possible to control rolling machines by PLC or CNC. The latter offers incomparable accuracy thanks to better reproducibility, continuous process management and the potential to intervene at any point in the process. ORT Italia equips its rolling machines with FANUC CNC units, particularly model 0i-TF (now also available in the new Plus version) with special functions for turning and the potential to control up to nine axes. 

Icon for callout

“Introducing FANUC controls has allowed us to gain a significant competitive advantage for our machines, as these CNCs ensure we can meet requirements that were previously beyond our reach when we relied on controls made by other suppliers,” says Singh. “We can set the machine immediately, reducing programming time.” 

ORT 2RP series rolling machines with two axes - which produce high-precision details such as ball screws, worm gears and special profiles - recently adopted the FANUC 0i-TF control. Customers can specify these extremely strong, compact machines with automatic loading systems.

It is very easy to govern the ergonomic control unit by moving the axes using the Analog Servo Adapter module with analog output managed and controlled directly by the axis card. When the control has to oversee three axes, as is the case with the 3RP series, a powerful CNC becomes even more important in order to synchronise three heads inclined orthogonally at 120°. 

The part played by operators

The FANUC controls now offer an iHMI user-friendly interface that can display the CNC functions simply and intuitively. Silvia Miglioli, software developer at ORT Italia, was responsible for using FANUC Picture to produce the customised interface.

As this is the first use of a FANUC control, the support provided by FANUC technicians has proved invaluable. 

“Thanks to FANUC staff and the Ladder Programming and Robot Training courses, together with the user manual, which was already clear in itself, it took just a few months to get to grips with the Fanuc controls from scratch and manage them with a level of autonomy that I never would have thought possible," states Silvia.

The prompt assistance provided by FANUC has allowed ORT Italia to offer customers a prototype of the required rolling machine in a really fast time with invaluable benefits in terms of ultimate satisfaction. “What’s more, now that we have a better understanding of the FANUC controls we will be able to speed up even more with the next project, having learned and understood what is needed to program the machine according to our specifications".

Total robot servo-control automation

The 2RP rolling machine is also controlled by a FANUC M-20iA/35M anthropomorphic robot (with payload of 35 kg and reach of 1,813 mm), sharing the same programming environment with the CN hence simplifying and accelerating integration. The ONE FANUC approach allows companies such as ORT to take advantage of the benefits of one single reliable and expert contact like FANUC, for the design phase for ad hoc solutions as well as after-sales support. The machine loading/unloading robot allows several sessions to take place, with maximum benefits in terms of shortening cycles.

Total robot servo-control automation

A FANUC M-20iA/35M robot also serves the 2RP series, providing maximum benefits in terms of shorter cycles. The unique ‘ONE FANUC’ approach allows companies to take advantage of having a single reliable contact for the customised design phase, as well as after-sales support.