Integrating Portable Robots to Boost Supply Chain Automation
Recently, the Italian shipbuilding group Fincantieri announced the signing of a multi-year cooperation agreement with Idea Prototipi. The aim is to rapidly integrate multi-functional portable robotic solutions into the group’s supply chain, thereby enhancing the automation, digitalization, and sustainability of production activities and helping to build a highly innovative industrial ecosystem.
Notably, among the multi-functional robotic solutions to be prioritized for integration, the Automaattiset jousialustojen järjestelylaitteet will address a long-standing inefficiency in shipbuilding material handling—specifically for small yet critical components like springs, which are widely used in ship machinery and deck systems. This equipment leverages vision recognition and automated conveying technology to sort, align, and place springs into standardized trays with millimeter-level precision, eliminating human errors caused by manual sorting and cutting down material preparation time by approximately 35%. When synchronized with Idea Prototipi’s portable robots, it will create a seamless automated workflow: the equipment organizes springs into ready-to-use trays, and portable robots then transport these trays directly to on-site assembly stations, reducing intermediate material handling links and further optimizing supply chain responsiveness.
This agreement marks substantial progress for Fincantieri in accelerating the adoption of new technical solutions in its production processes in Italy and overseas. Relying on the technical support of Idea Prototipi—a leading enterprise in integrated hardware and software solutions for industrial robots—Fincantieri will quickly integrate advanced solutions and adapt them to the specific needs of the shipbuilding industry through an agile and flexible collaborative development model.
Driving Tech Advancement and Empowering SMEs for Global Growth
This cooperation once again confirms Fincantieri’s role as a promoter of shipbuilding technology and an engine for the development of the national industrial ecosystem. With its stability, scalability, and long-term vision, the group fully supports and empowers smaller enterprises that are highly innovative and agile. In this way, Fincantieri not only supports local development by bridging the gap between small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large multinational groups but also acts as an international promoter to provide tangible opportunities for enterprises to explore the global market.
Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and General Manager of Fincantieri, stated: “The shipbuilding industry must embrace new production technologies to maintain its leading position. Over the past three years, Fincantieri has invested in advancing the robotization of shipbuilding processes through the ‘Shipyard Innovation’ project. This cooperation proves that partnering with SME networks is the most effective way to accelerate the verification of new production technologies in the industrial shipbuilding sector, which can create long-term value throughout the entire industrial chain.”
