Integrated Mechatronic Ecosystems for Industrial Automation and Mobile Robotics
Bonfiglioli presents modular drive systems, functional safety configurations, and predictive maintenance electronics designed to streamline intralogistics operations.
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At the SPS Italia exhibition, held in May 2026 in Parma, Italy, Bonfiglioli presented a mechatronic ecosystem integrating gearmotors, variable frequency drives, condition monitoring architectures, and advanced automation software. The hardware and software components address operational requirements in automated intralogistics, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and continuous packaging processes by centralizing motion control, telemetry aggregation, and energy management.
Drive Systems and Functional Safety Integration
The presented modular drive platforms encompass high-performance and general-purpose operational configurations. The high-performance variant features integrated functional safety architectures categorized into Basic, Standard, and Motion options. Supported safety parameters include Safe Torque Off (STO), Safe Stop 1 (SS1), Safe Brake Control (SBC), Safely-Limited Speed (SLS), Safely-Limited Position (SLP), and Safe Operating Stop (SOS). Integrating these parameters via Fail Safe over EtherCAT (FSoE) protocols eliminates the need for external safety relays and reduces panel footprint. This architecture minimizes wiring complexity by routing safety commands between the drive and the programmable logic controller (PLC) over existing industrial fieldbuses. Alternatively, the general-purpose drive utilizes a standardized variant-based engineering concept to expedite configuration and reduce engineering hours during mechanical integration.
Precision Motion Control for Mobile Robotics
For mobile robotic propulsion and steering, the specified low-voltage planetary servo gear motor platform is engineered for shuttles, AGVs, and AMRs. Operating seamlessly on 24-volt or 48-volt direct current (DC) battery architectures, the unit integrates a precision planetary gearbox with a servomotor. This compact mechatronic design accommodates the spatial constraints inherent to mobile robot chassis while delivering the torque density and positional accuracy required for autonomous navigation and dynamic load handling.
Mechatronic Synchronization in Smart Intralogistics
Automated material handling equipment, such as palletizers, flowpack systems, and vertical storage elevators, utilize synchronous servomotors paired with precision planetary, helical bevel, or parallel-shaft gearboxes. For roller conveyor applications, the specified drive system pairs a coaxial gearbox with an IE3-rated asynchronous electric motor and a modular frequency inverter to optimize mechanical efficiency during continuous duty cycles. Decentralized architectures are additionally supported through sensorized inverters coupled with synchronous reluctance motors, enabling localized motion control in extended smart conveyor networks.
Custom Electronics and Network Diagnostics
The industrial electronics portfolio engineered by Selcom, a Bonfiglioli Group company, encompasses PLCs, environmental sensors, direct current converters for battery applications, and induction welding generators. The primary hardware interface is a new industrial PC equipped with seven Gigabit Ethernet ports, structured to manage up to six isolated communication networks simultaneously. The hardware is configured with a dedicated commissioning port, four USB interfaces, and a display port, providing the necessary bandwidth and connectivity for complex network topologies and localized system diagnostics.
Telemetry and Predictive Maintenance Infrastructure
To mitigate unplanned downtime in high-throughput machinery, the deployed Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platform utilizes integrated wireless sensors to capture thermodynamic and kinematic variables. Combining accelerometer, magnetometer, and temperature functions mounted directly on gearboxes and motors, the network aggregates real-time performance telemetry. This empirical data enables predictive maintenance algorithms that detect early mechanical degradation prior to component failure.
Software Architecture for Lifecycle Management
The proprietary automation management software consolidates hardware configuration, remote monitoring, and diagnostics into a unified digital interface. An integrated electronic management suite processes parameterization and real-time monitoring for the modular drives. Simultaneously, the IoT manager handles network architecture, remote firmware deployment, and field data structuring. For mechanical engineering phases, embedded sizing algorithms evaluate application variables—such as dynamic load, rotational speed, and duty cycle—to specify exact drivetrain components. An efficiency module quantifies expected energy consumption, transmission losses, and operational efficiency across different motor-drive combinations to validate energy performance prior to deployment.
Additional Context: This section details technical specifications and competitive benchmarking not included in the original product announcement.
In contemporary mechatronic deployments, the transition from hardwired safety logic to networked safety protocols like FSoE represents a critical benchmark for variable frequency drives. Drives supporting advanced kinematic safety functions (SLS, SOS, SLP) over Ethernet-based fieldbuses yield measurable reductions in control cabinet space and integration time compared to systems reliant on discrete safety contactors. Furthermore, fully integrated 24V/48V servo gearmotors are increasingly functioning as the industry standard for AMR kinematics, evaluated directly on their continuous thermal limits and high peak-torque capabilities within the restricted internal dimensions of modern mobile robotics chassis.
Edited by an industrial journalist, Lekshman Ramdas, with AI assistance.
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