MEWG Company Visit | Quality and Innovation Drive Comau's Growth

After Wuerth, Danieli and Marposs, yesterday it was the turn of Comau (Shanghai) Engineering Co. Ltd., which hosted the fourth company visit of the MEWG Intercompany Network, gathering almost 50 entrepreneurs.

The Intercompany Network is the series conceived by the Mechanical Engineering Working Group (MEWG) of the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce (CICC) which brings together many Italian and foreign companies operating in the manufacturing sector.

Among the participants were Ms Alessandra Palumbo, Commercial Consul of the Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai, Mr Gaetano Cantalupo, Comau Global Customer Operation Head and China Managing Director, Mr Paolo Bazzoni, CICC Chairman, Mr Carlo Nizia, MEWG Vice-Coordinator and Risk Management at UFI FILTERS, Mr Alberto Fochesato, APAC Sales Director of Wuerth Industry Service China, Mr Wang Junwu, Comau China Head of Technology, and Mr Jimmy Feng, China Plants Manager at Comau China.

CICC Chairman Bazzoni thanked Comau and all the member companies present, providing an update on the CICC Activities. Then Mr Bazzoni pointed out that: "Italian mechanical engineering and industrial automation, as excellence of technology, innovation, quality and flexibility in the proposed solutions, have an even more important value since it positions our country as a leader in the Chinese market. The CICC, which today has about 800 Members and Friends, continues its mission of concretely supporting and promoting our companies in the territories with the clear target of raising their prestige and visibility, and increasing business opportunities."

An important objective of the meeting was to foster closer relationships among CICC members and to address topics of common interest that can help companies develop more business or solve problems of various kinds.

With the help of industry experts, topics such as Industry 4.0, quality and innovation were discussed, all fields in which Italy continues to excel thanks to its cutting-edge technology. 

It was also mentioned that the MEWG will launch a new WeChat Mini Program in early 2022 that will bring the MEWG into the digital realm. This will make it easier for you to follow and communicate with our Working Group. 

The first speech was delivered by Mr Gaetano Cantalupo, Global Customer Operation Head and China Managing Director, who introduced his company: "Comau, a member of Stellantis, is a worldwide leader in delivering advanced industrial automation products and systems. Its portfolio includes body assembly, powertrain assembly, electrification, machining centers and advanced robotics. With over 45 years of experience and a strong presence within every major industrial country, Comau is helping manufacturers of all sizes in almost any industry experience higher quality, increase productivity, faster time-to-market and lower overall costs. The company’s offering also extends to project management and consultancy, as well as maintenance and training for a wide range of industrial segments."

Comau China, founded in 1997, has its headquarters in Shanghai and operates 2 plants in Shanghai and Kunshan. It also has an Innovation Center which includes advanced electrification systems, digital solutions, smart manufacturing systems, robotics and automation products within the Shanghai plant. With over 900 employees in Shanghai, Kunshan, Dalian and Shenzhen, Comau China has the expertise and competencies to execute projects in automotive and general industries. Comau China has established a solid cooperative relationship with local Chinese customers, in the field of automotive manufacturing and has deployed advanced automation technology in all fields of industrial manufacturing, to help improve the overall level of automation and productivity.

Mr Cantalupo pointed out that: "Comau is committed to provide full value chain to customers. Currently, we can provide light weight car body, machining, battery, e-motor systems. Comau is committed to utilize new technology to enhance flexibility and sustainability, from technology side. Comau will continue to contribute to manufacturing high efficient and high performance electric vehicles to serve the development needs of customers."

Electric cars rely on many new technologies and new technological applications. These are challenges to manufacturing systems and manufacturing processes.

Focusing on Comau's innovative solutions that help companies effectively increase their energy production capacity, Mr Wang Junwu, China Head of Technology at Comau, highlighted: "In the era of mass production of electric vehicles, large-scale automation, high reliability and global delivery capability are becoming key concerns for customers. To meet this challenge, Comau promotes collaborative technology development through a network of regionalized innovation centers, and provides global delivery and local support to customers through its worldwide presence."

Mr Wang Junwu introduced the latest innovations of Comau. 

"Comau integrates standardized, modular, scalable and flexible solutions to meet the latest requirements and challenges of the electric vehicle industry. Comau launches the new Smart E-Drive Test Bench in 2021. As the key equipment for off-line inspection of e-motor assembly lines, it can provide customers with full-featured testing including electrical performance testing, dynamic testing and NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) testing and analysis."

Comau is leveraging its longstanding experience in automation systems to cover key elements of the electrification value chain, which includes developing innovative products and processes as well as flexible, modular and cost-effective engineering solutions. Comau has developed the Blue Box platform for electrified product manufacturing to cover a wide range of assembly and test process needs, enabling flexibility and high reliability, based on its extensive experience in assembly and automation and active investment in technology.

Innovation, Industry 4.0 & Beyond was the main theme of the panel that took place in the second part of the meeting, moderated by Mr Alberto Fochesato, APAC Sales Director of Wuerth Industry Service China.

"Cheaper sensors allow to gather more information about products and production systems. Higher computing power makes use of individual measurement and individually adapted models (digital twin) for improved production control strategies. High-performance products, like fuel injector systems, already benefit today from the future vision of using digital twins in production systems."

Lucas Breze
General Manager at GAMI
(GAMI - Global Advanced Manufacturing Institute)

"The World of innovation is going on faster and faster. The new world’s situation such as Covid-19 in a way stopped the business in other way increased the creativity of all the researchers, because the innovation has more reaction when the difficulties come out. The new concept of Industry 5.0, using new energies to improve manufacturing, pushes the new management to change the way to produce, using new energies, new environment-safe materials, new traceability. Now is the time to make the workplaces more inclusive, build more resilient supply chains, and adopt more sustainable ways of production. The Blockchain for the industry is the new way to give us a safe life, where our medicines are not counterfeited, our food comes from healthy land and is grown with healthy ingredients. We are the first to promote the new technologies at support to our daily life because what we are going to produce is what we are going to use every day and what our kids will go to recycle later. We work today for a better tomorrow."

Gianluca Giorgi
Ceo of ES Automation Consulting Ltd & Coordinator of the Innovation & Technology Working Group (ITWG)

Mr Wang Junwu, Comau China Head of Technology, and Mr Jimmy Feng, China Plants Manager at Comau China, conducted the Plant Tour in Comau Innovation Center.

After the Lunch break, we left Comau directing to G60 Innovation Corridor.

We would like to thank all the authorities and attendees that made this day a success.

The MEWG is working on a rich program for 2022 and will welcome you at the first company visit in January 2022. 

The CICC Staff