Scoring points with delightful service

Bull Automation is a young company. The Italian manufacturer of custom automated assembly solutions came on the scene in 2004. "The eight founders of the company had an excellent blend of skills – comprehensive engineering knowledge on the one hand; management and sales expertise on the other," recalls Oscar Bruno, the engineer and executive manager responsible for technical matters at Bull Automation. "The common denominator was our passion for cleverly devised automation solutions."

Proven technology standards – solutions from Weidmüller

Bull Automation had good reason to specialize in custom assembly systems manufacturing. "We already had the required experience and many contacts thanks to our former activities in household appliances, eyeglass manufacturing and the automotive sector," Bruno outlines. This widespread experience taught the eight founders to use proven technology standards as much as possible in their custom designs. For example, for electrical connectivity and power supplies, where Bull Automation has been using reliable Weidmüller solutions for a long time.

But the company's founders also benefited from other practical knowledge related to their old jobs enabling them to convert some of their former contacts into loyal customers. Compared to other custom manufacturers, Bull Automation's approach is decidedly unique. "Normally, after a custom machine has been built and delivered, the terms of the contract have been completely fulfilled. But our way is different. We not only start up our machines at the customer site, but continue to keep an eye on them after commis­sion­ing. Our customer service goes far beyond typical mainte­nance services or telephone hotlines," says Bruno in descri­bing the business model.

The SAI-Active Universal Pro solution is easy to install and configure. It helps Bull Automation ensure effortless and effective signal transmission in the field.

Without prompting, Bull Automation continually tracks the performance of its automation solution. "By visiting the customer location personally, we try to continuously improve our knowledge of our customers and their applications," Bruno points out. "You can only determine where there is room for further improvement in the machines and processes when you go directly to the site, and if necessary, take direct action. This adds real value to the customers’ production performance and makes us a reliable partner."

And this is precisely where the loop closes: Bull Automation establishes the necessary prerequisites for offering this extensive after-sales service by working with reliable solution suppliers. "Only if our assembly systems operate flawlessly do we gain the necessary time and credibility to make improvement recommendations to our customers," explains Bruno. This is why Bull Automation likes to turn to partners it has worked with successfully in the past when enhancing its own technology. For example, at the end of 2007, when the Turin-based company used a new Weidmüller solution to simplify the signal transmission concept on their machines.

For some time, Weidmüller has been driving an important trend in mechanical engineering: field-installed sensor actuator interfaces (SAIs), which are used to collect all the different types of signals and send them to a central control unit via a fieldbus network. The key requirements of such SAI systems. They must be easy to install directly on the machine, easy to connect with standard plugs, be reliable and safe, and impervious to dust, moisture, acids and elevated temperatures or vibration, to name just a few.

Field-installed systems offer great benefits, such as lower installation and maintenance costs thanks to the simplified wiring based on standard plugs. In addition, sensor and actuator interfaces, located directly where they are required by the process, are extremely conducive to optimizing local diagnostics and save valuable time. These advantages also gave Bull Automation new opportunities to further improve its custom-made assembly systems.

"Our existing business relationship had already given us cause to be impressed with the quality, reliability and excellent price-to-performance ratio of Weidmüller products," says Bruno. "We were therefore very interested when Weidmüller approached us with its field-installable SAI-Active Universal Pro technology with IP67 protection class." After a short consultation phase, during which Bull Automation familiarized itself with the product family’s specifications, the company wanted to investigate as quickly as possible how well the SAI distribution system would work in the field.

An opportunity arose in form of a real project in early 2008. The customer wanted an assembly system for eyeglass lenses. "As expected, the SAI distributors were easy to install. Weidmüller engineers helped us to assign the address fieldbus network, configure the devices and manage the diagnostic channels of individual sensors and actuators," explains Bruno. The experience was so positive that his company made the strategic decision to standardize on designing signal transmission solutions using Weidmüller’s broad portfolio from now on as well.

The combination of customer-specific after-sales service and an alliance with a solutions provider like Weidmüller will enable Bull Automation to score further points in future. The company founders’ approach has been well received to date. The medium-size company has grown to twenty employees. Bull Automation’s customer reference list includes famous names such as Emerson (household appliances), coffee machine maker Saeco, and Luxottica Group (sunglasses and eyewear). Even more important, some of these customers have already placed repeat orders with Bull Automation during its brief history.

Bruno and his partners thus have precise feedback that their unusual business strategy is working. "Of course we hope we will continue to grow in our fifth year, but our first priority is quality and satisfied customers. It's the only way we will continue to compete successfully in the marketplace," says Bruno with confidence.