How an Italian machine manufacturer is making its attachments intelligent

A major machinery manufacturer from Italy faced a problem familiar to many businesses: tools and attachments are changed regularly, but the machine itself had no way of recognizing which part was currently mounted. This led to manual configuration effort with every change and left room for errors that, in the worst case, could lead to damage or dangerous situations.

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The customer was therefore looking for a solution that could do two things at once: reliably identify the respective attachments and record their position during operation.

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The solution

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Together with the customer, we developed and integrated an M22 HF reader with a CAN bus SAE J1939 interface. The device reads both ISO 14443 A and ISO 15693 tags, allowing it to reliably process a wide range of RFID labels.

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To ensure the solution stands up to harsh machine environments, the reader was housed in a robust M22-format casing and connected via a flexible cable capable of withstanding the mechanical stresses of continuous operation.

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In addition to simple identification, the device was equipped with a motion sensor and a tilt sensor. This allows the system to detect not only which attachment is mounted, but also how it is moving and what its orientation is.

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In practice, the reader is located directly at the attachment mount, protected behind a metal cover. Only the reader head protrudes, remaining accessible while the rest of the device is shielded from mechanical stress and contamination. The tag on each tool is positioned so that it automatically enters the reader head's field when attached. The actual detection process is fully automatic: the trigger for the reading process comes as a command directly from the machine's system, requiring no manual input from the operator.

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It took about four months from the initial idea to the finished solution. It began with a consultation where we clarified the requirements together with the customer. This was followed by an implementation proposal, which was adjusted in coordination with the customer. We then developed prototypes and tested them directly in the field at the customer's site. Based on these tests, the firmware was finalized before the solution was moved into series production.

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Customer benefits

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Automatic detection eliminates the need for manual configuration every time a tool is changed. The machine only enables functions compatible with the detected attachment, and the usage time for each component is recorded automatically. This provides transparency regarding actual usage and simplifies tracking during ongoing operations.

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However, the greatest added value lies in safety. Because the machine uses motion and tilt sensors to know the position of the attachment at all times, critical conditions can be identified early. Instead of just knowing which tool is mounted, the machine now also knows whether it is in the correct position and how it is moving. This reduces the risk of collisions and makes overall operation safer.

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A project that demonstrates how relatively compact sensor technology can make a tangible difference in daily operations, both in terms of efficiency and safety.

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Furthermore

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We handle the work required for CE compliance of the devices, as well as adherence to applicable environmental standards and protection class regulations. The customer does not need to worry about this part themselves and can rely on the fact that the delivered devices meet all required standards.

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Beyond that, we provide the customer with a continuous supply of readers. What began as a one-off development project has evolved into an ongoing partnership.

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