TIM and Comau have signed a technology collaboration agreement with the aim of accelerating the adoption of Internet of Things-based solutions in the manufacturing industry. The two companies will support the digital transformation of manufacturing organizations by exploiting, in their respective areas of excellence, the potential offered by connectivity technologies including 5G, Edge cloud, data analysis, robotics and Artificial Intelligence.
Thanks to the agreement, which follows a two-year experimentation phase in the field, the two companies will develop new IoT services and products aimed at manufacturing organizations in the Italian market and in the future, at an international level.
The first result of the collaboration is the launch of the innovative solution ‘Industrial IoTIM powered by Comau’, which allows the monitoring and diagnostics of industrial production machinery – even remotely – and highlights maintenance and assistance needs using preventative and predictive systems. This is made possible thanks to TIM’s ultrabroadband connectivity, Edge cloud and Industrial IoT services, and the digital technologies of Comau’s in.Grid platform together with the company’s advanced skills in factory automation and robotics.
In addition, Olivetti, the digital farm of Gruppo TIM, will provide specialized skills gained in IoT, in order to guarantee support and technical assistance at all stages, remotely and in the field.
The solution enables the exchange and acquisition of data collected by sensors from industrial machinery, enabling predictive maintenance and the improvement of factory processes thanks to the introduction of artificial intelligence capabilities. The complete digitization of machinery, which is made possible by the new solution, will allow everyone involved - from managers to line operators - to plan, manage and monitor the production flow, by providing all the necessary information to make strategic and operational decisions when managing the activity. It is also in line with the provisions of the national strategy on “Industry 4.0” and the requirements for accessing the related tax benefits.
The use of 5G and the Edge cloud will allow the interconnection and remote management of industrial plants, ensuring greater efficiency, reliability and security than with traditional networks. Furthermore, companies will be able to configure the complete monitoring and supervision of an industrial production line in just a few days, compared to the current timing, leading to important benefits in terms of cost reduction and production time.
Through this collaboration, TIM and Comau aim to extend their leadership in industrial solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT) market, which in 2019 in Italy reached a value of 6.2 billion Euros, an increase of 24% compared to 2018 (Source: Research by the Internet of Things Observatory of the School of Management, Politecnico di Milano - April 2020).
“This strategic partnership with Comau positions Gruppo TIM as a reference point in Italy for Industrial IoT, a market that will become increasingly important with the progressive implementation of 5G and Artificial Intelligence,” commented Massimo Mancini, Enterprise Market Executive Vice President at TIM. “The choice to join forces with a globally-recognized technological and innovative leader confirms our commitment to promote and support the digital progress of the country.”
“We are proud of this partnership, which will allow TIM and Comau to help companies, both large enterprises and SMEs, accelerate their path of digital transformation,” said Maurizio Cremonini, Head of Marketing of Comau. “This collaboration aims to bring together the expertise of TIM and Comau, in their respective fields and with the right synergies to offer an all-in package, thus allowing the customer to easily access enabling digital technologies for Industry 4.0.”
Rome, Turin, December 15, 2020
