ABM Automazioni is a company specializing in the design and production of automatic machines, robotic systems, and assembly lines. Present in various sectors, it stands out for its ability to offer highly customized solutions, tailored to the specific needs of each client. This approach, particularly appreciated by the market, requires a deep understanding of both the application contexts and the most advanced technologies. Therefore, it is important to rely on competent partners with a comprehensive offering, capable of providing high-quality and high-performance products, as well as equally high-level services, starting with training.
Training is key
ABM Automazioni is an Authorized Value Provider (AVP) of ABB Robotics: a recognition that demonstrates the level of synergy between the two entities.
“In addition to developing solutions in line with customer requirements, at ABM we constantly experiment with new innovative concepts and technologies,” explains Simone Baratta, CEO of the company. “In the field of robotics, for example, the partnership with ABB has been fundamental in offering cutting-edge systems from every perspective. However, technology advances rapidly, and our staff needs periodic training to best select, assemble, and maintain advanced products like robots. This is why we turn to ABB for both specific courses on their robots and more general training related to electrical and mechanical aspects.”
On-site service
Balancing operational needs within the company with more “educational” requirements is a complex challenge: with a long queue of orders to fulfill, diverting staff from the office or workshop to attend off-site courses can be difficult. ABM employs various specialized technical roles, such as programmers and mechanical and electrical maintenance technicians. However, these roles require cross-functional skills: while simple movements may be executed by the robot during assembly or maintenance, sometimes a programmer’s intervention is necessary, diverting them from more complex tasks. Enhancing the autonomy of certain professional roles means streamlining processes, speeding up work, and ultimately reducing customer wait times.
“These activities are of great importance,” continues Simone Baratta. “First and foremost, we want to maximize our brand value when we present it to our clients. Moreover, we aim to expand our competencies in robotics: we are recognized for our technicians’ skills, but there is always room for improvement. That’s how we connected with Simone Romeo, Training Manager at ABB Robotics Training Center, who helped us find a solution to this challenge.”
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ABM Internal overview 
Daniela Rosaspina with the course participants 
ABM External overview
Acquiring cross-functional skills
The ABB Robotics Training Center offers dozens of courses suitable for users from various sectors and levels, all organized and tailored to the specific needs of the clients.
“These are activities we carry out daily within our training center, but in cases like this, it was necessary to take an additional step forward,” confirms Simone Romeo of ABB. “Through a preliminary survey, we identified ABM’s expectations and goals, the resources involved and their technical background, the activities they would need to perform on our robots, etc. Then, we decided to deliver these courses directly at their premises.”
The advantages of such an approach are numerous: the most obvious one is that there is no need to arrange travel for the personnel involved in the training activity. It was also possible to divide the activities based on prior competencies, such as basic programming for maintenance technicians and advanced programming for programmers.
“This flexibility allowed me to increase the number of people involved in the training and to tailor the course exactly to our needs,” added Baratta. “Having some ABB robots in the company, much of the work was done directly on hardware that we handle daily, providing an additional concrete benefit.”
From practice… to practice!
Another factor contributing to the success of a course is the trainer: besides having perfect knowledge of the subject, they must be familiar with the conditions in which the staff will be working. This description fits Daniele Rosaspina, Service Engineer at ABB, perfectly.
“I have been working at ABB since 1997 and am primarily a service technician, a role that has allowed me to gain extensive field experience, which has also proven useful for training. Over the years, I have conducted various types of training courses: basic and advanced programming, electrical and mechanical maintenance, and process programming, particularly for arc welding. This background enables me to quickly understand the actual needs of the course participants and adapt my knowledge to the specific requests of the client. During the four days I spent at ABM, I covered all the topics identified during the briefing and answered specific questions, thus updating the staff accordingly.”
The final result was extremely positive, as emphasized by the CEO of ABM.
“Some participants expressed regret for not being able to attend all four days of training, which shows the great interest generated. The results were excellent: even those who previously had no direct experience with robots now feel more confident in performing small operations independently, reducing the need for interventions by other colleagues. We see the same positive feedback during off-site interventions when our technicians work on the systems, both during testing and on operational ones. Moreover, since the robots are ordered from ABB with specific configurations, these courses have allowed us to precisely identify the final needs and request any optional packages to improve system performance or facilitate wiring during installation.”
To learn more about Robotics Customer Service training offerings and sites visit: https://new.abb.com/products/robotics/training
