IdeAtiva uses ABB Robotics and digital solutions to create a fully traceable biomedical assembly process
Customer stories
The challenge:
IdeAtiva needed to automate the assembly of critical biomedical components used in oncology infusion sets while ensuring zero defects, complete traceability and compliance with strict quality requirements of the healthcare sector. Manual assembly introduced variability and increased the risk of errors in a process where reliability directly impacts patient safety.
The solution:
To address these challenges, IdeAtiva developed an advanced robotic assembly line combining ABB YuMi® and GoFa® collaborative robots with RobotStudio® digital twin technology and ABB OptiFact™. Together, the ABB robots and software create an efficient, traceable and error-free process for IdeAtiva
The application:
The solution automates the assembly of oncology infusion-set components while providing real-time monitoring, product traceability, virtual validation and data-driven process optimization.
In Italy’s Mirandola Biomedical District – Europe's leading hub for biomedical device manufacturing – IdeAtiva specializes in advanced automation solutions for the medical industry. When tasked with automating the assembly of components used to administer oncology drugs, the company faced a critical challenge: creating a process that was fully repeatable, traceable and controlled while maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety.
The devices being assembled are used to deliver oncology treatments with precision and reliability. Every component within the infusion set must meet stringent quality requirements to prevent leaks, contamination or dosing errors. In this environment, manufacturing quality is not only a production objective but a vital part of patient care.
From digital twin to reality
Before the physical line was built, IdeAtiva recreated the entire production cell in ABB RobotStudio®. The digital twin included robot stations, work areas, vision systems, components and conveyor systems. Engineers were able to program robot movements, optimize assembly trajectories, verify accessibility and detect potential collisions before installation began. Using ABB's Virtual Controller technology, the simulated robots behaved exactly like their physical counterparts, making it possible for IdeAtiva to validate the entire process before any physical set up was commissioned. The resulting solution consists of four robotic stations equipped with ABB collaborative robots — one ABB IRB 14050 YuMi® single-arm robot and three ABB CRB 15000 GoFa® cobots — integrated with a free-pallet conveyor system and centralized monitoring capabilities.
ABB OptiFact™ creates a single source of manufacturing intelligence
To complement the robotic automation system, IdeAtiva implemented ABB OptiFact™ to collect, manage and analyze data from the robots, PLCs, vision systems, sensors and other line equipment. OptiFact provides a centralized view of production performance while keeping data secured under the company's control.
With OptiFact™, process engineers can monitor production in real time, quickly identify anomalies and understand their root causes. Rather than simply reporting that a defect occurred, the software helps determine where the issue happened, under what conditions and which process parameters were active at the time. This enables faster and more informed decision-making.
Every infusion set produced on the line leaves a complete digital record within the platform. Quality managers can trace production history, inspection results and process events for individual products, making it easier to support audits and demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements.
Improving quality, efficiency and operator productivity
The solution delivers value across the entire manufacturing process. By automating and monitoring every assembly stage, IdeAtiva significantly reduces the risk of assembly errors, visual defects and component misalignment. Vision inspection and structured data collection help identify non-conformities before products leave the factory, supporting higher levels of quality and reliability.
Operational efficiency is also enhanced. Engineers no longer need to spend hours collecting information from different systems and reconstructing events after production issues occur. Instead, production data is immediately available, structured and searchable, helping reduce downtime and enabling faster root-cause analysis.
The project has also transformed the role of production personnel. Operators are freed from repetitive tasks and can focus on supervising processes, interpreting data and driving improvement initiatives. While the robots perform complex and highly repeatable assembly operations, employees contribute their expertise where it creates the greatest value.
By combining ABB Robotics’ collaborative robots, digital twin technology and manufacturing intelligence software, IdeAtiva has created a data-driven biomedical assembly process that delivers the quality, traceability and control required for critical healthcare applications. The project demonstrates how ABB's robotics and digital solutions can help manufacturers move beyond automation to create intelligent, connected production environments where every product—and every data point—matters.