Comet Gains Flexibility and Room to Grow with Fastems FPS
At Comet’s production facility in Reggio Emilia, Italy, the batch sizes are getting smaller and flexibility increasingly important. Founded in 1959, Comet is a global manufacturer of spraying and industrial pumps, serving customers in more than 150 countries and employing over 1,000 people worldwide. To support changing customer demand while maintaining high quality standards, Comet invested in a Fastems Flexible Pallet System (FPS) for machining aluminum pump components.
Responding to Demand with Flexible Manufacturing
Comet uses FPS to machine pump bodies and other components from aluminum die castings. These parts require tight tolerances, multiple machining operations, and consistent quality.
One of the key challenges Comet faces is the variability of market demand. Production mix can change significantly, and batch sizes are often small.
“Production batch sizes vary depending on market demand,” explains Marco Marelli, Process Engineer at Comet. “We are required to produce smaller batches—even down to a single piece.”
This need for flexibility was a major factor behind the decision to implement a Fastems FMS. The system allows Comet to react quickly to changing customer requirements while maintaining productivity and delivery performance.
Before adopting flexible automation, the company faced challenges in ensuring that all suppliers could consistently meet quality and lead-time requirements. Highly automated and controlled in-house manufacturing environment has helped address these concerns.
A Solution Designed to Fit Comet’s Space & Production Flow
The project was developed in close collaboration between Comet and Fastems. Comet had specific requirements regarding the available space, making it essential to design a solution that would fit precisely within the existing production environment and bring the needed capacity level.
FPS was configured to match the plant’s available space and maximize pallet capacity within the terms of area height and length. Because the machine tools were not yet installed when the project was planned, the available footprint could be utilized very efficiently. The modular nature of the system also provides a clear path for future growth.
“Comet can expand this system in the future thanks to its flexible and modular structure,” tells Fabio Salvalai, the Sales Manager of Fastems in Italy.
Higher Productivity Through Automation and Software
For Comet, one of the most significant benefits has been the way Fastems Manufacturing Management Software (MMS) streamlines production operations. After commissioning, the company quickly saw improvements in production flow, NC programming efficiency, and machine tool spindle utilization.
“The main advantage for me is how the software streamlines our production,” says Marelli. “Our NC programming is efficient, idle times minimal, and spindle uptime high—even though we frequently introduce new NC programs.”
Beyond managing the machining process itself, MMS has also been integrated with Comet’s internal system including ERP, purchasing and production planning. This enables seamless information flow between manufacturing operations and business processes.
Building for the Future
The partnership between Comet and Fastems continues to evolve. As production needs grow, Comet is evaluating the integration of a third machine tool into their FPS.
A key benefit for Comet is the ability to expand capacity step by step, rather than through large one-time investments. The system architecture also opens the possibility of duplicating the FMS and maintaining full interchangeability between the two systems.
“Being able to perform the same operations across different systems is a major added value for us,” Marelli notes.
What began as an automation investment has developed into a broader productivity partnership.
“This is definitely not the end of the journey—it’s the beginning of a long-term productivity collaboration.”
With a scalable manufacturing platform in place and future expansion already under consideration, Comet is well positioned to meet changing market demands while continuing to improve manufacturing productivity.
Flexible Pallet System (FPS) at Comet
- Integrates two Doosan NHP 5000 machining centers
- Manufacturing Management Software to plan, run and monitor high-mix machining
- ERP integration
- Automatic NC program transfers
- Ergonomic & safe loading stations for operators to clamp and unclamp workpieces
- Space reservation for a third machine tool