Ellek Automazioni continues its growth in 2025

Recent projects in the ceramic sector include the supply of a slip colouring plant and the upgrade of a raw material dosing system for the preparation of mixes for two continuous mills.

Ellek Automazioni of Scandiano (Reggio Emilia) has continued its steady growth in 2025, strengthening its presence in the industrial automation sector with the construction of new systems and the modernisation of existing lines in multiple production areas. Supported by a specialised technical team and a commitment to continuous technological innovation, the company consistently delivers tailor-made solutions that integrate electronics, IT systems and process control.

One of the latest projects completed in the ceramic sector was the supply of a slip colouring plant for a leading tile manufacturer in the Sassuolo area. Designed and developed entirely by Ellek Automazioni in close collaboration with the customer’s technicians, the system automates coloured slip dosing, mixing and distribution, ensuring high levels of precision, traceability and repeatability throughout the process.

The automated system is based on an Omron NX series programmable logic controller, a solution chosen for its reliability, programming flexibility and ability to integrate seamlessly into the production line. The flow rates of slip and liquid pigments are measured using mass flow meters, which were selected for their ability to directly measure the mass of the moving fluid. This improves dosing control in an application where slip consistency is vital. The software constantly monitors all process parameters (flow rates, temperatures, estimated viscosity, pigment/charge ratios) and records historical data for analysis and optimisation.

Logistics and intralogistics is another area of rapid expansion for Ellek Automazioni, which has developed automated systems for material handling, dosing and traceability, solutions that confirm the company’s versatility and expertise in integrating advanced technologies.

One such project in the ceramic sector involved an extensive upgrade of a raw material dosing plant used to prepare mixes for two continuous mills. The project included complete modernisation of the electrical and automation systems, with a particular focus on optimising control of the weighing belts, the core elements of the dosing line. Through precise, dynamic flow control, the upgraded plant guarantees repeatability, uniformity and complete traceability of the mixes, thereby optimising mill feeding while reducing downtime and production waste. The automated system uses an Omron PLC and is supervised by software developed in Visual Basic .NET, which enables real-time monitoring of all process phases, from partial weights to loading and unloading cycles and production history recording.

The upgrade also included the replacement of weighing modules and belt speed sensors, as well as the integration of new automatic compensation logic that maintains dosing accuracy even when the raw material density or moisture content varies.