An Intelligent Simulator
FlexiBowl is a simulation software developed for ARS Automation, a leading company in the design of flexible feeding systems for automated production lines.
The project stems from a concrete need: enabling ARS to show its clients – quickly, accurately, and without risk – how their FlexiBowl system will perform in real-world conditions, adapting to any type of industrial component.
A digital twin of the real machine.
The Project
Customer need
The main challenge was the precision of the physics simulation. Simulating an industrial feeding system doesn’t simply mean animating an object on a screen – it means replicating the real behaviour of components with different shapes, weights, and materials, moving on a mat with specific physical properties.
Identified solution
From the real to the digital and back. We began with an in-depth study of the actual machine, analysing every relevant variable related to friction, materials, and movement dynamics. To ensure the required level of accuracy, we integrated a professional physics engine capable of delivering simulations that match the real-world behaviour of the device.
A continuous comparison process between the simulation and the physical machine allowed us to calibrate the system and validate each iteration until the model reached full reliability.
Artificial Intelligence. In parallel, in collaboration with the University of Pisa, we integrated an artificial intelligence module based on machine learning, capable of analysing the characteristics of the part to be processed and automatically suggesting the most suitable FlexiBowl configuration.
Advanced editor. The FlexiBowl ecosystem also includes an advanced editor, developed to import CAD and STEP files directly from the client’s design systems, convert them into optimised 3D models, and make them immediately available to the digital twin for running simulations and tests.
Opportunities for Your Business
In the context of Industry 4.0, the ability to make fast, informed decisions is a direct competitive advantage. A simulator like FlexiBowl transforms this process in three concrete ways.
- Eliminates uncertainty in the sales and configuration phase.
Before this solution, assessing the compatibility of FlexiBowl with a specific component required physical testing, time, and resources. Now all it takes is the part’s data and a few minutes of simulation.
- Reduces operational risk.
Testing new configurations in a virtual environment means eliminating the risk of costly errors in production. Companies can test, optimise, and decide without interrupting their operational lines.
- Accelerates time-to-value.
Integration with real CAD files and AI-driven configuration automation drastically shortens the cycle from customer request to production start.
This is the value that Game Thinking brings to industry: a technology derived from experience in interactive digital environments, applied to real-world problems with measurable impact on processes and outcomes.
We Game Thinkers don’t start from technology, we start from the objective. The FlexiBowl simulator exists because ARS needed to sell more effectively, configure more precisely, and offer its clients certainty before they even make a purchase.
