The downturn in the global market has imposed significant challenges on the manufacturing industry, with sectors that have experienced slowdowns and, in some cases, production stoppages. However, in the Italian landscape, there seem to be signs of a modest recovery, especially in areas characterized by a high level of technological specialization. In this context, participation in trade fairs proves to be a strategic lever for companies that want to strengthen their visibility and seize new business opportunities.

Comur, a well-established company in the production of machine tools for gear hobbing, has chosen MECSPE 2025 as a showcase to present the EVO series, its new line of gear hobbing machines, to an even broader audience. After an initial customer-only event organized at its Gaggio Montano (BO) headquarters, the company relied on the Bologna trade show to demonstrate the value of its technology in a more accessible and high-attendance context, presenting the EVO 400 CNC model. We are talking about a machine specifically designed to adapt to the needs of various production environments, combining precision, flexibility, and advanced digitalization.

Operational Versatility that Meets Different Production Logics

“The new EVO 400 CNC gear hobbing machine,” highlights Matteo Tonelli, sales manager at Comur, “stands out above all for its high operational versatility, a feature that allows it to be effectively integrated into profoundly different production contexts. On one hand, the machine can be configured for high-production environments. On the other, since it is not bound to robotic loading requirements and execution speed, it can perfectly adapt to more artisanal contexts, aimed at medium-small batch production, where setup speed and flexibility take on primary importance.”

The machine structure has been completely redesigned compared to previous generations, with special attention not only to functional aspects but also to design.
“From an aesthetic standpoint,” confirms Tonelli, “great care was given to design. Going further into the technical details, several distinctive elements emerge, such as the asymmetrical hob head, which allows hobbing in the presence of large workpiece diameters, up to 600 mm.”

Another advantage is the ability to design clamping equipment for much larger diameters without collision risks and, above all, without the need to relieve or weaken the fixture, thereby increasing process rigidity.
“And it is possible,” Tonelli adds, “to perform this hobbing operation using the entire tangential shifting stroke, equal to 300 mm.”

Structural Rigidity, High Precision, Quality

From a structural standpoint, the new hobbing machine has been designed to guarantee maximum stability, thanks to the use of preloaded roller recirculating guides, combined with a special high-load shifting carriage lock system positioned beneath the hob axis, ensuring high structural rigidity.

“The use of a torque motor directly integrated into the workpiece spindle and tailstock spindle, combined with a Heidenhain ring encoder,” Tonelli continues, “ensures optimal interpolation control, improving gear quality. Another key aspect is the thermal compensation system, which, through dedicated sensors, maintains dimensional stability during processing, ensuring repeatability and accuracy even in prolonged operating conditions.”

The machine is designed to accommodate parts up to 500 mm in diameter and modules up to 10, with a maximum cutting length of 600 mm. As already emphasized, these capacities make it ideal both for gear manufacturers in series production and for subcontractors who must handle frequent changes in production types.

“This versatility,” stresses Tonelli, “translates into added value for companies, which can rely on a single machine capable of producing gear hobbing across different types of applications.”

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The Role of Digitalization: From Industry 4.0 to the Future 5.0

Technological integration is another strong point of the new EVO 400 CNC, which incorporates the CNC Sinumerik One control system, enriched with interesting features, such as the creation of a digital twin to improve business efficiency and optimize industrial processes, with the ability to simulate part programming and machine operation, ensuring preventive collision control.

“The ease of retooling,” adds Tonelli, “is guaranteed by an interface that has been completely customized and simplified to make it intuitive and user-friendly.”

In line with its corporate policy, Comur includes both standard and special processing software in the machine, developed in-house, without additional costs.

“In addition to the functionalities already consolidated within Industry 4.0,” continues Tonelli, “the new EVO 400 CNC is also presented as ‘5.0 ready,’ thanks to a new user interface and data management system developed with one of our partners, which expands process analysis and optimization capabilities and facilitates the implementation of Industry 5.0 logics for integration into the new ecosystem.”

Participation in MECSPE 2025 provided Comur with an important showcase for the new product and for outlining future variants.
“We are working on developing additional units of the same line, based on the same structure,” concludes Tonelli, “such as the smaller EVO 200 CNC gear hobbing machine and a gear shaping machine. These machines will also feature extensive customization. The gear shaper, for instance, will be equipped with a CNC-controlled Z-axis stroke adjustment and electronic guide, enabling the production of both external and internal gears.”