At some point, sticking with what’s always worked stops being enough. It’s not that things break down, they still run. But they stop moving you forward. In industrial automation, that moment often comes quietly, when technology that once felt like a perfect fit starts to show its limitations in light of today’s expectations: higher precision, better integration, less waste.
That’s what Star Technology, a company that’s been designing and building tube bending machines for decades, began to see. Their machines are known for being solid. High quality and reliable and are used in industries from refrigeration to chemicals all over the world. Beyond tube bending, Star Technology also develops punching and finishing systems, as well as custom automation equipment, distributed globally across multiple industrial sectors.
But one part of the setup had remained unchanged for years: the use of pneumatic drives to control motion. Pneumatics had done their job well, delivering the force and responsiveness required. But as new demands emerged, the company began asking whether it was time to evolve.
Why Star Technology re-evaluated pneumatic motion control
Star Technology wasn’t looking to disrupt the working system. The goal was to improve it. Customers were asking for tighter tolerances, better process consistency, and easier integration into digital workflows. Pneumatic drives, once the obvious choice, started to feel less aligned with these needs, not because they had failed, but because the expectations had shifted.
The question wasn’t “what’s wrong with pneumatics?” but “what else can help us go further?” The team began evaluating alternatives that could offer greater control and long-term flexibility, while still fitting into the machines they knew and trusted.
Exploring new ground (and hitting a few walls)
To move forward, Star Technology opened a scouting phase. The idea was to find a motion solution that could replace pneumatic actuation with an electronic system, specifically, one that could integrate with a new machine already in development. Precision and reliability were key. But so was compatibility with the company’s existing architecture.
Through Coesia’s sales network, Star Technology connected with System Electronics and began exploring new options. Several suppliers had already proposed brushless motor solutions. These systems offered high performance but came with added complexity: sensor feedback loops, advanced control logic, and the need for a broader redesign of the control infrastructure. While brushless motors are often preferred in high-speed applications, they can be excessive for systems where control and positioning are more critical than speed. Additionally, their cost and integration requirements made them a less-than-ideal match for the specific goals of the project. Software mismatches and rigid platforms only reinforced the sense that a more balanced solution was needed.
That’s when System Electronics came into the picture.
A different approach: fit the machine, not the trend
System Electronics was born within System Ceramics to develop dedicated electronic controls for industrial machines. Since joining the Coesia Group, it has extended its reach to a wide range of applications, always focusing on integration, performance, and long-term reliability.
For Star Technology, they proposed a stepper motor solution, a technology already tested and proven in demanding production lines. Stepper motors operate in fixed increments, making them particularly well suited to tasks where control and positioning are more important than speed. The selected technology doesn’t require sensor feedback or closed-loop control, which reduces the need for a complex infrastructure and simplifies integration. Compared to brushless motors, stepper motors offer a more cost-effective solution for applications that prioritize precision, stability, and simplicity.
This wasn’t about cutting corners, it was about making the right choice for the application. The simpler architecture made the system easier to integrate and maintain, while still delivering the precision needed in bending operations.
Collaborative integration and real-time problem solving
Integration required teamwork. Although stepper motors offered a cleaner implementation path, adapting them to Star Technology’s machine still involved technical effort, particularly on the software side.
Rather than hand off the hardware and leave the rest to the customer, System Electronics worked side by side with Star Technology’s engineers. Together, the teams aligned control parameters, refined the interface, and ensured the drives responded smoothly to the machine’s logic.
This wasn’t a standard installation, it was a co-engineered solution, tuned specifically to meet the machine’s performance profile. That shared effort made all the difference.
From test to production: seeing results
By December 2024, the new motion system had been successfully installed and tested on a tube bending machine still under construction. The initial feedback confirmed the expectations: movement was more stable and controlled, and the absence of a compressed air infrastructure led to reduced maintenance demands and improved energy efficiency. For the first time, Star Technology’s team could handle motion parameters entirely through software, an important step toward greater flexibility and future integration with digital systems.
Encouraged by the results, the company placed its first commercial order for the new configuration in January 2025. What began as a technical trial had become a concrete improvement, ready to be adopted in production.
The impact of transitioning to electric motion
The new system offered the same reliability with added precision, better long-term control, and a more compact architecture. It made the machine more adaptable, more digital-ready, without requiring a full redesign.
This case also shows that proven solutions from one sector can bring value to another. The stepper motor platform developed by System Electronics for ceramic lines proved just as effective in a metal bending context, reinforcing the idea that smart engineering travels well across industries.
What made it work
Star Technology wasn’t looking for a black-box product. They needed a partner, someone who could adapt a solution to their context, support them during integration, and stay involved through testing and refinement. That’s exactly what they found in System Electronics.
Thanks to that collaboration, Star Technology was able to introduce a new motion platform confidently, one that now positions their machines for even greater efficiency and control moving forward.