VDL Industrial Modules is a firm specialised in the development, assembly and production of modules and systems for OEM’s.
VDL Industrial Modules offers in-house application expertise in the field of energy storage, dosing & weighing, heating & cooling, precision frames & covering, supplying small to mid-range series for various markets.
current obstacles
The use case of VDL focuses on the assembly of outer covers of IC production machines of ASML.
Currently, the assembly of several components, such as metal parts, rubber parts and plastics, needs to be compiled in a particular order and requires different techniques which have to be performed manually. While approximately 8 people are working fulltime in this assembly line, the high number of small parts that need to be assembled, the nature of assembly that involves repetitive actions such as riveting as well as the high number of variants facilitate the utilization of robots, allowing operators to undertake only specific tasks requiring dexterity.
SHERLOCK solutions
SHERLOCK collaborative robots eliminate the possibility of human errors, creating a much safer environment for operators to work in. A low payload collaborative robot works together with human operators on the riveting of more than a hundred varieties of panels. Given the high production rate expected, the operator and the robot must be able to communicate, exchange information, and execute their tasks at the same time and in complete harmony through a fluent interaction.
AR-based operator support empowers the operator giving essential instructions and adapted training so that it efficiently reduces the production time and margins of error. Quality, fluency and safety are ensured via AI-based workspace and process monitoring technologies, while zero-programming methods allow quick and easy reconfiguration for new product variants.
