Qualification tool for series production with high-tech motion control and vision analysis

Qualification tool for series production with high-tech motion control and vision analysis

Together with a customer, we took up the challenge to develop an assembly machine that assembles products for the food industry. The demands of the food industry, the short cycle times (one product every 1 second), the (visual) product inspection and large stand-alone time made this project a challenge in which Zest felt like a fish in water. For this project, the customer was completely unburdened: from solving the set challenge, the construction of the machine and the installation on location, the run-up to full production to training the staff, all this was taken care of by the people of Zest. But all this without losing sight of the wishes of the customer: the customer has been actively involved in all important decisions within the project. Thanks to short lines of communication, a personal approach and a flat organization, we were rightfully the extension of the customer.

Machines must meet the set specifications, by means of a qualification tool (or Q-tool in short) it is possible to validate whether it meets these requirements. In recent years, Zest-Innovate has gained extensive experience in developing qualification tools for the High Tech industry.

This qualification tool has been developed for a new module from our high-tech customer and serves to validate the mechanical and electrical design of the module. The module consists of multiple actuators that can manipulate a wafer and state of the art camera modules to detect whether the wafer is oriented correctly. Zest-Innovate selected, supplied and integrated the electrical hardware to validate the mechanical and electrical design and also wrote and implemented the complex motion and vision analysis software in collaboration with a partner from our network. In addition, the functionality of the module must be tested under vacuum conditions. Zest-Innovate has therefore developed a 'vacuum vessel' in collaboration with suppliers from our network in which the module can be tested.

Zest-Innovate is also involved in the development of the module at an early stage for these design qualification tools, in order to ensure that the qualification tool is developed in such a way that the essential specifications can be tested and expanded with the possible additions and changes of this module in the future. This collaboration not only ensures that there is a good and open cooperation between our customer and Zest-Innovate, but that the qualification tools are also ready when the module is also ready. This is to minimize the process from design to series production for our customer.

This method also poses a major challenge for Zest-Innovate. The software and selected hardware written by Zest-innovate must be developed and tested while no module hardware is present. Only when the first module is ready, these aspects can be tested. This time of testing must be carried out as efficiently as possible and in the shortest possible lead time. That is why Zest-Innovate, together with its partners, and the customer, has entered into an active and open collaboration to carry out this process as efficiently as possible and some aspects of the module have already been (functionally) tested at an early stage of development.

The developed qualification module is capable of performing the complex motion control and we are currently carrying out the latest optimizations together with our partners and customers. This applies to both the module and the qualification tool. The complex vision analysis is able to accurately detect the position control of the wafer (both horizontally and vertically). The open, critical and long-term cooperation between Zest-Innovate, its partners and the customer ensures that this project can be delivered successfully.