Automation

VHA has developed a shock damper testing cell for a tier-1 company, in which each damper undergoes an intensive shock simulation program, and gets registered as approved or rejected at the end of the cycle.

Lot size 1 is the new trend: our market requires mass production with an extreme flexibility. VHA has developed, in collaboration with the research institute FLAMAC, a robotic test platform which can prepare in high speed unlimited formulations of a chemical product. We have found applications for these robotic test platforms in the food and life science industry.

The operator loads the components (spring, shock, top mount, compression bumper, bearings,…) into the damper assembly cell as a pre-assembly. Our machine verifies first the presence of the right parts by camera vision check. If OK, the cell applies the right compression on the spring and finishes the mounting of the damper. A final test is performed and automatic labeling for traceability.

The VHA tube cutting machine is designed to label, to mark and to cut-to-length PA-tubes within 1 cycle. Depending on the received production data, the machine produces specified tubes in batch or in sequence. Different diameters and customized lengths can be handled. The tubes can be completed with a color label containing production information. Inkjet marking on the tubes is an option.

Tubes and couplings need to be assembled in various combinations in the automotive market, to obtain the right sub-assembly part for brake fluid systems. VHA designed and built an automatic coupling machine which can handle 24 coupling types on 6 different polyamide tube diameters, without change over time between various variants of couplings.