Cable harnesses are still assembled manually because they’re so unique and complex? Production is relocated to low-wage countries as well to keep costs low? Numerous manufacturers are familiar with these problems. This is a risky strategy for manufacturing companies given the accelerating rate of climate change worldwide and uncertain political events.

In order to protect a well-known supplier to the automotive industry from these problems, the experts at VESCON Systemtechnik are relying on innovative and customized automation solutions in a joint project, that allows their customer to benefit in a variety of ways. How do our experts make this possible?

1. They declaring war on non-rigid components

Non-rigid components such as cable harnesses can stop automation solutions becoming a reality for your cable assembly due to unwanted deformations. This is where customized workpiece carriers are massively needed! These helpful tools enable:

• The cables to be guided into the best position
• The cables to remain in the desired position during the entire assembly process
• The cable harnesses to be connected at specially defined fixed points

Our company brand VESCON relies on 3D printing to produce ideal workpiece carriers for the customer. Using 3D printed molded parts, our experts first create models for the workpiece carriers. Using these models, they can then the cable’s position and alignment, as well as their connections. If the cable routing is not yet as effective as it can be, the 3D models are improved upon. This is done in a kind of feedback loop:

First, a digital 3D model is constructed, the position of the cable in it is simulated and then 3D printed. By repeating this process, an ideal model is produced at the end. The finished workpiece carrier is manufactured based on this.

What benefits do they offer customers through 3D printing?

• Saving an enormous amount of time and money:

Cheaper and quick to produce 3D models, instead of costly/time-consuming conventional manufacturing in the optimization phase.

• Conserving resources:

By eliminating the need for numerous prototypes

• Making the best use of the available space:

This is made possible by ensuring the cables remain in the ideal position

• Optimizing accessibility for automatic processes:

Critical points for automatic testing and assembly are clearly visible and easily accessible due to the cables being in the ideal position

2. Our experts always keeping product quality in mind

Guaranteeing that the wiring harnesses remain in the ideal position and are properly fixed is essential for ensuring that a wiring harness can be installed and connected without any issues in the confined installation space of the car. Incorrect processing can create in sharp edges and, in the worst case, result in dangerous short circuits.

Most camera systems are designed to detect deviations down to the smallest millimeter. However, they can tolerate minimal deviations due to the fact that the components are flexible. The focus in this case is on inspecting the position, the rotations as well as the crossings of the cable harnesses. This is easy to recognize for the human eye, but for but it’s a huge challenge for automated systems, our automation specialists at VESCON Systemtechnik apply an innovative method, giving our cameras the tools to make intelligent decisions in the same way as humans do:

Machine learning

By teaching different product images into the specially developed camera system, knowledge is generated on how to assess the cable routing. Based on negative and positive examples, the system searches for a comparison to the object being tested, making a decision on its quality. These form a kind of progression in terms of their tolerance to the best position, to enable a step-by-step approach to be taken. In other words, there are images that show a very poor cable position, images that are already slightly better, and then sample images that show the best possible position.

3. Many years of experience and expertise

VESCON Systemtechnik is on hand to help as an experienced partner in this project with comprehensive expertise in developing process- and cost-optimized special machines. As a manufacturer and automation service provider, they rely on a winning combination of integration, innovation and mechanical engineering expertise, and offer a vast suite of services from developing your solution concept, to production.

The result? An automated cable assembly plant that is ready for the challenges of the future.

Learn more about the innovative solutions here.

Independent work, a high degree of personal responsibility and personal development across departmental and company boundaries. A dual study program at the VESCON Group is so much more than the link between practice and theory. You can try yourself out, go new ways and shape your career start individually. Rico, dual student of electrical engineering at VESCON, is one of those who should know. During one of his practical phases, he took the opportunity to participate in the student exchange program between our partner company tmp GmbH automation & engineering and VESCON. At tmp, Rico went through the "Knowledge-Base" training program for interns and students and got to know PLC programming better in all its facets - from the basics to the realization of his own project, everything is included in the training program. 

"My goal is to join the project management team later on. For this, it is necessary that I acquire in-depth know-how in the area of PLC programming. The exchange at tmp has given me another perspective on possible solutions and approaches, while at the same time deepening my knowledge through active exchange with colleagues on site," says Rico. 

With the help of the knowledge base and the close cooperation with the team, the students can quickly build up competencies and work independently in a very short time.

"I immediately felt at home in tmp's familiar environment and was able to immerse myself in the world of PLC programming. After going through the first two modules of the knowledge base - the basics and commissioning - I was already able to tackle my first own task: The development of a device module for the Cognex camera of a training cell. Despite the short time, I learned an enormous amount."

Fun was not neglected either: the team went on excursions together, went out to eat, and even went water skiing. For Rico Großmann, this was a great way to balance out the stressful university and work routine, and it was also a great place for private exchanges with colleagues. 

"Working at eye level and team spirit is really important here" - with these words Rico said goodbye to tmp.

VESCON and tmp both belong to the international automation platform SCIO Automation. The 10 medium-sized companies in the group to date rely on very close cooperation and the exchange of knowledge across company boundaries. This results in a variety of opportunities within the group to get a taste of other companies (cultures) and to individually shape one's own career entry during the dual study program.

In close cooperation with the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University and the Munich University of Applied Sciences, you have the chance to study with us in an exciting way, with great colleagues, a lot of know-how, different companies and a lot of fun.

Starting in October 2023, we are looking for dual students in the fields of electrical engineering and applied computer science.

Click now here for your application!

A German car manufacturer approached VESCON Automation with the request to convert an existing car final assembly and to expand the load capacity of the electric monorail system. The challenges that arose during the course of the project and how they were mastered are reported by our specialist departments involved. The end result was a system with brilliant production performance.

But what was actually to be done?

For a German car manufacturer, an existing final assembly line for passenger cars was to be rebuilt and the load capacity expanded in order to be able to produce further vehicle types (e-mobility) in the future. The conversion involved these three areas:

1. heavy-duty EMS with upstream conveyor belt

2. assembly crosshead final assembly

3. crosshead return transport

After the so-called marriage, where body and chassis are joined together, a conveyor belt takes over the body. The cross members to which the vehicle is attached are no longer needed. They are therefore dismantled and transported back. On the conveyor belt, the vehicle is then prepared for attachment to the heavy-duty EMS. The vehicle then hangs in the EMS for the final assembly of further parts (are mounted from below).

Each EMS chassis can carry a load of 2.6 tonnes when converted. There are a total of 95 hangers and each trolley has its own control system. The big advantage: each trolley can be maintained individually. This means that individual trolleys can be taken out of the train so that the EHB can work without interruption at any time.

The EMS is one of the established in-plant and floor-free transport systems. Particularly in final vehicle assembly, EMSs are preferred because the employees have barrier-free access to the lower area of the vehicles.

What challenges were encountered and how were they dealt with?

This was a highly challenging project, both technically and in terms of deadlines. It could only be completed within a narrow time frame because the production could only be shut down for a certain period of time for cost reasons. In addition, limited space made project execution difficult. Another challenge: the project was implemented during the height of the Corona pandemic and related Corona requirements influenced the implementation.

Our Virtual Commissioning, Hardware Design and PLC Programming with Commissioning departments worked closely together to successfully implement the project.

To shorten the on-site commissioning time, the existing plant was converted into a virtual model. Specifically, the hardware and the entire PLC programming were imported and subsequently simulated. This meant that it was not necessary to wait until on site to find out:

• Where the plant does not run properly
• Where bottlenecks and problems occur in later operation
• Where new programming and design is required

From a software point of view, this was probably the biggest project ever for VESCON Automation. There were the following challenges in programming:

• Only one employee could effectively work on each PLC at a time, which made it difficult to distribute tasks as well as progress over time.
• Converting an existing plant always means familiarising oneself with existing software programming, which was originally built by another manufacturer.

On site, all parts were first commissioned in another hall, connectors pre-installed and all cables attached. Only then was everything assembled in the actual production hall. Another important point, so that the conversion could take place in the previously defined time window and production in the existing EMS did not come to a standstill for too long.

"Without the great team that worked on the project in this constellation and without the untiring personal commitment of each individual, it would not have been possible to realise this project! But this is how we managed to have the plant running so stably (heavy-duty EMS and upstream conveyor belt) in just the first 2 days after the expansion that all production targets were exceeded. I have never experienced that up to this point."

Christian, Project Manager

The customer now has a plant for final car assembly that is now fit and running robustly for the next few years and the team has another successfully completed project whose implementation has welded them together.

Learn more about the automation services.