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CommScope Opens New Center in Belgium to Develop Automated Manufacturing Competencies

CommScope Opens New Center in Belgium to Develop Automated Manufacturing Competencies Image Credit: CommScope

CommScope has opened a new advanced manufacturing technology centre at its Kessel Lo site, Belgium in partnership with Yaskawa, the world’s largest robot supplier.

The new Advanced Manufacturing Technology centre enables CommScope to develop automated manufacturing competencies and technology in a laboratory setting through cross-functional collaboration and partnerships with universities, knowledge partners and suppliers.

The goal is to kick-start the design of new process equipment and mechanization tools to implement in manufacturing locations globally.

The centre includes a vision lab to support the robotics, develop automated quality inspection and augmented reality based support tools. The mechatronics lab will design tools to facilitate craft sensitive and high precision operations. This area will also focus on the development of laser-enabled process equipment.

Yaskawa will showcase the following technologies - viewed as components in an advanced, automated manufacturing environment - at the new CommScope centre:

·         Motoman HC10 human collaborative robot (cobot) - designed to empower  workers by helping them with repetitive tasks that are ergonomically challenging or involve heavy weights so they can focus on value-added activities

·         Industry 4.0 – PLC controlled robot system using Rockwell Allen Bradley controller with Moto Logix software

·         3D Deep Learning vision software combined with new GP7 handling robot (software supplied by Amazon Picking Challenge winner Delft Robotics)

CommScope views this Advanced Manufacturing Technology Centre as a key way to develop and test technology and robotics that will help in its drive to add greater automation to its global manufacturing network and support its operations workforce in improving quality, efficiency and speed.

High precision robots facilitate consistency and precision which cannot be achieved by human labour, especially for technologies like fibre optic connectivity and circuits.  As more customers expect instant delivery, having a machine speeds up production time while ensuring quality.

Chris Story, SVP of Global Supply, CommScope
The digital factory is making manufacturing exciting again.  We expect to see employees doing jobs for industries which never existed. CommScope sees the growing proliferation of flexible automation as a key part of how we innovate for our customers.

Eddie Mennen, Managing Director, Yaskawa Benelux 
Yaskawa is collaborating with CommScope to modernize production technologies required to respond quickly in fast changing markets, such as electronics and high-tech.

Author

Ray is a news editor at The Fast Mode, bringing with him more than 10 years of experience in the wireless industry.

For tips and feedback, email Ray at ray.sharma(at)thefastmode.com, or reach him on LinkedIn @raysharma10, Facebook @1RaySharma

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