Vetico CEO Arno van de Ven dreams of a machine that can do it all. Whether or not this is a realistic dream is another matter. With his mainly practical approach, colleague Cees van der Ven is rather cautious about this. Nevertheless, the dream is a huge source of inspiration for him. “If you want to take big leaps forward, you need to have big ideas”, says the engineering project manager.
Cees, tell us how you are tackling “the machine that can do it all”?
“Arno is occupied the broad brushstrokes of the idea. He takes a long-term view, and has his dream firmly fixed in his mind. The rest of the Vetico Innovation Center team discusses ideas with him. They are the ones actually working on parts of this machine. For example, we are testing the new case packer at the moment, including with robotic modules. Developing and making improvements is also part of this phase.”
Can you give an example?
“Of course. One example is the torsion on the robotic arm, which we’re not completely satisfied with yet. A vacuum tube, designed in-house and printed on our own 3D printer, might be a potential solution. In any case, this printer is a huge boon because it frees up our development process considerably. If we want to try something, we can simply go ahead and do so right away.”
Going back to the case packer for a moment: how will this help to realize the dream?
“This was built entirely in accordance with our wishes, so we can make the machine move freely on command. The controls have also been simplified so that anyone can operate it. The end result is a case packer that we can use to pack several products at once.”
Arno said that this is part of the solution. What is your view?
“That’s exactly right. I’m thinking more of a modular line than a single machine that can do everything, though. Because if there’s anything that is tricky, it’s building a universal line that isn’t also really huge. For our clients, the outcome is the same: much greater flexibility.”
standpoint is the best thing you can imagine”
Is this your main focus at the moment?
“Well, I’m hoping to spend more time on it shortly. Looking to the future from a technological standpoint is the best thing you can imagine. For example, we also have ideas involving a special mover. This is a six-axis carrier equipped with a kind of magnet, that we can send in any direction to pick up products, and can use to make numerous combinations. I’m really looking forward to working on this.”
Why does that appeal to you so much?
“I love deciding which direction to take in terms of the technology, immersing myself in the development process and actually making something tangible. I just want to know whether or not something works, and then improve upon it. Fortunately, technology is always advancing and evolving, which means that we’re always being challenged.”
What else is going on at the Innovation Center?
“There is so much happening. We’re very busy working on the new premises in Veghel and Gemert, and there’s another one still to come. This involves things such as what we need for new lines, how we can optimize the existing lines, and which modifications to the building will be necessary. We’re also working on automating our internal logistics with robots, and building our own customized counters so that we don’t need to make compromises.”
Because anything is possible?
“There are limits, of course, but we never think in terms of limitations. If a machine doesn’t exist yet or doesn’t fit, then we come up with a solution ourselves. In the past we were occasionally regarded as ‘cowboys’, but that’s no longer the case. Instead, clients are increasingly coming to us with their issues these days, and even well-known suppliers are adopting our approach. This helps in the realization of dreams. Both modest dreams and really expansive ones.”
