In late 2016 we entered the newly upgraded VDL Nedcar factory. At the entrance, an original 1959 Mini is displayed — a reminder of the company’s long manufacturing history. VDL Nedcar is the only serial-production car manufacturer in the Netherlands and places a strong emphasis on safety. Located in Born (Limburg), the factory is highly automated and equipped with an impressive number of industrial robots.
USP and VDL Nedcar collaborate to maintain the highest possible safety level inside the plant. With advanced solutions for machine guarding and controlled access to safeguarded zones, potentially hazardous situations are prevented — all while keeping production interruptions to a minimum.
Founded in 1967 by DAF as a passenger car plant, the company was acquired in 2012 by VDL Groep, founded by Mr. Van der Leegte. Today, VDL Nedcar employs around 5,500 people. We are welcomed by Peter Schusser, Maintenance Engineer, who guides us through the facility — part of the site’s safety policy.
The factory comprises a Press Shop, Body Shop, Paint Shop and Final Assembly. Walking from one end to the other takes roughly 30 minutes. Throughout the production halls, large screens display real-time line performance. In the Body Shop, automation reaches approximately 98%, and the Paint Shop is similarly advanced. Final Assembly remains more manual due to the precision required for component installation.
The factory uses more than 1,200 robots performing large portions of the production process. Once programmed correctly, the robots operate nearly autonomously. A crane retrieves car bodies from high-bay racks, cameras detect hinge positions, and robots select their own tools. Some processes require two robots to work synchronised on one body. The strongest robots handle loads up to 600 kg.
The efficiency is impressive — but stepping into a robot cell for the first time is a powerful reminder of why robust machine safety is essential.
VDL Nedcar beïnvloedt veilig gedrag op de werkvloer middels het verplicht volgen van cursussen. Dit is een voorwaarde om met de machines te mogen werken. Tevens worden alle procedures in specifieke instructies en handleidingen vastgelegd. Ook houden collega’s elkaar scherp en wordt er gewerkt volgens ISO richtlijnen. Nog belangrijker is dat de gehele fabriek voorzien is van machineveiligheidsproducten, geleverd door USP. Men moet hierbij denken aan machineafscherming oftewel veiligheidshekwerken van Troax, veiligheidsschakelaars van Fortress Safety en veiligheidshangsloten van Masterlock. VDL Nedcar gebruikt al meer dan 20 jaar
Step 1: The operator requests door unlocking via the blue illuminated pushbutton.
Step 2: When the machine is fully stopped and in a safe state, the switch is released.
Step 3: Only workers with an authorised access key (line managers or maintenance staff) can open the guard door.
Step 4: After inserting and turning the access key, the safety key is released. This key is taken inside the safeguarded area to prevent unexpected start-up or personal entrapment.
Step 5: After completing the task, the operator closes the door, reinserts the safety key, turns both keys, removes the access key and resets the installation using the yellow and white illuminated pushbuttons.
Carrying a safety key inside the robot cell gives Peter Schusser a personal sense of safety assurance. With 35 years of experience at VDL Nedcar, Peter works close to the operators and is often the first on-site when issues arise. His passion for the work is evident.
Peter is highly satisfied with the reliability and robustness of the safety products supplied by USP. The chosen amGard Pro range from Fortress Safety withstands up to 10,000 N of holding force — among the strongest and most reliable safety interlocks on the market. This significantly reduces the risk of mechanical failure and unplanned downtime. A major advantage of amGard Pro is that a single switch can achieve Performance Level e (EN ISO 13849-1).
Standardised mounting plates and quick disconnect connectors allow extremely fast installation. Beyond protecting the production process, USP’s safety systems protect the most important asset of VDL Nedcar: its employees.
USP is strongly service-oriented. As Mr. Schusser confirms:
“Collaboration with USP is excellent. Whenever I have a question, I receive an immediate response and a suitable solution.”
A technical guide to selecting visual, audible and combined signaling devices for industrial machinery. A machine status indicator forms part of the interface between a
A technical comparison of control architecture, wiring, commissioning, diagnostics, response time and lifecycle cost for industrial machine signaling. A conventional signal light is often the
Industrial status indication becomes more flexible when signaling devices can exchange process data, parameters and diagnostic information with the automation system. Industrial signaling devices have
How to choose a signaling format that makes machine conditions clearer without adding unnecessary hardware or integration complexity. A machine can be operating normally, waiting
In industrial environments, signalling technologies are a fundamental part of machine safety. They ensure that operators, maintenance personnel, and visitors are informed about machine states,
The mGard Trapped Key System from Fortress is a mechanical interlock system that enforces safe access to machines by physically linking energy isolation and key
