WE ARE VDL ETG

WE'RE WORKING ON
THE TECHNOLOGY
OF THE FUTURE

The key to

INNOVATIon

VDL Enabling Technologies Group (VDL ETG) is part of the Dutch VDL Groep. As a global development and manufacturing company, we cooperate with leading companies in the field of high-tech systems and modules. Thanks to our unique combination of technical knowledge and a high level of craftmanship under one roof, we can always provide a solution, whatever the demand.

Our company started its life as Philips Machinefabriek more than 100 years ago. Since then, we have gained a vast amount of technological knowledge and experience. We are now using this expertise to design, develop, manufacture, and produce complex components and systems. This means that we are continually innovating and making our contribution to the world of tomorrow in the form of state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary teams, and integrated solutions – many of which exist behind the scenes and are not in the public eye.

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VDL ETG locations

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Countries

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Wafer Handler

CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY

Are you curious about the technology behind the latest electronic products, such as smartphones and self-driving cars? Then you'll want to learn more about the Wafer Handler. This module is the first step of the lighting process, an important part in chip production. This involves moving wafers, on which chips are built, safely and precisely. It consists of thousands of parts and the most complex are developed, manufactured, assembled, tested and qualified by us.

The Wafer Handler offers precision, speed and reliability without compromising stability. The wafer is positioned with a precision twice as thin as a human hair, while the temperature at the end of the process varies by only a few thousandths of a degree. Thanks to advanced grabbing systems, the wafer is passed as cleanly as possible and contamination is kept to a minimum. And did you know that because of this system, a new wafer is available every 10 seconds? With this technical masterpiece, we are responding to current and future technologies!

Electron microscope

ATOM BY ATOM

An electron microscope allows researchers to explore the invisible world of micrometres and nanometres, magnifying objects by up to 10 million times. From the tiniest creatures on our skin to the processes in our bodies, they are discovering how our immune system works, how blood clots, and how diseased cells affect our health. But microbiology is not the only field where we are active. In nanotechnology, electron microscopy also reveals the secrets of materials at the most microscopic scale.

At VDL ETG, we produce components and assemble modules with a high degree of precision. Consider, for example, a unique, minuscule aluminium plate at the heart of an electron microscope. In our state-of-the-art clean room, we assemble and test these components with the utmost precision. After all, they are the components that determine the quality and resolution of the images produced by the microscope. In short, we provide researchers with the tools they need to unravel the mysteries of the microscopic world.

Proton accelerators

A PRECISION WEAPON AGAINST CANCER

The use of linear proton accelerators for Image Guided Hadron Therapy (LIGHT) allows cancer patients to be treated with unprecedented precision. Proton therapy is a specific type of radiation therapy that offers patients a hopeful chance of a cure. The accelerator shoots a beam of charged particles (protons) at nearly the speed of light towards the malignant cells. The energy of the proton beam is directed to exactly the right spot and the cancer cells are destroyed from within, without doing much damage to the surrounding healthy tissues.

The contruction is 25 meters long and consists of 15 modules manufactured with micron precision by VDL ETG. Each module contains 2 tanks with a total of 1,000 accelerator plates, each with a unique design. For a stable and accurate proton beam, all these plates must meet the same high degree of shape accuracy, parallelism and surface flatness - with profile purities of less than 15 micrometers. This makes the proton accelerator the engineering masterpiece that makes the miracle of proton therapy in medicine possible.

CubeCAT

optical communication

Imagine a 10x10x10 cm box that communicates via laser beams. That may sound like science fiction, but this box, called CubeCAT, is one of the most advanced laser terminals for small satellites in the world. In April 2023, the first CubeCAT went into space on board the Falcon 9 rocket. A challenging mission awaited it there – to establish an optical communication link to a ground station on Earth at a speed of 1 Gbps. That's faster than most home internet connections.

The CubeCAT is not just any old box. It's a clever piece of engineering that combines optics, mechatronics, systems integration, and electronics. With CubeCAT, we are pushing the boundaries of optical communication for small satellites. This technology holds a great deal of potential for the future, as it offers more bandwidth and increased security, while consuming less power and being subject to fewer licensing issues than conventional radio frequencies.

Semiconductor industry

Analytical industry

Medical industry

Science & Industry

Wafer Handler

CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY

Are you curious about the technology behind smartphones and self-driving cars? Discover the Wafer Handler, the first step in the lighting process of chip production. This module moves wafers safely and accurately, and the thousands of components are developed and tested by us.

The Wafer Handler offers precision, speed, and reliability. Wafers are positioned with utmost precision and minimal temperature variation. Thanks to advanced gripping systems, the wafer is transferred as cleanly as possible, minimizing contamination. And did you know that this system makes a new wafer available every 10 seconds?

Electron microscope

ATOM BY ATOM

With an electron microscope, researchers can explore the invisible world of micrometers and nanometers, magnifying objects up to 10 million times. At VDL ETG, we produce components with a high degree of precision. Think, for example, of a unique, minuscule aluminum plate at the heart of an electron microscope.

In our state-of-the-art cleanroom, we assemble and test these components with extreme accuracy. After all, they are the components that determine the quality and resolution of the images produced by the microscope. This means giving researchers the tools they need to unravel the mysteries of the microscopic world.

Proton accelerators

A PRECISION WEAPON AGAINST CANCER

Thanks to linear proton accelerators for Image Guided Hadron Therapy (LIGHT), cancer patients can be treated with unprecedented precision. Proton therapy offers hope for a cure or a longer life by directing a beam of charged particles (protons) at malignant cells at nearly the speed of light. The energy of the protons destroys cancer cells from within, with minimal damage to surrounding tissues.

The 25-meter-long structure consists of 15 modules, manufactured with micron precision. Each module contains 2 tanks with a total of 1000 accelerator plates, which meet high standards of shape accuracy, parallelism and surface flatness. This makes the proton accelerator a technical masterpiece that enables proton therapy.

CubeCAT

optical communication

Imagine a 10x10x10 cm box that communicates via laser beams. That may sound like science fiction, but this box, called CubeCAT, is one of the most advanced laser terminals for small satellites in the world.

The CubeCAT is not just any box. It's a clever piece of engineering that combines optics, mechatronics, systems integration, and electronics. With the CubeCAT, we are pushing the boundaries of optical communications by establishing connectivity to a ground station on Earth. With a speed of 1Gbps, this technology holds a great deal of potential for the future, as it offers more bandwidth and increased security, while consuming less power and being subject to fewer licensing issues than conventional radio frequencies.