SCIENCE & INDUSTRY

INNOVATIONS FOR
THE FUTURE

A blueprint of the future

PIONEERING SOLUTIONS

At VDL ETG, we believe that innovation is the key to success in the manufacturing technology market of the future. Innovation even shapes new markets and introduces disruptiveness in existing markets. We not only want to play our part, but also lead the way. That is why we are constantly developing and improving our knowledge and skills. We are always looking for new opportunities to realize technological breakthroughs for the world of tomorrow, by collaborating with the scientific community and by innovating in the technological domain.

We pride ourselves on our focused expertise and groundbreaking solutions and on bringing together our knowledge and skills in physics, chemistry, optics, mechatronics, and data analysis to design, build, and test instruments that are known for their accuracy and reliability. What is more, we are continuously investing in new technologies, such as cryogenic, maglev, and ultra-high-precision technology, to enhance our capabilities and to explore new markets and geographical areas. This makes us a preferred partner in the eyes of our customers and research partners. We enable success!

A blueprint of the future van de toekomst

PIONEERING SOLUTIONS

At VDL ETG, we believe that innovation is the key to success in the manufacturing technology market of the future. Innovation even shapes new markets and introduces disruptiveness in existing markets. We not only want to play our part, but also lead the way. We are always looking for new opportunities to realize technological breakthroughs for the world of tomorrow, by collaborating with the scientific community and by innovating in the technological domain. We are continuously investing in new technologies, such as cryogenic, maglev, and ultra-high-precision technology, to enhance our capabilities and to explore new markets and geographical areas. This makes us a preferred partner in the eyes of our customers and research partners. We enable success!

Our developments

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.

Our masterpiece

THE WORLD'S BIGGEST EYE

The universe is an unimaginably vast and mysterious place, full of planets, stars, and galaxies we have never seen before. So how can we explore these hidden worlds? With the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), a giant telescope the size of a football stadium that is being built at the top of Cerro Armazones in Northern Chile at an altitude of 3 km!

The 'eye', measuring 39 metres in diameter, is a concave mirror composed of 798 individual hexagonal segments 1.4 metres in diameter and 5 centimetres thick. This masterpiece was not only designed but also produced by us. The telescope is expected to be operational from 2027. It will then be possible to produce images of the universe with unprecedented sharpness and detail, enabling us to see things hidden from our view before. Together, we can look forward to a future that is full of discoveries!

Our creations

SHAPING THE FUTURE

One of our masterpieces is the development and production of components for the SwissFEL at PSI in Switzerland. That particular machine accelerates particles almost to the speed of light, while via magnets the energized electrons are guided through a miniature chicane. This process releases X-rays so powerful and with such high brilliance that they can see right through anything, helping us better understand and improve the materials and bio tissues around us. This state-of-the-art machine contains more than 10,000 discs and couplers, which we manufactured to an amazingly high degree of precision. They had to fit perfectly, because it is these discs that propel the particles at high speed: any deviation can lead to a loss of performance, or worse, machine failure.

The discs and couplers themselves are the result of a careful process of statistical analysis, assembly, and testing. We can achieve dimensional accuracies of less than 0.1 μm and surface finishes that exceed 5 nm Ra. We have achieved this unprecedented accuracy thanks to our advanced ultra-precision technology (UPT).

Our solutions

THE CHASSIS FOR USE IN SPACE

How cool is it when the cosmos is your canvas – your playground for innovation and exploration? At VDL ETG, we enable access to space by starting the assembly of satellite buses, in collaboration with our US-based partners. A satellite bus is the chassis in which a satellite's equipment is mounted. This enables the satellite to carry out its mission – such as communication, navigation, or observation – in the vastness of space.

The satellite industry is booming and there is a great need to industrialize. That is why at VDL ETG, we work with a leading satellite bus builder and system integrator to produce customized designs, taking into account the shape, size, manufacturability, and cost. Our aim is to bring the production of satellite buses to the Netherlands, creating new opportunities for technological development in our country. Strength through cooperation.

Our projects

THE BIRTH OF THE UNIVERSE

The Einstein Telescope, a revolutionary underground observatory, is unique for its unparalleled precision in detecting gravitational waves from space. These contain valuable information about extreme events in the universe, from the nature of black holes and neutron stars to the first moments after the Big Bang. The construction process is rather like putting together a complex three-dimensional puzzle, but the rewards it brings will be enormous. To reduce technical challenges such as noise and forms of environmental interference, new technologies such as advanced algorithms, cryogenic systems, and quantum technology are being deployed. This will allow us to provide vibration-free cooling, for example.

The technology is being perfected in collaboration with 12 knowledge institutions and companies, construction is expected to start in 2028. It is our ambition to ake part in this project to give us the opportunity to incorporate cutting-edge knowledge and technology and enter new markets.

CubeCAT

Extremely Large Telescope

Large Hadron Collider

Satellites

Einstein telescope

Our developments

optical communication

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.

Our masterpiece

THE WORLD'S BIGGEST EYE

Our creations

SHAPING THE FUTURE

One of our masterpieces is the development and production of components for the SwissFEL at PSI in Switzerland. This machine accelerates particles almost to the speed of light, while via magnets the energized electrons are guided through a miniature chicane. This process releases X-rays so powerful that they can see right through anything. Helping us better understand and improve the materials and bio tissues around us.

This state-of-the-art machine contains more than 10,000 disks, manufactured to an accuracy of less than 0.1 micrometers and surface finishes better than 5 nm Ra. The discs and couplers, essential for propelling particles at high speed, are the result of a careful process of statistical analysis, assembly and testing made possible by our ultra-precision technology.

Our solutions

THE CHASSIS FOR USE IN SPACE

At VDL ETG, we enable access to space by starting the assembly of satellite buses, in collaboration with our US-based partners. A satellite bus is the chassis in which a satellite's equipment is mounted. This enables the satellite to carry out its mission – such as communication, navigation, or observation – in the vastness of space.

The satellite industry is booming and there is a great need for industrialization. Therefore, we are working with a leading satellite bus manufacturer and system integrator to produce custom designs. Our aim is to bring the production of satellite buses to the Netherlands, creating new opportunities for technological development in our country.

Our projects

THE BIRTH OF THE UNIVERSE

The Einstein Telescope is a revolutionary underground observatory that detects gravitational waves with unparalleled precision. These waves provide insight into extreme cosmic events such as black holes and the Big Bang. The construction process is complex. To solve technical challenges, new technologies such as algorithms, cryogenic systems and quantum technology are being deployed.

Construction is expected to start in 2028, in cooperation with 12 knowledge institutions and companies. It is our ambition to ake part in this project to give us the opportunity to incorporate cutting-edge knowledge and technology and enter new markets.

Tomorrow's

technology

Our involvement extends from the smallest particles on Earth, in CERN's particle accelerator, to the vastness of the universe, with the mirrors of the world's largest telescope in Chile - and everything in between.