Precision automation isn’t like buying standard equipment off a catalog, though. It requires alignment between your product, your business, and the technology. Before committing to automation, these three questions deserve honest answers.

Is your product design ready for co-optimization?

The question isn’t whether your design is frozen, it’s whether you’re open to refine and optimize it for manufacturability. Some of the most successful automation projects we’ve undertaken involved products where the core function was proven, but the engineering team recognized that certain product features could be modified to enable more reliable, efficient automated assembly.

This is fundamentally different from a product still in early development where core functionality is being validated. If you’re changing product design because clinical testing revealed performance issues, or relocating features because user studies suggested ergonomic improvements, those are functional changes driven by product requirements. Automation should wait for that process to stabilize.

But if your design has proven its function and you’re willing to ask “could we achieve the same performance with a snap fit instead of this screw?” or “could we add a chamfer here to improve part alignment?”. That’s the ideal starting point. The best outcomes happen when product design and automation engineering happen in parallel, with both teams collaborating to find solutions that preserve device performance while enabling robust manufacturing. For tier 3 devices, this obviously means managing changes through your quality system and understanding the validation implications, but those conversations are worth having early rather than after automation is already constrained by unchangeable design decisions.

What’s your volume trajectory?

This question isn’t just about current production but it’s about where you’re headed and how long you’ll stay there. Automation investments typically need three to five years to pay back, depending on complexity and market circumstances. If you’re producing 5,000 units monthly with no growth plans, manual assembly might remain the right choice. But if you’re at 5,000 today with projections reaching 50,000 within two years, the math changes entirely.

The sweet spot for automation often lies with products scaling from thousands to hundreds of thousands of units over a multi-year period. While volume growth and a multi-year product lifecycle help distribute capital costs across enough units to make economic sense, other factors are equally important when evaluating ROI. Consider the costs and availability of floorspace or cleanroom areas, the availability of qualified operators, sometimes across multiple shifts, and the speed or throughput of the machine relative to manual production.

Quality requirements play a crucial role as well: how reproducible is the machine compared with human operators, and can objective, automated measurements replace subjective assessments? Finally, understanding the trade-offs between CapEx (capital expenditure) and OpEx (operating expenditure) ensures that the investment aligns with both your financial strategy and your operational reality. It’s also worth considering what happens if projections don’t materialize: can the investment be absorbed if volumes plateau at half the forecast? Understanding your risk tolerance matters as much as your growth optimism.

Where are your tolerance bottlenecks?

Not every dimension on your print requires tight control, and not every operation needs automation. The strategic question is identifying which features drive your quality challenges and whether automation can meaningfully improve them. Sometimes the answer is obvious: a placement operation requiring ±0.02mm that humans can’t consistently achieve. Other times it’s subtler, like an assembly sequence where slight variations in the first step cascade into larger problems downstream.

“If your manual process already achieves adequate precision and yield on critical features, and your challenges lie elsewhere, perhaps in throughput or ergonomics rather than capability, then automation might solve the wrong problem.”

Before automating, it’s valuable to understand which specifications you’re barely meeting manually, which ones cause the most scrap, and which ones limit your ability to tighten overall tolerances. Automation should target these bottlenecks specifically. If your manual process already achieves adequate precision and yield on critical features, and your challenges lie elsewhere, perhaps in throughput or ergonomics rather than capability, then automation might solve the wrong problem. Focus your investment where precision and consistency matter most, and where current methods are reaching their limits.

These three questions create a framework for readiness. They help ensure that when you do automate, you’re doing it at the right time, for the right reasons, with realistic expectations about timelines and returns. The most successful automation projects we’ve seen share a common trait: the customer knew exactly why they needed automation and had done the groundwork to make sure their product, their business case, and their technical requirements were aligned.

Automation done well creates competitive advantages that compound over years. Automation done prematurely creates expensive lessons.

Do you need help with automation preparation? Bas is ready to take your project steps ahead.   Get in touch

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The physics changes at small scales. What works at 10mm often fails completely at 1mm. At macro scale, gravity dominates and parts behave predictably. But shrink below a few millimeters, and suddenly surface tension, static electricity, and Van der Waals forces take over. Parts stick to tools, to each other or to nothing at all. Just not where you want them.

Tolerances compress dramatically. A ±0.1mm tolerance might be perfectly acceptable on a 50mm component. That’s 0.2% variation. But maintain that same 0.2% on a 5mm component, and you’re now working at ±0.01mm. Ten times tighter. The tolerance stack-up that was manageable becomes critical. Assembly that could absorb some slop now requires precision placement.

Human capability hits hard limits. The average person can reliably manipulate objects down to about 1-2mm. Below that, it’s not just difficult, it’s physiologically impossible to maintain consistency. You can’t see the features clearly. You can’t feel the forces accurately. What took skill at larger scales now requires reliable technology.

“This is the miniaturization paradox: as products get smaller and seemingly simpler, the engineering challenge to manufacture them reliably becomes exponentially more complex. The companies that recognize this early —and invest in precision automation designed specifically for micro-scale manufacturing— build competitive advantages that are difficult to replicate.”

Assembly forces become critical. Press too hard on a miniature component and it fractures, deforms, or damages mating features. Too gentle and it doesn’t seat properly. At macro scale, humans naturally modulate force through tactile feedback. At micro scale, you need closed-loop force control measuring in millinewtons. The difference between success and failure is imperceptible to human touch.

This is the miniaturization paradox. As products get smaller and seemingly simpler, the engineering challenge to manufacture them reliably becomes exponentially more complex. The companies that recognize this early —and invest in precision automation designed specifically for micro-scale manufacturing— build competitive advantages that are difficult to replicate. Those that treat miniaturization as “just scaling down” discover the hard way that physics doesn’t cooperate.

We’re seeing this play out across medical devices as well right now. Implants getting smaller for patient comfort. Diagnostics shrinking for point-of-care use. Surgical instruments becoming less invasive. Each generation demands more precision, more consistency, more capability than the last.

The question isn’t whether automation is needed. At a certain point, it’s the only path forward. The question is whether your product design and manufacturing strategy account for the realities of working at these scales.

What miniaturization challenges are you facing in your production lines? The approaches that worked at larger scales often need complete rethinking.

Are you looking for extra help on miniaturization? Bas is ready to take your project steps ahead.   Get in touch

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As of 1 November 2025, Patrick van Bezouw has been installed as the new CEO of IMS. He takes over the leadership position of Henk Kieft, who has taken this role on an interim basis. Van Bezouw has a strong track record in the field of high-tech capital goods in various organizations such as Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, NTS Group and Rollepaal. With his commercial technical knowledge and experience, he is a great addition to our leadership team.

Patrick started his career in 1994 after obtaining a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in Eindhoven. After a career in commercial management, he now focuses on the further development of IMS as our Chief Executive Officer.

“I look forward to leading a highly skilled and committed team and to creating maximum value for our customers together.”

Patrick van Bezouw
CEO IMS

Starting from a strong foundation, Patrick is looking forward to building towards a future that unburdens organizations by developing and manufacturing precision production automation solutions.

About IMS

We are IMS. That is an abbreviation for Integrated Mechanization Solutions. With more than 25 years of experience and 100 employees, we develop and manufacture high-quality, automated production solutions for the most accurate products. Whether a customer is looking for a lab setup or a complete turn-key production line. IMS offers the best automation concepts in demanding industries. Industries such as medical, electronics, and semiconductor. By automating complex processes, IMS adds a lot of value with robust and smart solutions. Ready for any challenge that crosses our path.

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At IMS, we build complex automation systems from the ground up. Every customized solution we create starts with the smallest functional building block and grows step by step into a complete, high-performance system.

Positioning before processing

It all begins with a local positioner and a local process. Together, they form a workstation: a compact, self-contained unit that performs one specific task with the highest possible precision. Multiple workstations combine to create a machine cell, and several machine cells together make up a fully automated assembly line.

This modular way of thinking is at the heart of our machine architecture. By structuring every process around independent workstations, we ensure that each step in production can reach its own optimal level of performance. The result is a system that’s not only accurate but also remarkably robust and flexible. Which is of utmost importance with automation for medical technology.

Intermittent processes

Our carriers move products through the system in an intermittent process. They stop precisely where needed for each local operation. Because every workstation has its own positioner, the accuracy of the process no longer depends on the accuracy of the transport system. Each station can operate (and can be calibrated) independently from the others.

This separation of dependencies brings major benefits

• Consistent precision as transport and processes do not influence one another
• Increased machine robustness as every part maintains its own accuracy, unaffected by its neighbors
• Workstations and modules can be serviced and calibrated off the line without affecting the rest of the system
• Workstations and modules can be easily swapped to manufacture different products

Built on a proven platform

The foundation of our modular architecture are our standard machine platforms. These platforms are proven mechanical and controls frameworks that form the basis for every customized solution we build. The platforms provide scalability and are a reliable backbone for motion control, alignment and process integration. This allows us to focus engineering efforts on the parts that truly matter.

A proven platform allows for accelerated development, reduced technical risk and consistent performance across all configurations. This applies for single workstations and multi-cell assembly lines. The standardized platform guarantees high levels of precision, repeatability and serviceability throughout the entire system.

Get started with bespoke automation for your complex projects

By building from the inside out from local positioner to a full assembly line we create automation that is smart and inherently reliable. It’s a design philosophy that keeps your production running with maximum uptime and long-term stability. Request a free Production Process Analysis to get started with robust solutions to your automation challenges.

The post Machine Architecture appeared first on IMS.

We exhibited at Medical Technology Ireland, where successful and great conversations with existing customers were held. Together with other companies from the Twente region, IMS explored the Irish MedTech ecosystem and visited innovative organizations.

Medical Technology Ireland

The highlight of the week was Medical Technology Ireland. A trade fair we know well and always enjoy attending. It brings together leading MedTech companies, suppliers, and research institutes from across Europe.

This year’s edition was another great success. We had valuable conversations with both familiar faces and new contacts, exchanged updates, and discussed current developments in automation and manufacturing. It was clear once again how much innovation and expertise are concentrated in Ireland’s MedTech sector.

A Visit to Synecco

Our first stop was Synecco, a well-known design and contract manufacturer based in Galway. They support medical device companies from early design to full-scale production, offering services such as prototyping, injection moulding, assembly, packaging, and sterilisation.

It was impressive to see how Synecco combines flexibility with strong quality management. Their setup allows them to work with both start-ups and large international customers. Something we can relate to. Seeing how they manage complexity while maintaining speed and precision gave us useful perspectives for our own projects.

Inspiration at BioInnovate

We also visited BioInnovate, an inspiring programme that trains young professionals to develop new MedTech solutions. Participants work in multidisciplinary teams, identifying unmet clinical needs and designing products that could truly make a difference.

Their needs-driven approach, starting from the problem rather than the technology, is something we strongly recognize. At IMS, we also believe that successful automation starts with a deep understanding of the process and its challenges. BioInnovate reminded us how powerful that mindset can be.

Looking Back

The week offered a perfect mix of inspiration and connection. We gained a better understanding of how Ireland continues to lead in MedTech innovation, and how collaboration between design, engineering, and manufacturing drives progress in this field.

We return home with fresh ideas, new partnerships, and renewed energy to keep taking our customers steps ahead in production automation.

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During the event, photonic technology was in the center of attention. This is what makes it possible to build faster, more efficient and more precise microchips. Our contribution to this specific world, is supplying PIC metrology equipment such as HELIOS and SIRIUS. In addition, we were also able to show our developments in the field of our fiber array tooling.

Just like last year, the summit was held at Evoluon in Eindhoven (NL). A remarkable building, that generally serves as a museum. The event is intended for start-ups, end-users, investors and academics within the world of photonics.

In addition to many side events, the summit offered a rich program of lectures and presentations on the latest technologies within this sector. With over 60 speakers and 700 visitors, we met both familiar, and new faces. We worked with our MEKOPP-consortium partners to promote our metrology tools here.

It is encouraging to note that visitors of PIC Summit are increasingly able to find IMS in the Photonics ecosystem. We have had valuable conversations, that provide a good basis for further collaboration. With the enormous data needs of AI (Artificial Intelligence), the photonics industry is growing rapidly and steadily. The AI-applications we saw at the summit are crucial for tomorrow’s world. With the high quality we offer as a Dutch supplier, we stand strong in this market.

We are looking forward to next edition of PIC Summit Europe, which will take place on November 4 and 5, 2025. Tickets are already available through PIC Summit Europe’s official website. Did we miss you at the summit? We would be more than happy to talk further about the future of PIC metrology. Get in touch with us!

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Miniaturization improves usability and creates new possibilities. Smaller components mean space for new features. Or improved quality. Roughly said, products do more in the same space. Imagine having the power of your laptop in something as small as a watch. It’s a matter of time before these products are as powerful. For life science products this means that products often become smaller and more efficient. Which then also translates to less invasive surgery, reduced post-surgery risk and shorter stays in a hospital.

The most important aspect of miniaturization

Miniaturization is crucial for original equipment manufacturers. It’s a way of staying ahead of the competition. Smaller products and components fit into our lives more easily. Smaller products have a couple of larger benefits. They are easier to carry around, they use less materials and they often last longer as they use less power.

Now imagine this principle with components. This is even more promising. Smaller components allow for either more power or added features. As there is room left in a product for extra features or components.

Innovation and miniaturization in MedTech enables surgeons to reach parts of our bodies that were previously unreachable. It improves the life sciences industry by a lot. Although a lot is achieved already, there are always opportunities for improvement.

What should you think about when miniaturizing products

Before you start thinking about miniaturizing your products, there are certain topics that you should be aware of. Making products smaller sounds simple, but there’s a lot going on behind the scenes. When you’re thinking about shrinking down, keep this in mind.

Choosing the right materials

Not all materials are equal, especially when we’re talking in micron range. You’ll want to use materials that can handle being made into tiny parts. This could require new production methods and new assembly technologies. These used materials should not lose strength or functionality.

There’s also the option to choose different materials. These have different characteristics and can result in new possibilities. As an example; new materials can combine features, which changes the production technique. Long story short: high-end materials are a must. The better the input, the better the output.

Choosing the right manufacturing techniques

When products or components are miniaturized, margin for error gets a lot smaller too. You need the right tools and processes to comply with the accuracy requirements. These tools and processes should be extremely accurate. One of these tools can be high-end manufacturing machines. These machines place tiny components exactly where they need to go.

Another method of enhancing precision processes is diving into new manufacturing techniques. These techniques can allow for precision on a microscopic level. It’s all about having control to get every tiny detail just right.

Choosing the right designs

Products are becoming smaller and smaller by new and innovative design. This is a great method to realize a product with less components, smaller components or integrated functionality within fewer components. Analysis techniques such as DFA (Design For Assembly) and DFM (Design For Manufacturing) could help in the design and engineering process. With innovative designs, smaller products can be realized by combining multiple functions in less materials.

Maintaining the power usage in miniaturization

Smaller products often mean smaller batteries, but you still want them to last a long time. It’s a tricky balance to find. This is about making your product more efficient, so it uses as little power as possible. Smart and subtle changes make this possible.

When miniaturizing products or components, it’s not only about sizes. You have to carefully think about materials, the design, how you build it and make sure it can be built in an efficient way. It’s a very complex puzzle, but solving it can lead to great advantages in your field.

How smart automation can help in making products smaller

Robots, vision technology, miniaturized grippers, pick-and-place actions on micron level, high-end production technologies which can work on extremely small scale and high accuracies and smart integrated solutions are very helpful when you’re trying to miniaturize products and components. With high-end technology, a lot of knowledge and smart thinking we can alter or inspect every single micron of a product. This results in products on a smaller scale, improving quality and adapting quickly to the market.

What’s your next miniaturization project?

Making products smaller is a very big task. The task comes with lots of challenges, but also lots of possibilities. We excel at miniaturization projects where others pull the plug. We’re pushing the limits of what’s possible in production automation. Get in touch to improve your production a lot or request a free pre-automation analysis.

The post Miniaturization appeared first on IMS.

Micro optics and their requirements

Optics are hard. The market is very dynamic. They often face sudden changing demands and stringent quality requirements. This type of market calls for solutions that are flexible and adaptable to the future. Typically, micro production solutions must be capable of producing high mix, high volume. All of this also has to be done with very high accuracy, whilst providing a clean environment.

Developing special systems for specific challenge

We want our customers to manufacture their micro optic products in the best possible quality. Only then they can stay ahead of the competition. To do this, we are required to develop special optical systems. Systems that function as the core of the overall positioning system. This special system uses negative perspective that allows us to see two components lying on top of each other. In one shot. Even when components have exactly the same dimensions. With the image we then generate using the optical system, we calculate the relative offset between the two components. This is used to align them with great precision. If the components move, we apply the appropriate correction to both equally.

In a subsequent step, we can then place the components extremely accurately on (or in) each other. A custom made linear motor positions the parts relative to each other with an accuracy smaller than 1 µm (micron).

Modular production line for multiple processes

We use our modular automation platforms as the basis for these production lines. On top of this platform, multiple process units take care of the required process steps. Our platforms are very suitable for this type of manufacturing, because of it’s pre-positioning accuracy of 20 µm. With fine positioning making even sub-micron accuracy possible. We achieve such accuracy since positioning is unaffected by temperature and vibration variations or differences. These are under tight control within the platform. The built-in clean air environment allows for clean assembly of delicate product parts.

Within this project, we vision check after every assembly step. We analyze the product for errors, contamination and scratches. Whenever the machine discovers such an error, the product is taken out of the production process. Keeping in only the best production quality.

The modular platform means that multiple platforms can be connected to each other. Another unique aspect of the modularity is that process units are interchangeable. We can shuffle around with assembly steps. We can also extend platforms to enlarge the number of process steps performed on the production line. We’ve delivered well over 100 of these production lines and we’re counting. We also offer an extended SLA and make sure our customer remains as market leader with these solutions.

High volume micro optics for the future

Our approach and oversight of the whole production challenges resulted in some major advantages for our customer. Smooth collaboration on the project also made this project into a success. Our customer has gained the following advantages:

• Every 2 seconds a micro optical product comes off the production line;
• Increase in process reliability and assurance of the best possible quality product for our client’s end customers;
• High availability of the production line: easily adaptable for manufacturing of a different product type.

Participating at the Fraunhofer Project Center

As we see the process of improving the product quality of micro-optics, we have joined forces with Fraunhofer Project Center. Fraunhofer is part of the University Of Twente, one of the best technical universities in The Netherlands. They are the go-to design and production engineering institute for very complex, high-tech systems.

Our collaborations with Fraunhofer makes it possible to serve our customers with the best technology for assembling their micro-optics products.

How can we help you improve further?

Whatever your precision challenges are, we’re sure that we can offer you a fitting solution. Challenge our experts and see what IMS can do for you.

Get in touch     [email protected]

The post Micro Optics Assembly appeared first on IMS.

The inspection process is however tedious when quality goes down to micron accuracy. It gets increasingly more difficult and it requires an operator to use microscopes for a good look. The question of our customer was: how can we add the intelligence of an operator’s assessment, to an automated inspection process?

Automating 15 experienced operators with software

The current production process involved manual quality inspection by 15 experienced and trained operators. These operators are trained for products that run over a 1,000 different product variants. Automating this inspection process is a great challenge. So there was need for a smart and robust solution.

Two inspection types for optimal quality

When talking about inspection automation, roughly two types of inspection can be distinguished. The first type of inspection is for physical and measurable properties, such as length and diameters. The second type of inspection goes beyond measurable properties, it’s about product quality. Think of deviations on the product’s surface such as scratches, variations in roughness, shininess and other errors. Assessing these properties of the product quality in automation is a real challenge. It’s difficult. Especially when there’s a large product variation in terms of shape, materials and color.

Aiming for full automated inspection brings another challenge to the table. Products that are inspected need to be handled, also after inspection takes place. This means that automated handling can never damage the product, because it simply won’t be detected anymore. Handling the product is thus a very delicate process, which needs to be taken into great consideration when automating production.

To summarize the process steps we integrated

1. Product handling

An industrial robot with special grippers handles delicate products during the production process. We developed a special set of grippers for this solution, making it possible to inspect every product variant. The grippers assure prevention of damages and prints on the product.

2. Image Acquisition

During the production process, three types of images are taken. An image of the upper side, the bottom side and several simultaneous images of the product 360 degrees around. For a reliable result, it is important to generate stable and reproducible images. The hardware (the cameras) and the software (for image processing and deep learning) must communicate in the correct way. Only then, we can assure our customer that a reliable inspection and quality assurance takes place.

3. Image processing

Multiple software packages are used in this step, which processes the images from 3 cameras. We developed a special solution to show the results of all the inspection steps in 1 overview screen. Using a software shell that makes it possible to show the results from the hardware and software systems combined into one intuitive Graphical User Interface (GUI).

4. Deep learning

After inspection, the machine needs to be able to use the results for a subsequent inspection of the same or a different product variant. That is why our system uses deep learning. By using algorithms that search for deviations in the images and comparing these with images of products with normal variations and products with known damages, the system can learn itself to recognize more and more defects. Becoming even more experienced and precise as an operator.

Best and most consistent product quality possible

The automated inspection solution is a stand-alone machine. We integrated this solution into an unmanned production line, that we delivered earlier. This makes production run without interference of operators. The production line handles over 1,500 product variants automatically. Automating the quality inspection of this delicate product resulted in the following benefits:

• Assurance of best possible product quality;
• Consistent high level of inspection;
• Faster quality inspection process;
• Consistent and fully automated repeatable process.

Can your production use a smart manufacturing process?

Are you looking for smart manufacturing processes to improve production drastically? Our experts are here to answer your questions on vision. Send in your questions, as we love to get into your specific challenges.

Get in touch     [email protected]

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Finding new solutions to specific challenges

The customer likes its production capacity to match the market demands. They requested the use of existing manufacturing processes and asked us to find solutions for a number of additional process steps. The resulting production line should be robust, reliable and easy to operate.

DFA and DFM

Before taking on the challenge, we conducted a pre-automation analysis to get a good view of the assembly line. Besides the integration of new processes, we needed to integrate and validate existing supplier processes as well. The pre-automation analysis was conducted together with the customer. This led to a much better producibility of the product. Our engineers made use of the Design For Assembly (DFA) and Design For Manufacturing (DFM) methodology.

The new production line enables the customer to produce over 2,000,000 micro-dosing systems per year. These systems are manufactured at 10 seconds per product cycle time. The basis of this production line is formed by a standardized automation platform.

The following processes were integrated into the production line:

• Laser welding;
• Vision check;
• Height measurement;
• Pressure testing;
• Water test;
• Flow testing;
• Encoding.

Running on a tight schedule

The project had to be realized in a relatively short amount of time. We proposed a tight, but realistic planning to answer this question. Due to the growing demand of this product, the customer asked us if it was possible to speed up the process. The faster process required joint efforts of ourselves and the customer. We managed to find a solution for this and shortened the delivery time by six weeks. This enabled the customer to meet demands earlier than expected.

Due to the flexibility on both sides, we managed to finish the project with a successful Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) and Site Acceptance Test (SAT). The customer is satisfied with the fast delivery and employment of the machine. As the machine has proven itself over time, there are now more than five copies on location.

Flexible solutions for increased production capacity

The project results in a flexible and precise production solution. The production line is very scalable and proofs itself every time. The concrete benefits for the customer are:

• Meeting market demands earlier than expected;
• Further increase of production capacity;
• Flexible solution to scale up when necessary;
• Stable production processes.

Need help with Design For Assembly or Design For Manufacturing?

We get involved into your production challenges early to make a big impact. Get in touch with us for advice on your production systems.

Get in touch     [email protected]

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