Coherix, Ann Arbor, Michigan, is expanding its production and product development facilities to meet a growing demand for AI-based systems to control the application of adhesives in the assembly of automotive and electronics products.

The move to a new 25,000-square-foot North American manufacturing, product-development and headquarters facility in Ann Arbor will be completed by year’s end. The expansion will increase production space by 5,000-square-feet and add 5,000-square-feet for engineering, software development, training, and customer service.

Craig Manning, vice president of operations, product development and accounting, said workspace will allow the addition of 10 to 15 engineering and product-development jobs over the next year. 

The facility’s new Innovation Center will include 10 robot stations outfitted with a range of dispensing equipment, technical training facilities and a product demonstration-and-service area for customers.

“This is a game-changing move for Coherix,” Manning said. “It will allow us to keep pace with customer demand for our industry-leading products, speed the further development of a full range of new precision dispensing technology and help us attract needed engineering talent.”

Developer of 3D Computer Vision enabled adaptive-process-control technology, Coherix provides high-performance adhesive-dispensing process control technology to global OEMs, tier-one suppliers, line builders, dispensing-equipment companies, and system integrators in a variety of industries

The company offers the only manufacturing technology capable of automatically inspecting and controlling the application of adhesives and sealants at assembly-line speeds. Its 3D laser-based quality-control systems are equipped with machine-learning, artificial-intelligence, and process-control software that deliver savings of 25% in labor and material.

Coherix Chairman and CEO Dwight Carlson noted that the use of adhesives in manufacturing is growing rapidly, especially in the assembly of automotive, electronics and batteries. Nearly 30,000 people are employed in manufacturing sealants and adhesives in North America alone with a market size valued at more than $22 billion. 

“There’s also a growing demand for mechanical engineers as well as training for engineers currently involved with adhesives and sealants,” Carlson added. “Coherix is working with Eastern Michigan University, various trade organizations and our customers to meet those needs.

“The development and maintenance of trouble-free dispensing systems is an extremely complex process that includes robots, fixturing, adhesive-dispensing equipment and process-control systems along with a host of other factors. It’s been an art form up until now, but we’re injecting more science and inter-company cooperation into the process.” 

Coherix has launched a workshop program to help improve the use of adhesives and sealants in product manufacturing. Co-sponsored by the Engineering and Manufacturing Alliance (EMA), more than 100 system integrators, robot suppliers, dispensing equipment suppliers, material suppliers, and end users are expected to attend the program this year to discuss issues related to adhesive dispensing in manufacturing environments. 

The company also is working with Eastern Michigan University (EMU) in Ypsilanti to develop “factory-of-the-future” manufacturing technology and support education programs for mechanical engineering students. 

The three-year program at the university’s GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology focuses on precision-manufacturing applications in the growing field of adhesive-dispensing technology and is supported by a $385,000 grant from Coherix. 

Coherix earlier this year also introduced an industry-first service program to help its customers maintain robotic adhesive-dispensing systems. The company provides training, technical assistance and on-site support.

Jared Rogers, Coherix applications engineering manager, helped develop Coherix CARES. He notes that while high-speed adhesive-dispensing systems are essential, they also are difficult to maintain because they often involve various system integrators along with a variety of robot and dispensing-equipment suppliers. 

Learn more about Coherix at www.coherix.com.