Language: Dutch / English
Description of assignment
At Vanderlande, we serve customers worldwide by building highly flexible material handling systems out of configurable building blocks. To drive these systems, our Model Based Design (MBD) workflow uses tools like MATLAB/Simulink to develop and test controllers in virtual environments before generating code for various PLC platforms (such as Siemens PLC, Allen-Bradley PLC, and C++). While automated code generation enables versatile deployment, it often makes the generated code unreadable for controls engineers on customer sites, leaving them heavily reliant on basic interface statistics during troubleshooting.
In this hands-on project, you will explore new ways to make control software transparent and accessible for site engineers. Focusing on solutions like Simatic Target for Simulink, you will investigate how engineers can deploy generated code while maintaining visual access to the original model. You will analyze current MBD workflows, test new tools on existing OT modules, and evaluate how this way of working improves debugging efficiency and commissioning on site.
You will join the Model Based Design (MBD) team within the Technology department, where we develop reusable Operational Technology (OT) modules applied across Vanderlande’s global solution portfolio. Our team bridges systems engineering, simulation, software development, and industrial automation.
Working alongside experienced control and software engineers, you will perform practical experiments combining virtual plants, MATLAB/Simulink models, and Siemens PLC hardware. Depending on project progress, you may even validate your findings on real material handling equipment.