Operator Guidance Indication

Challenge: Workstation Picking

In a recent material handling application, operators were frequently grabbing products from the wrong bin location. They had to rely on printed job orders, making it difficult for operators to tell where the correct items were, reducing productivity, and increasing operating costs. The manager wanted to find a way to improve picking processes. Read more to learn how the WLS15 Pro improved operator guidance.

Solution: Operator Guidance with the WLS15 Pro

The operations manager installed a WLS15 Pro with PICK-IQ above each row of bins to utilize its multicolor indication and flexible control capabilities. When an operator scanned an incoming tote, the lights associated to the proper bins for that order would turn green to indicate where the operator should grab items. This simple solution helped speed up stocking and replenishment times by clearly and visually guiding workers to the correct location for each item. The PICK-IQ serial communication enabled easy integration, allowing the control of multiple lights on each station responding dynamically to industrial protocol commands.

Key Benefits:

Flexible Indication Capabilities for Material Handling

Visually monitor processes and respond quickly to unwanted conditions. The WLS15 Pro provides locational status guidance for pick-to-light and assembly applications. It offers long range visibility of material level, temperature, weight, and more so operators can monitor machine or process statuses from a distance and respond to them quickly.

Dynamic Communication

IO-Link and Pick-IQ models allow for dynamic control—reacting to commands from an IO-Link or Modbus Master—and have additional modes that discrete units do not. IO-Link enables users to change device parameters from the control system as needed, such as during product changeover, which reduces downtime and allows machines to accommodate greater product diversity. These models can be divided in up to 10 segments for applications like assembly guidance or pick-to-light. They also offer unique LED color control to provide advanced users with total control. The WLS15 Pro with IO-Link or Pick-IQ models help reduce costs, increase process efficiency, and improves machine availability.

Easy Configuration

The new WLS15 Pro comes in Pro Editor, IO-Link, or Pick-IQ compatible models. Banner’s Pro Editor software allows users to program device status, colors, and animations for control via three discrete inputs. The application-based interface makes it easy to configure a light for a wide range of applications such as displaying machine warm-up time, indicating unique steps in an assembly process, showing distance and position information, and communicating multiple machine states. Pro Editor models are discretely controlled and ideal for users who do not have IO-Link, but who want control and customization to communicate information visually.

Reliable Performance in Harsh Environments

WLS15 Pro Series strip lights provide professional grade lighting at a price point that is accessible for a variety of applications. The sealed IP66, IP67-rated lights are constructed with sturdy aluminum frames in a shatterproof polycarbonate housing, making them resistant to wet or dusty environments as well as impact and breakage. Each WLS15 uses a fraction of the energy of many comparable light fixtures for additional cost-savings.

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WLS15 Pro 시리즈

Pro Editor, IO-Link 또는 PICK-IQ를 지원하는 WLS15 Pro LED 표시등은 고급 표시 용도에 사용할 수 있는 프로그래머블 LED가 탑재되어 있습니다.