Standardizing Indication in Automotive Assembly
Challenge
On a high-speed packaging line, conventional three- to five-segment tower lights alert operators to a disruption but provide little help locating its source. Basic Run, Warning, or Fault states do not tell operators whether material is failing to arrive from upstream, accumulating locally, or blocked by a downstream jam. The time it takes to locate the source can turn small disruptions into line stoppages.
Solution
Configured in Run Mode, 20-cell CTL50 Continuous Tower Lights positioned along the packaging line use their full displays to present a distinct color and animation for each flow condition. Steady green indicates normal product flow, a downward blue animation indicates upstream starvation, an upward yellow animation indicates local accumulation, and flashing red indicates a downstream jam. Process data from an IO-Link master selects the appropriate indication according to PLC logic.
Operators can immediately see whether to investigate upstream, locally, or downstream, shortening the time required to locate the source and helping keep small disruptions from becoming line stoppages.
