Assembly and Robotics
Banner Helps Improve Efficiencies in Assembly and Manufacturing
A broad range of assembly methods are adopted by manufacturers to meet their production requirements for volume, product mix and cost structure. From manual work stations where operator experience is fundamental for product assembly to highly automated production lines utilizing robotics in the manufacture of goods, maximizing production efficiency and ensuring product quality is critical to a manufacturer’s competitiveness in the global market place.
Every day, solutions from Banner Engineering are helping manufacturers gain a competitive edge. Our industry knowledge and expertise in sensors, safety control, wireless I/O and LED lighting is helping manufacturers enhance their production processes, address machine safeguarding requirements and ensure high levels of product quality. We have a solid network of knowledgeable channel partners and the largest team of applications engineers in the industry, all able to draw on a catalog of over 30,000 products designed and developed to solve problems.
Featured Applications
Detecting Black Parts on Black Door Panel
Differentiate between foam and poor contrast background
Wireless Call for Parts
A system of Banner’s TL70 wireless modular tower lights and K50 touch buttons provides an efficient, easy way to communicate a call for more parts with a forklift driver. When a workstation is almost out of cartons, the operator touches the ergonomic K50 touch button which changes the status on the connected TL70 wireless tower light to red.
Part Pick Indication for Small Bins
To reduce the risk of error in an assembly operation, a one-piece EZ-LIGHT PVD pick-to-light sensor with a 400 mm range is interfaced with a process controller programmed with the correct assembly sequence. The controller makes the PVDs light up in the correct order, to show the assembler which part to pick. After the PVD detects that the assembler's hand has entered and left the bin, the controller signals the PVD of the next bin in the pick sequence to light up.
Robotic Guarding in Work Area without Limiting Access
Safety laser scanners work well for safeguarding applications where user access and protection are equally important. Banner’s AG4 Safety Laser Scanner with a 190º scanning angle fits nearly any shape and can evaluate an operator’s position by range and rotational angle. Its flexibility allows for new safeguarding shapes when work cell dimensions and parameters change.
High-Quality LED Lighting for Conveyor Illumination
Finding a high-intensity, ultra-bright lighting solution for manufacturing can be challenging. Since multiple lights are required to properly illuminate areas on a conveyor, a simple mounting option to connect lights together is needed.
Bright Indication in Ambient Light
When a window is located directly behind a cabinet, extremely bright, long lasting LED indicator lights can provide highly visible indication throughout the day. Banner’s EZ-LIGHT K50 Beacon is perfect for many indication status applications, especially in this cabinet because the beacon is highly visible even during daylight and is extremely durable with long-lasting, energy-efficient LEDs.
Featured Products
QS18 Series All Purpose Photoelectric Sensor
All purpose photoelectric sensor with universal housing design and 18 mm threaded barrel is an ideal replacement for hundreds of other sensor styles.
Q4X Series Rugged Laser Distance Sensor
Rugged Q4X laser distance sensor solves many challenging applications and comes in a rugged IP69K rating with FDA food grade stainless steel housing.
DF-G2 Series High Speed Fiber Optic Amplifier
Fiber amplifier with IO-Link capability for high speed (10 μs) for applications like part counting or registration mark detection. Output: NPN or PNP.
14/30 Series Traditional Heavy-Duty Type 4
Models available in 14 & 30 mm resolutions and up to 2400 mm (7.9 ft) lengths in three robust housing options. Suitable for detecting fingers, hands, and ankles as well as guarding perimeters.
K50 Core Series 50 mm General Purpose Illuminated Touch Buttons
K50 Series touch buttons combine a large, bright indicator with solid-state, touch-activated switching capability, ideal for lean manufacturing and bin-picking operations.
Success Stories
LED Lights Illuminate Control Cabinet
An equipment manufacturer builds test and measurement machinery for the auto industry. Operators access machine systems through the control cabinet. Intense illumination of the cabinet facilitates machine maintenance and management. Multiple AC powered fluorescent light fixtures had been used for this task.
![Vision Sensor to Read QR Codes [Success Story]](/content/dam/banner-engineering/3d-renders/application-notes/wcc-migration/2014/iVu-Plus-BCR-Label-Verification---Transmissions.psd/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.319.319.png)
Vision Sensor to Read QR Codes [Success Story]
iVu Plus BCR Gen 2 with 25 mm Micro Lens replaces hand held barcode readers to collect data from dense, difficult-to-read QR codes on vehicle transmissions. A WL50S high-intensity LED spot light illuminates the target area.
Sensors to Measure Movement Range
During assembly, inspections are conducted to measure seat height adjustment, forward and rearward movement, and upright and recline motion. Two sensors are used for each inspection. The sensors are deployed off the conveyor line to ensure easy access to and the free movement of the seats. At its maximum range during inspection, a seat may be as far as a meter away from the sensors.
![Streamlining Call for Parts or Service [Success Story]](/content/dam/banner-engineering/3d-renders/application-notes/wcc-migration/2013/DX80---TL50---K50-Touch---Call-for-Parts.psd/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.319.319.png)
Streamlining Call for Parts or Service [Success Story]
To improve efficiency, assemblers at work stations need a way to call for parts and service that doesn’t involve them leaving their work stations. Getting parts more quickly would improve production efficiency, and using a system of remote indicators would let the supervisors to see the status of each work station, allowing the supervisors to fix production problems quickly and to collect production metrics.
![Communication in a Busy Manufacturing Site [Success Story]](/content/dam/banner-engineering/3d-renders/application-notes/wcc-migration/2014/K50-Touch-and-TL50---Industrial-Oven_For-Andrew.psd/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.319.319.png)
Communication in a Busy Manufacturing Site [Success Story]
As more components pass through the oven, keeping pace with the flow of items to be unloaded becomes increasingly difficult. Congestion in the sortation area builds. Items can easily be misdirected or even damaged. A pause in the flow of parts allows the unloading operator to correct mistakes and clear a pickup station. However, the distance between the unloading and loading areas as well as ambient interference from surrounding machinery complicates communication between operators.