5 Factors to Consider When Choosing an Indicator

Designing a control panel for your machine requires more planning than you might think. The sooner you make informed decisions, the better your product will be for your application and end-users. But first, what’s in a name? Indicator lamp, pilot light, status indicator — they all mean the same thing. It’s not what you call it that makes all the difference, but the planning that goes into it. From the type of lamp to the visual vocabulary, every decision can add up to optimal (or less than ideal) human-machine interaction. Here are five things to consider when choosing the right indicator light for your control display. 1. Design Space and the Constraints of Your Panel and Device The footprint of the panel and the overall size of the device have huge implications for how much room you’ll have to work with. Do you have enough real estate to include several indicators on the panel, each with their own status update? Or, will your indicator need to perform double- or triple-duty, signaling multiple states to end-users? How the light source is connected to the panel also comes into play. Will you use a panel mount indicator or a circuit board with a light pipe? Will your device require multiple indicators? Light pipes work best when: The light needs to be transmitted a great distance or around a curve Multiple indicators will be used on a single device Panel mount indicators (PMIs) work best when: The light doesn’t need to travel long distances or around curves within a device There are only a few indicators on the panel 2. Working Conditions How and where your device will be operated should be a guiding factor in determining the right indicator solution. For machines that will be used outdoors, moisture, humidity and operating temperatures must all be taken into account to ensure the optimal life of the equipment (as well as user safety). Industrial machines are often exposed to grease, dirt and sweat, but they also must be able to withstand high-vibration during operation. Indoor devices can take a beating, too — especially in the food industry where exposure to abrasive cleaning chemicals is a key element to food safety. The harshest of these conditions can be addressed with the appropriate Ingress Protection (IP) rating. An IP rating of IP67 is sufficient for most industrial applications. In addition to exposure to elements, how operators bend and move around the equipment is also an important consideration. Will users need to maintain status updates while standing off to the side? Will the sun be shining in their eyes while they operate the device? If your device is portable, consider the importance of a wide-viewing angle. The shape of the lens face can also enhance (or hinder) viewing angle and daytime visibility. For example, a dome shape provides the widest viewing angle for visibility from multiple working positions by helping with side views. 3. Visual Vocabulary and HMI Whether you’re designing a smart home device or an industrial machine, the end goal should be the same: simple, intuitive operation between the user and the HMI. Attaining the ideal human-machine interaction requires significant upfront research. The focus of your interface design and visual language should be user-centric, obtaining real input from actual operators whenever possible. High-level user-centric design (UCD) principles to guide your thinking: Focus on function and location of the device Design for human error Conduct usability testing with actual operators Make the interface as simple as possible for the user Keep in mind, the human brain processes visuals much faster than text. Research has shown that using color combined with icons allows for 37% faster reaction times than text alone. Whenever possible, use colors and icons to communicate status updates during operation. What’s your visual vocabulary? Are you starting from scratch, or can you build upon common color cues familiar to your end-users? Thanks to traffic signals, we all know green means go, while yellow means caution. Would these same basic color codes allow for the intuitive operation of your device? Consider the importance of incorporating your brand colors into the interface design. Will you use a single color to communicate multiple functions based on flashes, or use a single color for each status notification? While the interface design is important, the user experience should guide every design decision related to your status indicator light should ladder back to how the machine and operator will interact. 4. Lighting Technology There’s no one-size-fits-all for determining which type of lamp your indicator will need. From the power input and color selection to the working environment, there are several factors to consider when choosing between an incandescent, LED, or neon lamp. Lamp Type Average Operating Life Costs Heat Power Durability Incandescent 10,000 – 30,000 hours Lowest initial cost Puts out significant heat Flexible voltage requirements Fragile filament and bulbs LED 100.000 hours Higher upfront costs Cool operation Low power consumption Resists shock and vibration Neon 40,000 hours Low initial cost Cool during operation Low drain, high requirements of at least 70V Reduced lifepan on DC; resists shock and vibration   Of course, the cost is always a factor. Choosing the lowest initial price may end up costing more in the long run with less-than-peak performance. Other factors, like maintenance, should be considered when selecting lighting technology. LEDs are the future, thanks to a combination of long life, cool operation, low power consumption and ease of maintenance. LEDs are also available in high-voltage options of 110V and 220V (and even 240V) AC, as well as a range of colors. They are ideal for industrial applications where high vibration and extreme operating temps are all in a day’s work. Neon lamps are a good fit for high-voltage operations, such as 110V AC or 220V AC. Like LEDs, neon lamps are rugged and not impacted by vibration or mechanical shock. These lamps can also handle frequent ON/OFF operations. And when driven with DC power, a neon lamp can be used as a reference voltage source while remaining stable at near 90V. Incandescent lamps once ruled the day, but are now being phased out in many machines, based on lifespan, durability and heat output. If you’re making any modifications to a design, consider retrofitting your lighting technology from incandescent to LED. In certain applications, these upgrades can add tremendous ROI for the end-user. Incandescent indicators can become brittle, overheat and frequently break, driving the need for ongoing maintenance and bulb replacements. In large-scale industrial applications, this level of downtime can add up. By replacing the incandescent bulbs with durable and long-lasting LEDs, your operators can enjoy maximum uptime and make maintenance virtually obsolete. However, retrofits are also an ideal time to look at the overall control panel and determine if additional improvements are necessary. For one power generating station, VCC not only retrofitted energy-guzzling incandescents with LEDs, but we also streamlined the control panel by consolidating two single-color indicators into one bi-color pilot light. 5. Budget and Timing In a perfect world, you’d have a blank check when it comes to specifying the right indicator for your device, and you’d get your indicators produced in the blink of an eye. In the real world, budget and time constraints can significantly impact the indicator you specify. However, it’s worth noting that many manufacturers can modify an existing product slightly, giving you the properties you want in a custom solution for a fraction of the price and lead time. Remember, there may be a minimum order quantity (MOQ) associated with such requests. Be sure to consult with your manufacturer’s engineering team to determine if there’s a standard product or a modified standard solution that could give you what you need, and more importantly when you need it. Depending on the complexity, you could receive a custom design in as little as 4-6 weeks. Putting It All Together From the type of lamp to the HMI design, the pilot lights inside your device can play a significant role in the success and safe operation of your product. By asking the tough questions up front and collaborating with your manufacturer, you can get a solution more aligned with your exact specifications.   Unmatched Options for Design-In and Installation     VCC With the largest offering of LED, incandescent and neon panel mount indicators on the market, VCC enables engineers to design-in exact solutions to meet their unique needs.    

How Automation and the IIoT are Improving Industrial Communication

In its earliest days, industrial automation made waves in manufacturing simply by increasing productivity and reducing high human operator costs. While those advantages are still a major draw for many businesses, the focus has broadened in recent years. Decision makers are now seeking solutions to make their processes safer, flexible and more accurate. The Internet of Things (IoT), a global network of “smart” devices, has expanded exponentially as more companies begin to offer deeply integrated products that not only speak directly to end users, but link with other networked products. Understandably, the manufacturing industry has become one of the largest players in this arena. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) continues to be a growing topic of conversation as industry leaders surface opportunities for partners to digitize their businesses. Many of the obstacles that initially presented for businesses interested in streamlining their automated processes — such as prohibitive equipment entry costs or a lack of machine-to-machine (M2M) communication capabilities — have been mitigated by better, more affordable technology and increased competition among suppliers. We’re now facing a climate where the enormous benefits can’t be ignored, and manufacturers must respond to remain in the game. Reshaping Data Exchange Gathering data from mechanized equipment is not a new concept. For decades, status reports and system diagnostics have incrementally improved. This plethora of data has informed industrial processes over time and allowed Lean manufacturing to flourish by streamlining processes and architecture, and by leveraging automation. Historically, on-site technicians would review system data on a machine’s display screen. Depending on the circumstances, they would then make manual adjustments to fix or improve the process. It was slow, expensive and ultimately inefficient. As a result, a strong demand for transparency and speed in data exchange surfaced, particularly within the last few years. The IIoT has risen as the logical progression in industrial communications infrastructure. Today, data is gathered at multiple points, analyzed, communicated digitally to remote technicians (or in some cases other machines) and acted on in an instant. Consequently, manufacturers are beginning to rethink their broader operations, and are ultimately finding greater value in many of their processes through automation and the IIoT. Is There Measurable Impact? With the IIoT acting as the eyes and ears, machine learning and M2M connectivity together have spurred incremental improvements in manufacturing processes across several industries. This vast impact on communications infrastructure has led companies to explore and invest in business intelligence determining how the IIoT might move the needle in other areas of such as quality control, safety, sustainability and supply chain optimization. Some examples of how enhanced communication through the IIoT and automation can impact these areas include: Quality Control    - Fast, remote access to diagnostics and maintenance.    - Greater accuracy and control over manufacturing parameters.    Safety   - Networked information exchange can eliminate the need for on-site personnel in hazardous locations.   - Remote sensors can trigger a variety of alarms signaling unsecured entry points and dangerous changes in the environment due to malfunctioning equipment or emergency conditions. Sustainability   - Utilizing motion-activated task and safety lighting, maintaining climate controlled facilities and monitoring water usage to detect leaks can all greatly reduce energy consumption in manufacturing. Supply Chain   - Assessment of product inventory across a wide-network of distribution facilities can be managed from one central location or on-the-go.   - Internet-connected tracking devices using use long-range networks or Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANs) to provide the real-time geographic location, environment and condition of products.   Implementing IIoT Automation for Your Business While the value in incorporating communication automation is clear, the thought of shifting decades old manufacturing processes can be daunting for business leaders. Even small upgrades to infrastructure, process revisions and workforce trainings can often have a significant impact on day-to-day operations. The important thing to keep in mind as you form a plan is that long-term, incremental change is a smart approach in an industry driven by technology that inevitably makes itself obsolete. Identify where you want your business to be long term, but don’t crash and burn with hasty or expensive changes that you might not be ready for. Scalable, cloud-based investments can add the most value to your business often have a small proof of concept. These include advanced process control (APC) monitoring, condition-based monitoring (CBM), enterprise data management, mobility solutions and planning/scheduling tools. In addition, maintaining a focus on security should be a top priority as you grow your business to harness the power of the IIoT. Just as you wouldn’t leave the doors to your factory’s physical spaces wide open, you should also formalize a plan to keep your new broader network secure.  Where IIoT Will Take Us Tomorrow Today, the concept of a connected factory, operating within a controlled and somewhat closed environment seems fairly benign. Its common practice for new construction and often carries more significance than aesthetic in the planning phases of industrial facilities design. Moving towards an open, interconnected environment will almost certainly become the norm in coming years, and many experts have predicted that advancements in networked manufacturing technology will outpace current consumer-driven leaders within the next few decades. Accenture estimates the IIoT could add $14.2 trillion to the global economy by the year 2030.    

How to Implement a Kitting Program

Imagine a cluttered storeroom with scattered parts in mismatched bins. Nothing is labeled and nothing is organized. Can you imagine how difficult it will be to find the exact part you need, let alone to find that component quickly? A possible solution to organize your facility — and cut down on SKUs — is to implement a kitting program. What is kitting? Kitting is a material management strategy used to create pre-packaged and pre-labeled components, increasing efficiency and reducing time-consuming organization of assembly options. A kit includes different parts and components that are always used together. Kits simplify your supply chain by taking several SKUs and combining them into one kit with one SKU. Implementing a kitting program can ultimately move production towards being just-in-time (JIT). The idea of kitting has existed in production facilities for many years, but it has recently been revitalized as more companies embrace Lean principles to streamline processes. Trends in automation have also made kitting projects more efficient because labeling machinery requires less maintenance and oversight. Does kitting apply to my organization? Like other Lean principles, the concept of kitting can be adapted to nearly any company in any industry. Perhaps your organization buys product in bulk but has to spend time separating the bulk product into smaller batches. Maybe you buy products in increments that, when joined with other components, don’t work out in a perfect mathematical conversion. Or perhaps your workers get to a job site and frequently find that they’re missing equipment necessary to complete the job. Kitting consolidates products and components so you always have the right inventory on hand at the right time. Use these steps to implement a kitting program that eliminates SKUs and streamlines your supply chain. Identify Bottlenecks Before you can create a kit, you must identify areas of inefficiency in your organization. Look for bottlenecks in production. Make a note of components that are hard to keep track of or are often forgotten. When parts are always used together, it takes extra time to track and store these components separately. Think about the different products and components that are always used together that could be combined. Components that require a bill of materials (BOM) are also a great candidate for a kit. Walk Through the Stockroom Take a walk through your stockroom and look at how parts are organized. Use this exercise as part of your Gemba walk. In Lean methodology, the Gemba walk is an in-person observation of where work is performed to search for value (and alternatively, waste). Physically walking through the stockroom helps you understand how parts are laid out and managed. Is there a way to make the products you have into less counted inventory? Look for ways to consolidate parts from several items into one. Collaborate With Your Team After you’ve searched through your parts and products for inefficiencies, it’s time to ask others to do the same. Work with members of your team to find opportunities that you may not be aware of. Partner with your engineers to gain expert insight into how your products are assembled. Ask the technicians who replace parts on your machinery if they have noticed any opportunities to simplify or eliminate parts. Work With Your Distributor  Once you have a working knowledge of your inventory and stockroom, it’s time to leverage the relationship you have with your distributors. Take the research from the first three steps as a jumping-off point for developing kits. For parts purchased from a distributor, work together to create a system that ensures that certain parts are always delivered together. Here are two examples of kitting creation with the help of a distributor:  Scenario 1: You currently buy a relay, but you always have to order the relay base and the spring clips separately. By making this into a kit, it’s guaranteed that you always have what is needed to use this product. An added benefit is that kitting cuts two SKUs out of your system.  Scenario 2: Wire duct and cover usually come in standard 6-foot pieces. Most vendors sell by the foot. That means for one PC of each, you end up with six in inventory. Use a kit to convert the feet into sticks and include the matching cover that is needed for each kit. This makes it easier to control the inventory and reduces one SKU. These are the types of solutions that require a strong partnership with whom you are purchasing materials from. Having a working knowledge of where kits could benefit your organization ensures that your distributor can set up your kit without any guesswork on their end. Completing steps one through three can also show opportunities to kit internally. As you analyze your production for areas of inefficiencies, you can decide on which end it makes sense for the kits to be created. Once you have your kits assembled, discuss timelines with your distributor. Knowing lead times is critical to having kits on hand when you need them. How often do you need to order parts or products to ensure that there is always enough safety stock on hand? Understanding kit lead times is an integral part of streamlining your supply chain. Customize Your Kits  Kits are assembled based on your recommendations, even when working with a distributor. Your organization determines the BOM and what part numbers will be included. You can provide your distributor with a detailed print that they will use for a quote. By providing your notes and requirements for the BOM, they have the ability to make the kit the same way with every assembly for the part number. Kits are customized to your specific needs; there’s no one-size-fits-all option. Kits can include simple, everyday components or parts needed for periodic purchases. Label the outside of kits to make it clear what’s included. Anyone, even someone who’s not familiar with the product, should be able to easily understand exactly what is included before opening the kit. Use labels to organize products in your stockroom. This makes it easier to track safety stock levels. Bag and tag kits with your internal part number so each part number is already identified in your stockroom. Parts can be marked with part numbers on the product or on the actual kit bag.  Continual Improvement If there’s one Lean principle that stands the test of time, it’s that there are always opportunities to find more value and eliminate more waste. Kitting is an ongoing process that should evolve over time to meet changing needs. Establish a system in your organization to monitor production and inventory bottlenecks. For production that’s truly “just in time,” continually look for opportunities to consolidate inventory and streamline your supply chain. Getting More From Less Implementing a kitting program starts with identifying your organization’s bottlenecks. Ultimately, kitting allows your organization to get more value from fewer SKUs. Creating a kitting program can increase efficiency, provide cost savings, and put you on a path to JIT production. Shipping is more convenient with fewer parts to track and can facilitate a faster turnaround time. With a predetermined kit, you know that you’ll get all the hardware you need without wasting time tracking down related components. Forget about assemblers searching through inventory and pulling parts. Kits save time and reduce labor costs because components are ready at the point of use. Are you ready to get started? Walking out on the production floor is the best place to begin.

A Visual Guide to NEMA Ratings for Enclosures (Infographic)

Electrical equipment is only as effective as it is protected. Whether you’re indoors, outdoors, exposed to water, or facing harsh weather conditions, electrical equipment needs to be protected by an enclosure. Choosing the right electrical enclosure requires some knowledge of electrical standards. Ratings from the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) provide guidance on what level of protection your enclosure needs depending on the environmental factors it is subjected to. Use the information in this infographic to easily identify the type of enclosure you need for your specific application. What is NEMA? NEMA is an organization responsible for a rating system that ranks the ability of electrical components and electrical enclosures to resist environmental factors. NEMA standards are commonly recognized and used mainly in North America. These enclosure standards list out the enclosure’s ability to withstand certain elements like water, dust, chemicals, ice and oil. Unlike UL and CSA standards, NEMA does not require independent lab testing for an enclosure to be considered up to code. Instead, NEMA puts compliance in the hands of the manufacturer. NEMA doesn’t manufacture any enclosures itself; the agency exclusively establishes industry standards. What do the different NEMA ratings mean? NEMA ratings use different numbers to represent protection levels for electrical enclosures. It’s important to note that a higher number doesn’t necessarily mean a higher level of protection. More often than not, the rating number is correlated with the enclosure’s ability to resist water. Whether you’re an engineer, inspector or installer, choosing an electrical enclosure with the right levels of protection is paramount to worker safety. All enclosures prevent access to hazardous parts, but they provide varying levels of protection against other elements. Having a working knowledge of NEMA codes ensures that your enclosure will keep your equipment protected and running efficiently. This infographic provides a visual representation of the different levels of protection each type of enclosure offers. Whether you need protection from dust, dirt, ice, water or corrosion, you can select the right enclosure for your application. Once your enclosure is properly installed, you’ll know exactly how protected your equipment will be. Use these codes to find an up-to-standard enclosure every time. For a complete description of the NEMA ratings and test criteria, learn more from NEMA. If you have questions beyond the NEMA rating, check with the enclosure manufacturer for details on specific enclosures and their certifications.