Turck Banner offers pick-to-light sensors in various forms to minimise operator error in repetitive manual assembly operations. Pick-to-light solutions follow the same basic format in that they provide the operator/assembler with a highly visible indication of a specific sequence in an assembly process. The sequence progression can be automatic - that is, the action of removing a part from a particular bin activates the light of the next bin in the sequence or be operator driven after each part is selected.
With Banner's Parts Verification Array (PVA) to light their way, assemblers never need to guess, "what's next?" Highly visible job lights on each emitter and receiver guide assemblers through the correct part picking sequence, reducing the occurrence of missed parts and parts assembled in the wrong order. PVA is a simple two-part system that does not require an additional controller box, as the emitter and receiver interface easily to an existing process controller.
The PVD Parts Verification sensor features large bright green and red job lights that provide distinct visual prompts to guide assemblers through a part picking sequence and notify of an incorrect or out-of-sequence selection. The PVD is suitable for multi-part pick-to-light assembly, order packing and fulfilment as well as bin picking, part sorting, collating and error proofing applications. The design offers automatic selection of either diffuse or retro-reflective sensing mode, depending on the presence or absence of a retro-reflective target material.
Also available from the company is a range of ergonomically designed, optical touch-buttons with a picking light integrated into the base. VTB buttons mount near bins in a workstation. As the assembler removes each part, he or she touches the corresponding VTB button to signal the controller to switch the job light for the picked bin off, verify that the correct part has been taken and activate the job light of the next bin to pick in the sequence. VTB buttons have no moving parts and are sealed to IP66. The outputs require no physical force and activate when a finger inserted in the 'touch area' breaks an infrared beam.