Obsolete Light Curtains Were Causing a Sourcing Issue for Shingle Manufacturer
Roofing Shingle Manufacturer Saves Inventory Costs by Doing a Safety Light Curtain Upgrade
COMPANY PROFILE
Manufacturer of roofing shingles for residential construction.
BUSINESS SITUATION
The manufacturer faced an issue with their current light curtains being obsolete. The equipment was so old they could no longer find a source for what was installed. They needed competitive pricing to what they had been purchasing as well as someone that could review their applications, wiring and devise a solution. They could no longer find a source to sell them their light curtains because they were obsolete. This caused a large problem for them because it interfered with operating their production lines safely and effectively.
TECHNICAL SITUATION
Due to obsolescence and limited wiring diagrams, the manufacturer was concerned that when their inventory was depleted they would not have a migration solution. They knew they needed to replace the light curtains before they ran out of stock and risked their production lines shutting down.
SOLUTION
McNaughton-McKay examined the existing light curtain applications that were obsolete. Pictures were taken of the control cabinets and terminations for further evaluation. The existing light curtains were crossed over to modern Rockwell Automation light curtains. A comparison was done of the pinouts for the obsolete light curtains and new recommended light curtains. The wiring for the current light curtains was not a match for the new light curtains so rewiring was required for the new solution. A report was written with snips of each pinout and the corresponding terminal in the control panel so the contractor could easily identify what needed to be done.
BENEFITS
The new light curtains help the manufacturer reduce inventory costs by half. This is a significant savings. The new light curtains are more basic and only require a few logic modules in inventory along with an optical light curtain stick for each required size. The function the light curtains are required to perform is much less complicated than the previous curtains, saving the manufacturer on troubleshooting and maintenance.
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES USED
- Rockwell Automation 450L Light Curtains