Lighting Industry

A lighting manufacturer needed to convert its entire system to meet new industry standards on lighting products. Premier Automation converted, upgraded, and reprogrammed the customer's system to produce a different end product within the company's budget and time constraints.

The Problem

A lighting manufacturing company had been manufacturing incandescent light bulbs since 1982. With the announcement that the United States would phase out incandescent lighting starting in 2014, this company was faced with the dire challenge of changing its entire manufacturing process to produce new bulbs. The lighting manufacturer needed an affordable solution to keep its doors open and adapt to evolving lighting industry standards.

The Solution

Premier Automation overhauled the lighting manufacturer’s entire system, adding new PLCs, designing and constructing control panels, and reconfiguring the customer’s existing machines and programming to produce halogen light bulbs. Premier Automation converted 4 sets of machines and 4 stations total, working closely with the customer to understand their methodology and exact needs for the end product.

The Results

The lighting manufacturing company successfully transitioned to a new product using adaptations to its existing equipment, and now produces 3,000 halogen bulbs an hour. Premier Automation regularly programs new functions for this customer as the company continues to keep pace with changes in the lighting industry. The lighting manufacturing company was able to save hundreds of jobs by converting its manufacturing process, while Premier Automation worked with their budget and time constraints to make it possible.

Pain Points

  • Needed to change entire manufacturing process due to lighting industry mandates
  • Had to adapt existing machinery to save on costs
  • Required both practical & engineering expertise to tailor the new system to this company’s process

Technology used

  • Siemens PLCs
  • Existing lighting manufacturing equipment
  • Custom control panels

Services provided

  • PLC installation and start-up
  • Equipment upgrades and modifications
  • Custom programming with ongoing additions
  • Engineering and design services

Challenges

  • Premier Automation offered engineering expertise, flexibility, and a deep commitment to the customer’s success to transition a lighting company to a new manufacturing process.

Results

  • Successfully adapted customer’s equipment and programming to produce a new end product
  • The lighting manufacturing company retained its workforce and continued producing thousands of bulbs an hour to meet the demands of an evolving industry