Light Stack

hipoint2 · Nov 17, 2006

Has anyone every used a light stack that has more than 5 colored lights? If so who makes it? I personally would rather use a little 2 line data display but we all know how that goes! Thanks

Lancie1 · Nov 17, 2006

Yes, it is called "2 five-light stacks standing next to each other", but why would you ever want more than about 3 different colored lights? No normal human will ever be able to remember what 10 different colors are supposed to mean.

You are correct, in modern times, the trend is to assume the operator is a complete moron, and will not be able to figure out what an alarm means, unless you have a text message telling him what it means. Usually nowdays that is a correct assumption. The average member of the human race is getting dumber. I don't know exactly why, but I suspect it is due to easy living and poor breeding.

hipoint2 · Nov 17, 2006

I was only looking for 6 colored lights NOT 10.

PLCRookie · Nov 17, 2006

Try PATLITE

Jimmie_Ohio · Nov 17, 2006

hipoint2 said:
Has anyone every used a light stack that has more than 5 colored lights? If so who makes it? I personally would rather use a little 2 line data display but we all know how that goes! Thanks

Be sure to program the 2 line display to read as follows:

RED Light would be on (if I could get a larger stack)
GREEN Light would be on (if I could get a larger stack)
BLUE Light would be on (if I could get a larger stack)
ORANGE Light would be on (if I could get a larger stack)
WHITE Light would be on (if I could get a larger stack)
AMBER Light would be on (if I could get a larger stack)

Since you only need 6 lights...

gbradley · Nov 17, 2006

Nice one Jimmie.
Haven't seen many Orange lights though?
looks alot like Amber.

Jimmie_Ohio · Nov 17, 2006

gbradley said:
Nice one Jimmie.
Haven't seen many Orange lights though?
looks alot like Amber.

Okay:

BLACK light on - check control power

Steve Bailey · Nov 17, 2006

Haven't seen many Orange lights though? looks alot like Amber

Therein lies the reason behind the limited number of lamps available in a stack. How many different colors can you reasonably expect an operator to be able to discriminate?

curlyandshemp · Nov 17, 2006

gbradley said:
Nice one Jimmie.
Haven't seen many Orange lights though?
looks alot like Amber.

Usually an Orange light is used to indicate the amber light has burned out

Jimmie_Ohio · Nov 17, 2006

Steve Bailey said:
Therein lies the reason behind the limited number of lamps available in a stack. How many different colors can you reasonably expect an operator to be able to discriminate?

After all of my dim-witted responses to this thread, I do seriously agree with Mr. Bailey.

On complicated machines built "on the cheap" (read: not enough money to buy even a PanelView 300), I've programmed a two-digit BCD display to handle up to a hundred faults "codes". Then I post a typed, laminated document with the fault descriptions and remedies. The operators/ maintenance people tend to like it, provided the actions described are both accurate and actually lead to a reset of the fault incurred.

curlyandshemp · Nov 17, 2006

Steve Bailey said:
Therein lies the reason behind the limited number of lamps available in a stack. How many different colors can you reasonably expect an operator to be able to discriminate?

Also the problem of color blindness comes into play as well. A red-green color blind operator would have to distinguish, top lamp, next lamp down.....next lamp after that, .....

stevelawson · Nov 18, 2006

I have had the problem of needing more alarms than lamps on the stack. The way i overcome this problem is by bringing all the lamps on simultaneously and flashing for the 6th alarm. If you need more than 6 then you can cascade the lamps, just use a little imagination. It is a good idea to print out a key of the lamp sequences if you go down this route, laminate it and stick it on the side of the control panel.

Steve.

rsdoran · Nov 18, 2006

Norstat offers 7 colors: http://www.norstat.com/stack_color.html

These days stack lights are not that cheap, adding more lights and flashing features just adds more grief to the issue...in my opionion. The lights cost around $75 each or more depending on your supplier.

Maple has a Graphic Operator Interface, with text, that cost $179-235 with software at $79:
http://shop.maple-systems.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=MS&Category_Code=BlueSeries

If the people running the machine(s) can not get it in their head to look at the OIT/HMI when there is a problem, then you can use ONE LOUD FLASHING LIGHT to say READ THE SCREEN STUPID. This will give many more alarm or message options at a comparative cost.

Disclaimer: The term "stupid" was used to emphasize the statement, in no fashion do I mean to imply that any one is stupid.

bob1371 · Nov 19, 2006

Most of our assy machines end up with a 3 light tower. We let the PLC flash the red light "x" number of times with a pause between alarms. Most machines will have 10 or less alarms which still leaves you starring at the light way too much. Would much prefer the text display or HMI.

Bob

monkeyhead · Nov 19, 2006

The main thing with light stacks is making sure that the lights are labled, and not just detailed in the operator or maintenance manual.

You wouldn't put an unlabled button on a machine, why put an unlabled indicator?

Light Stack

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