Sensor Enclosure in Plastic Injection Molding and Translucent Cover

A 'digital assembly manual' is designed to guide the employee step by step through the assembly process. This is achieved with the Pick-to-Light assembly guide system, where a light indicates which component to remove and install next. This ensures process-reliable assembly and higher productivity with zero errors. The assistance system can be easily integrated into existing workstations and is simple to program thanks to the intuitive software.

Our task was to develop a plastic injection-moulded enclosure for the sensor and LED with the following characteristics:

From more than 15 different design studies, 4 variants were selected for initial functional testing through Rapid Prototyping, serving as illustrative models. The sensor enclosure was fastened to various pipes or strips at the assembly workstation using an adapter plate that snaps onto the plastic housing. This adapter plate can be screwed to the workstation or secured with cable ties or magnets. The biggest challenge was distributing the light from the LED across the translucent front.

We tested various materials and forms of the superstructure in different environments. It was important to ensure that the light was eye-catching without disturbing or hindering the employee in their daily tasks. After gathering feedback and evaluating the results from the field tests, the design moved into toolmaking and then into series production. In the end, each enclosure received a 2-color pad printing.