Lighting Components & Design, Inc. Automation Increases
Production and Improves Efficiency

Summary

Lighting Components and Design, Inc., Manufacturer of the Leecraft and Littelites Lines of Miniature Lights and Assemblies has increased production and improved efficiency through the automation of their largest volume part.

Complete Story

Lighting Components & Design, Inc. has recently purchased a custom designed automation system to assemble their 23-Metri Pack from Performance Automation, an engineering company that designs and assembles customized automation solutions, headquartered in Boca Raton, FL. Performance Automation manufactured this piece of equipment in five months, working side by side with the LCD Operations Department to meet the stringent quality requirements of LCD’s automotive customers.

The automation system was named after the part it produces, “MetriPack”. It produces approximately 90,000 pieces a week. Using the latest in computer technologies, Performance Automation designed and fabricated a fully automated system to reduce an eight-person cell to a one-person cell, allowing LC&D to increase production in other manufacturing cells with the absorption of the released employees.

Implementation of this automation system has allowed LC&D to meet and exceed their automotive customer’s expectations for quality and on-time delivery. “Through the incorporation of innovative engineering concepts, product and process quality is validated at each of the automation’s ten stations,” per Ty Ramsey, Vice President - Performance Excellence, “All quality requirements are monitored through a vast array of proximity, pressure and optical sensors strategically integrated throughout the system. This has eliminated the need for costly, manual off-line testing of the product.”

Ramsey went on to say, “One of the great things is Performance Automation recognizes that we operate in South Florida, so they specialize in bilingual documentation and operating instructions. This was a huge plus for our predominately Spanish-speaking production staff. This Spanish customization of the MetriPack ensures that everyone in LCD is comfortable using it.”

Jon Cooper, President said “With the capacity to assemble and process components at high rate of speeds while simultaneously maintaining quality with automated inspections, these machines are an ideal, cost effective investment for high volume production applications. With this type of automation, we are able to stay competitive with Chinese suppliers and keep manufacturing jobs in the US.”

About Lighting Components and Design, Inc.

For further information about LC&D: who we are, what we do, company history, ISO/TS 16949:2002, recent developments, etc., click here.