"Traffic Light" sign system

[Graham Shand]

quote Phill Fenton:

Not sure if this is the right category to place this request but I am looking for ideas of how to produce a simple sign system that will display one of three colours (Red, green or Amber) at any one time.

The signs are to be displayed in a factory and are intended to be used to show the status of a production line machine at any one time and should be easily updated to reflect a machines change in status during the work day. (The production line has a number of machines and each will have it’s own “traffic Light” sign).

The sign system also needs to be double sided to be seen from either direction, and durable as well as simple to operate. I thought of some sort of slider system but want to keep it as simple as possible to make it easy to produce as well as use for the operators. It also need to have as few moving parts as possible and ideally no parts that can be removed and lost or damaged

Any one got any brilliant ideas 😕

There is one one fleebay DCS Data Com Systems Traffic Light Controller Control

[Martin Pearson]

Would I be right in thinking it would be the operators that changed the signs when required ? How far would the signs need to be seen from ? Would it just be for someone who was standing next to a machine or would it need to be seen from some distance?

[Kevin Flowers]

Phil
how about a spinning disc that show the relevant colour through a window rough idea attached

Kev

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[Martin Pearson]

Kevin, that was the same sort of thing I was thinking about but wasn’t sure if the operator changed the state of the machine or if it had to be integrated into the machine. Plus I was a biot worried about the distance it had to be viewed from.

[Phill Fenton]

Thanks for the replies.

The system is to be purely manual. The operator at the workstation will update the sign to show the new status.

The system I have come up with is as below. Basicaly a double sided triangle made from forrex coloured as shown. This will slip into a forrex pocket shaped as shown (this would have guides glued to the inside to prevent the triangle from falling further into the pocket). Does that make sense? Any other ideas I could try?

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[Martin Pearson]

Yer that makes sense Phill, well to me anyway :lol1: That would work OK same as the revolving disk.

[Peter Normington]

I think Kev’s idea would be easier to make and no chance of loosing the parts,
as you mentioned was part of the design brief, your design does work, but the triangles are separate pieces, and so could be lost, taken away, used for other purposes?

your idea does have a benefit though as opposed to Kev’s.
the location of the colour is positive, whereas a revolving circle may not be ideal as the operator may not locate it properly, (could stop halfway)
so maybe attach a chain/string to the removable triagle?

Peter

[Phill Fenton]

Fair point about losing the triangular part Peter, but I can’t see where I could attach a chain to the triangle yet still allow it to be placed in the pocket in one of the three positions (on second thoughts though – maybe dead in the centre?)

I liked Kevs Idea too but had the same reservation about how to ensure the correct colour diplayed in full and would "lock" into position without any slippage.

[David Rowland]

I would go with lights and just work on the display board only.

[Peter Normington]

quote Dave Rowland:

I would go with lights and just work on the display board only.

(?)

[Kevin Flowers]

quote Phill Fenton:

Fair point about losing the triangular part Peter, but I can’t see where I could attach a chain to the triangle yet still allow it to be placed in the pocket in one of the three positions (on second thoughts though – maybe dead in the centre?)

I liked Kevs Idea too but had the same reservation about how to ensure the correct colour diplayed in full and would “lock” into position without any slippage.

Just drill it for a locating pin or if you want to get really technical then a ball catch for a cupboard door

Kev

[David Rowland]

quote Peter Normington:

quote Dave Rowland:

I would go with lights and just work on the display board only.

(?)

confused Peter, ok let me explain … Traffic light which is same principle as a railway signal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_signal

These days they are electronic and in the past they where more mechanical. Here is one on RS albeit a bit expensive for a lightbulb. http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/sear … &R=6783007 and the display board was just quick type to suggest a board explaining what the lights really mean.

[Kevin Flowers]

Thing is Dave i’m sure if they wanted to go that route they would have called an electrician/engineer. Tree lights like you pointed too are normally wired into control systems & display automatically. You can run them manually but expensive system to run manually

Kev

[Martin Pearson]

Small rod or eye bold fixed in the centre and a chain would do the job. It would also stop the triangle falling down the hole so no need for the internal bits you were going to use Phill.

[Phill Fenton]

Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions. 😀

[David Rowland]

how about this railway signal
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MILITARY-RAILWAY- … 5195d6c1eb

[Andrew Murray]

I like kevs idea, no parts to be lost is definitely a big plus point in a factory floor, you can get a spring loaded plunger from the likes of rs, then just spot drill the rotating disc to make an indent for the plunger, then when the operative turns the disc, it kind of ‘clicks’ into each position.

Sorry just realized how old this post was!