We are using Siemens pick and place machine for chip placement. Our goal is to continuous production during component replenishment. In Siemens machine, the feeders that can be removed, reloaded, and placed back on the machine while the machine is running (without missing a beat). We have 4 Siemens machine and there may be more than 50 feeders. How can the operator will be visually notified when the reel falls below a set level?
Right now the operator is always on look out walking from one machine to the next and sometime she has to take out the reel and check.

We are using Siemens pick and place machine for chip placement. Our goal is to continuous production during component replenishment. In Siemens machine, the feeders that can be removed, reloaded, and placed back on the machine while the machine is running (without missing a beat). We have 4 Siemens machine and there may be more than 50 feeders. How can the operator will be visually notified when the reel falls below a set level?
Right now the operator is always on look out walking from one machine to the next and sometime she has to take out the reel and check.

I don't know the physical setup you have, but certainly a common tool used is status lights above each reel (or supply bin). You'd need some sort of remote sensor of the level on the reel, but then it could trip a yellow light at a warning level, and a red light when attention is needed. On a lot of assembly lines I've seen these lights are on a pole just above the machine.

If you know how many items are on a reel, how many of these items go onto an assembly, and how many assemblies you have made you should be able to calculate when a reel needs changing (allowing a little tolerance for the odd hiccup).

This could be plummed into some simple software.

Perhaps I have post the question wrongly as I think my biggest challenge to this problem is that the opeartor fail to scan the reel. We have the software to count the the component usage. It will auto request from the store when the level of component reach a certain predetermine limit. However this doesnt work if the operator does not scan the reel. When there is no data input the machine will not know how much been use and thus will not 'request'for replenishment. Question is how to fool-proof the scaning of the reel each time the operator replenish the reel?

I think the answer Steve gave will fit your problem exactly. We use a similar system in our Pick-and-Place processes.

Take a moment to re-read Steve's answer and see if you can picture that in your process. I am sure he would be glad to clarify any additional questions about his solution.

Good luck.

Dave