Cleaning Q&A: Lighting for Inspection

Q. We buff to remove dirt imperfections from parts on our production paint line. The employees have a hard time seeing if the spot sand areas are completely buffed out. We are having a large amount of re-buffs at the final inspection area. What is the best type of lighting for a designated buff and finesse area or a portable light source that could be used in a production environment?

A. The best quality, energy efficient lighting is LED. This lighting provides similar amounts of light as incandescent bulbs with about 80 to 90 percent energy savings and a much longer life. Though this lighting has a higher initial investment, the purchase will be worth it in the long run.

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Illumination is measured in foot-candles and the higher the number, the greater the amount of light. For this type of inspection operation, you would probably need around 200 foot-candles of illumination. For manufacturing inspection purposes, there are a variety of configurations available, including portable light banks or walls, or a more permanent system. I recommend you visit pfonline.com/suppliers for lighting fixtures.

Originally published in the June 2016 issue.