Instruction workbooks on paper were no longer sufficient to support the complex workflows of assembly operations at Thorn Lighting. The company therefore called upon Ansomat Operator Guidance System to digitize its work instructions. Today, Zumtobel can proudly say that practically any operator can handle any job, without compromising on product quality or production speed.
Thorn Lighting, part of the Zumtobel Group, is a leading UK manufacturer of professional indoor and outdoor lighting solutions. Known for producing reliable, energy-efficient lighting systems, the company serves customers across a wide range of commercial, industrial, and public infrastructure projects worldwide.
As product complexity increased and lighting technology evolved, Thorn needed a smarter way to support operators on the production floor while maintaining consistently high quality standards.
Thorn Lighting manufactures an extensive portfolio of indoor and outdoor lighting products, with more than 25,000 product variants in production and new configurations introduced on a daily basis. Managing this level of product diversity while maintaining consistent quality placed significant demands on the assembly process.
For many years, operators relied on printed workbooks and spreadsheets to assemble products. As the number of variants continued to grow, these paper-based instructions became increasingly difficult to maintain and follow. Finding the correct information for each product slowed production and increased the risk of assembly errors.
The transition to LED technology added another layer of complexity. Unlike conventional light sources, LED modules are often permanently integrated into the luminaire. If assembled incorrectly, the complete luminaire frequently needs to be rebuilt, resulting in additional labor, higher production costs, and increased recall risk.
To support its growing product portfolio and ensure consistent quality across thousands of product variants, Thorn required a digital operator guidance solution capable of delivering the correct instructions for every product, every time.
To modernize its manufacturing operations, Thorn implemented the Ansomat Operator Guidance System throughout its production facility in Spennymoor, United Kingdom.
The platform replaced static paper documentation with dynamic work instructions that actively support operators throughout the complete assembly process.
More than 110 workstations now benefit from intelligent operator guidance technologies that standardize production while remaining flexible enough to support changing workflows.
Operators receive clear, step-by-step guidance directly on-screen throughout each manufacturing process. Instructions are always linked to the correct product variant, reducing confusion and eliminating outdated documentation.
Vision technology verifies product positioning and supports accurate component selection. This additional validation layer helps detect potential assembly errors before they progress further through production.
Visual overlays projected onto the workstation provide intuitive guidance for complex assembly tasks such as wiring and component placement. Operators can immediately see where each part belongs, reducing interpretation errors.
Barcode scanning confirms that the correct materials, components, and LED modules are selected before assembly continues. The system automatically loads the appropriate work instructions for each configuration.
Integrated weight checks compare partially assembled products against SAP reference values to ensure every required component has been installed before production moves forward.
Direct communication between the operator guidance platform and manufacturing equipment enables seamless data exchange while improving process reliability and traceability.
The system adjusts instruction detail according to operator experience. New employees receive comprehensive guidance, while experienced operators can work with streamlined instructions that maximize efficiency without sacrificing quality.
Connected tightening tools communicate directly with the operator guidance system to ensure the correct torque and angle strategy is applied for every fastening operation. Tightening results are automatically verified and recorded, providing full traceability while preventing assembly errors.
The operator guidance platform integrates with collaborative robots (cobots) to coordinate manual and automated assembly tasks. Operators receive clear instructions before and after automated operations, ensuring a smooth, efficient workflow with consistent product quality.
Replacing printed documentation with digital instructions significantly improved operator performance.
Instead of relying solely on text-based manuals, employees now receive information through videos, animations, images, audio prompts and interactive visual guidance. Voice-assisted instructions help operators stay focused on the assembly task while the system automatically highlights critical production steps at the right moment.
"With the implementation of Ansomat Operator Guidance, we have successfully digitized our work instructions, making it easier for us to get the right information across to our operators and consistently deliver high-quality output."
— Gary Pilkington, Manufacturing Engineer, Thorn Lighting
Steve Maughan also highlighted the immediate business impact. Following the launch of a new product line supported by the digital guidance system, the company reported zero customer complaints compared to the numerous complaints experienced with previous product introductions.
"The digital tools provided by Ansomat have immediately provided return on investment. Since launching our new product two years ago, we've had zero complaints from the market. Before, we used to receive numerous complaints whenever introducing new products."
— Steve Maughan, Manufacturing Engineer, Thorn Lighting
One of the biggest operational improvements was the reduction in operator training time. Because every assembly process is digitally standardized, employees can quickly become productive across multiple workstations.
Instruction detail automatically adapts to the operator's experience level, allowing new employees to receive detailed guidance while experienced operators work more efficiently with simplified instructions.
Unlike paper manuals, digital work instructions can be updated instantly whenever production processes change. This enables production engineers to rebalance lines, relocate workstations and continuously improve workflows without reprinting documentation.
Operators quickly embraced the new system because instructions became easier to understand and follow. Rather than creating a blame culture, digital guidance helps identify whether issues originate from product design or process improvements instead of individual operators.
Like many digital transformation projects, demonstrating ROI was essential for securing management support. Initial concerns that digital work instructions would slow production were quickly disproven through measurable production data.
| Metric | Before Ansomat | After Ansomat |
| Manufacturing defects | High defect rate due to paper instructions | 90% reduction in production errors |
| Customer complaints | ~3,500 claims per year | ~500 claims within three years |
| Operator guidance | Paper manuals and spreadsheets | Fully digital, adaptive work instructions |
| Production workstations | Initial pilot on 10 stations | Scaled successfully to 110+ workstations |
| Connected devices | Limited integration | 20+ connected tools and systems (barcode scanners, vision, PLCs, tightening tools, scales, AR, etc.) |
| Operator training | Long onboarding and job-specific training | Significantly reduced training time with adaptive instructions |
| Product introductions | Frequent quality issues during new product launches | Zero market complaints reported for newly introduced products |
| Product variants | Complex, paper-based management | Digital guidance supports 25,000+ product variants |
| Changeovers | Manual verification of components | Faster, digitally verified changeovers using vision technology |
| Process flexibility | Difficult to update paper instructions | Workflows can be updated instantly across all stations |
| Traceability | Limited manual records | Automated process and quality traceability |
| Return on investment | Difficult to justify digitalization | Proven ROI through fewer defects, lower recall risk, reduced training effort and improved production efficiency |
Whether you're assembling lighting products, electronics, industrial equipment, or other complex products, digital operator guidance can help standardize processes, reduce defects, and improve production flexibility.
Discover how Ansomat can help your team achieve first-time-right manufacturing through digital work instructions, connected tools, vision inspection, and real-time process guidance.
