tower & area lights
Lighting has become a huge initiative for Milwaukee because there are so many problem-solving opportunities in a category that has languished as a commodity for years.
Jobsite lighting has widespread use but is a reluctant necessity. Workers prefer to focus on the details of their particular trade (electrician, plumber, carpenter, etc.), rather than setting up lights. Each light is designed with a user-focused approach; making sure lighting fits as seamlessly as possible into user's routines.
MILWAUKEE TOOL
JOBSITE TASK LIGHTING
HIGH POWERED TASK LIGHTING FAMILY
(hover over to turn on the lights...)
M18 ROCKET TOWER LIGHT & TOWER LIGHT CHARGER
I worked on this family of tower lights as my first project at Milwaukee Tool; an entry price point light and premium charger version with an articulating tri-head light engine. The project began with an ambitious goal to replace corded lighting solutions. We found that corded solutions had many problems, so we set out to fix them:
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Corded halogen lights run extremely hot: LED technology provides equivalent light at a fraction of the heat
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Corded lights can tip and break the glass lens: No glass; only impact resistant and durable materials were used
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Set up and collapse can be a hassle for most users: We designed a fast deploy system to help people get to work faster
The entry level light launched first and single-handedly doubled the sales of the lighting category: $14 M for a single SKU. Great reception and feedback from professional tradespeople, homeowners, DIY folks who are all excited to have useful, portable light.
SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDBACK
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#lightthesite
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M18 RADIUS COMPACT SITE LIGHT
A new to world product. We had seen larger lights with really high lumen output, but their size limited their versatility and the luminaire was made of glass and prone to breaking in the rough conditions of a typical jobsite. Smaller lights lacked output. There seemed to be a lot of shortcomings that workers were simply used to accepting, so I helped design a light that could live nearly anywhere on an ever-changing jobsite.
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Can be used on the ground, or hung overhead for illuminating a wide area
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Operates easily off a battery, or powered by AC
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Has the unique option of interfacing with a mobile device to set up a custom on/off lighting schedule for any jobsite
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The end result has been tremendously successful and has received a lot of positive feedback from the field.
SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDBACK
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#lightthesite
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M18 ROCKET DUAL PACK TOWER LIGHT
After several successful lighting projects, Milwaukee could leverage its equity in the lighting space by developing more niche products for users. This light is a highly specialized toward utility workers and their unique needs. Through research with actual utility and power transmission crews, we learned that they usually without permanent power since they are probably installing or repairing the grid, they sometimes don't get the luxury of waiting for clear, sunny days to do their work, and they prefer their equipment to easily fit inside the bucket truck they drive which means they get a tool they can always use rather than needing to check one out from the shop.
These research observations became information to inform features and design:
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There are two battery bays so that the light can run for a full 7 hours on high during an overnight repair shift
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The housings are IP67 rated (fully submersible) to combat inclement weather
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The legs and light mast collapse to an extremely compact size to fit inside the storage boxes on bucket trucks.
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The innovative skewed pivot legs and multi-position light mast combine to several different configurations that allow for maximum light head height, a stable, wind-proof set up, and the ability to extend the light head out over a manhole or trench.
Hollywood famous. Shown here in the background of an episode of The Expanse on Amazon. I heard it is in a Godzilla movie too.
Pre-production units given to users. We didn't ask for pictures, but they were so happy with the light they wanted to share them.
M18 RADIUS DUAL PACK SITE LIGHT
The bigger sibling of the compact site light shown above. Two battery bays and a charger plus a staggering 9000 lumens of output that can be adjusted for brightness and direction. Primarily intended to be ground based due to the size, but a pair of lights can securely stack for storage or to provide more light output without taking up a broad footprint and consuming valuable space on a busy site.
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Multiple carry points make hoisting in and out of vehicles easy and carrying around the site comfortable
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The top handle is convenient to use and also acts as a bumper in the event of a tip over, which is likely to happen on a busy jobsite
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Security is achieved by providing loops to pass a chain through and a redundant set of lock points on the battery bay door
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Because storage at a parts crib is a concern when the lights are not on site, the form was designed to nest efficiently on a standard pallet
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The visual presence of the form is a balance; it needs to functionally keep the light up high to cast over a broad area without appearing unstable. The taper through the body and flare at the feet emphasize stability and plant the form firmly on the ground. All of this wraps around a central aluminum column that acts as a structural spine and thermal chimney to vent heat for the electronics.
