SSI SCHAEFER WEASEL LITE User manual

WEASEL®LITE
User Manual

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Weasel®Lite User Manual
Weasel®Lite User Manual
Created by
Dennis Chong
State
Final
Approved by
Markus Külken
Approved on
2021-03-29
Fritz Schaefer GmbH
Fritz-Schaefer-Str. 20
57290 Neunkirchen/ Siegerland
Germany
Phone [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[email protected]m
ssi-schaefer.com
© 2021 SSI SCHAEFER, all rights reserved
This publication may neither be reproduced, transmitted nor stored in a retrieval system, including but
not limited to, written material, printed matter, punch cards, film, microfilm or microfiche, magnetic tapes
or discs or any other electronic media form including optically readable tapes or discs, laser discs, and
any other form of computer storage, without the prior written consent of SSI SCHAEFER.
Disclosed matters and/or concepts of the present documentation are or will be protected by intellectual
property rights.

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Contents
1Let’s get started ............................................................................................................................. 4
1.1 Further information ................................................................................................................ 4
2About the travel path ..................................................................................................................... 5
2.1 Material flow planning ........................................................................................................... 5
2.2 Planning your travel path ...................................................................................................... 6
2.3 Tracks...................................................................................................................................... 9
2.4 Markers.................................................................................................................................. 12
2.5 Stations ................................................................................................................................. 15
2.6 Station groups ...................................................................................................................... 20
3About the app............................................................................................................................... 21
3.1 Installation ............................................................................................................................ 21
3.2 Use......................................................................................................................................... 21
3.3 Configuration........................................................................................................................ 22
3.4 Defining actions ................................................................................................................... 22
3.5 Triggering actions................................................................................................................ 23
3.6 Service function ................................................................................................................... 23
4About the vehicle ......................................................................................................................... 24
4.1 Components ......................................................................................................................... 24
4.2 Conditions of use................................................................................................................. 25
4.3 Localization and navigation ................................................................................................ 25
4.4 Communication .................................................................................................................... 25
4.5 Battery ................................................................................................................................... 26
4.6 Charger.................................................................................................................................. 26
4.7 LEDs ...................................................................................................................................... 26
4.8 Commissioning .................................................................................................................... 27
4.9 Operation .............................................................................................................................. 28
4.10 Troubleshooting ................................................................................................................... 29
5About transfer stations ............................................................................................................... 31
5.1 Tracks.................................................................................................................................... 31
5.2 Markers.................................................................................................................................. 32
5.3 Assembly .............................................................................................................................. 32
6About extensions......................................................................................................................... 33
6.1 Weasel®Classic.................................................................................................................... 33

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1 Let’s get started
Congratulations on the purchase of your Weasel®Lite system. As an Automated Guided Vehicle system,
Weasel®Lite will enable you to automate your transport tasks without having to think about IT, such as
servers and WLAN. You will only need:
A travel path consisting of tracks and markers to define where the Weasel vehicles drive, and which
rules apply.
A tablet (or smartphone) at the stations to instruct Weasels via the Weasel®Lite App.
One (or more) Weasel(s), including battery and charger.
This user manual will guide you all the way from the design phase, system assembly to the operation of
your Weasel®Lite system. Also refer to the Operating Manuals you received together with your Weasel®
Lite components. These documents also contain important safety information.
Weasel®Lite was designed for independent installation and commissioning by the customer, who can
combine the individual components according to his specific needs. The operator of the Weasel®Lite
system shall bear the responsibility for the combination of the individual components. Owing to the wide
range of custom options and different conditions, we, as the manufacturer, cannot be held responsible
for your chosen combination. In particular, we cannot guarantee that the individual products will serve
your purpose. If you prefer our specialist staff to carry out installation and commissioning, please contact
us.
1.1 Further information
For more information including accessories for your Weasel®Lite system, visit us at:
https://www.ssi-schaefer.com/en-de/weasel-lite
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your Weasel®Lite system, simply contact our
Support team by phone or e-mail from Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 17:00 hrs at:
E-mail: [e-mail]
Phone: [phone]

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2 About the travel path
The travel path defines the course of your Weasel, the location of goods loading/unloading stations and
the rules the Weasels have to follow on their way. You can customize the travel path to meet your
specific requirements. Once your needs change, you can easily adjust your travel path to the new
situation. The following chapters will describe the rules you should follow when planning and
implementing your travel path.
2.1 Material flow planning
Before you design your travel path, you should have an idea of how the materials to be handled by your
Weasel vehicles are to be moved, i.e. definition of sources and sinks as well as the routes to be taken.
This is also referred to as the Material Flow, and you will certainly have an idea of how your material
flow will be based on your existing operational processes.
Sources are locations where a transport demand arises. Your Weasels will be loaded with products
at these locations. Examples of sources include receiving areas, as well as production, assembly, or
picking areas, where goods for the warehouse or the shipping area are generated.
Sinks are locations where the transports are finished. At these locations, the products on your
Weasels will unloaded. Examples of sinks include the shipping area, as well as production, assembly,
or picking areas, which need to be supplied with goods from the warehouse.
Locations used both as destinations for material transport and as places where a transport demand
arises are Sources and Sinks at the same time. Typical examples include production, assembly, or
picking areas, that require goods that have to be transported further.
All sources and sinks (including combinations) are considered as Stations in the Weasel system, i.e.
special locations in the travel path where materials enter or leave the system. We recommend that you
make a sketch and mark the positions of your stations. Perhaps you even have a drawing of the area
ready? Indicate which stations are sources, sinks or combinations of both. We also suggest that you
indicate the available transport routes between these stations, too. With this done, you can plan your
travel path.

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2.2 Planning your travel path
Each Weasel®Lite travel path is composed of a circuit track, also referred to as the Main Loop, where
the Weasels circulate in the defined direction. You can add any number of stations branching off the
main loop. At these stations, the Weasels can pick up goods (source) and/or drop off goods (sink). The
main loop can be as long and as wide as you wish. It may also include bends, as long as a closed loop
is created. The stations branching off the main loop may have different shapes. The simplest stations
are so-called Bays arranged in parallel with the main loop. The station design options will be detailed
later in this manual. For the time being, you can assume a minimum length of 4 meters and a minimum
width of 1 meter per bay.
Based on your sketch, draw a course of your main loop which connects all stations to one another (e.g.
bays). Note that your Weasels can only move in one direction. Obstacles should also be taken into
consideration. The following sketch shows an example of a main loop and four stations designed as
bays.
Fig. 1 | Simple travel path sketch
Before turning your sketch into a real travel path using prefab track elements, you should know and
follow some rules regarding distances and stop positions. Amend your first travel path draft if any of
these rules are violated:
Distance rule
Sketch
Distance to oncoming traffic: Oncoming traffic typically
occurs if opposite sections of the main loop come close to
one another. A minimum distance of 80 cm must be kept
between opposite tracks. This ensures that your Weasels
have sufficient space to pass without blockings.
Distance in parallel traffic: Parallel traffic typically occurs at
stations. To ensure that Weasels stopping in stations will not
prevent other Weasels from passing, a minimum distance
must of 80 cm must be kept between parallel tracks. This

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ensures that your Weasels have sufficient space to pass
without blockings.
Distance between stations: Exit and entrance lanes of
stations should never overlap, i.e. a station exit is followed
by a station re-entrance into the main loop, before another
station exit appears downstream. A minimum distance of 70
cm should be kept between exit and entrance of different
stations to provide sufficient space for the markers required.
Nested stations and crossings should be avoided in the
travel path.
Distance to walls: To guarantee smooth operation of your
Weasels, there must not be any obstacles near the travel
path. The distance between the track and walls running in
parallel with the travel path should be sufficient to allow safe
walking between the walls and the track without the risk of
colliding with the Weasels (especially in case of emergency).
The minimum distance from walls should not be less than 1
m.
Stop position with fine positioning: As you will learn later,
markers are placed along the travel path to instruct your
Weasels on what to do. Some markers, e.g. station markers,
instruct the Weasels to perform a controlled stop. Upstream
of each station marker, a fine positioning marker must be
provided in order to ensure that the Weasel will slow down
and stop at the right position with a tolerance of just a few
millimeters. The front edge of the Weasel will come to a halt
at a distance of approx. 15 cm downstream of the station
marker.
Stop position without fine positioning: Other markers,
e.g. entrance or request markers will tell the Weasel to stop
spontaneously. In this case, there is no fine positioning
function. For this reason, it will take longer for the Weasel to
come a halt. The distance between the marker and the front
edge may be up to 50 cm when the Weasel has come to a
halt. Depending on the floor quality, the distance may be
shorter. This should be considered when it comes to
planning the stations as we did in the station patterns
presented in section 2.5.

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Field of view in curves: The distance rules mentioned
above are simple and can be verified easily. These rules will
be sufficient in many cases. However, if there are
bottlenecks in the area of bends, these rules may not be
precise enough. In bends, the turning of the drive unit must
be taken into consideration. In this case, you will have to
check the field of view of the distance sensors. While the
vehicle contour will require a certain travel distance behind
bends to be in line with the travel path again, the drive unit
and, as a consequence, the distance sensors will be turning
while the Weasel is traveling through the bend. Based on the
current position of the drive unit, there must always be a
clear area of 50 cm to the front and a 10 cm clearance on
the side.
If you need digital assistance when planning your travel path, you may want to use our free
planning/design software which is available for download on our website. With this software, you can
design your Weasel®Lite travel path easily.
Fig. 2 | Weasel®Lite Designer software

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2.3 Tracks
Your Weasels follow an optical track, i.e. a black line against a light background. In this way, you can
define, understand, and change the travel path easily. The optical track is composed of track elements
which can simply be affixed on the floor. With these track elements, you can define both the shape of
the main loop and all stations (e.g. as bays). A variety of such track elements is already included in your
Weasel®Lite Starter Kit. Additional elements can be purchased at any time.
For installation of the track elements, you will need a pencil, a square and a box knife for cutting the
track elements to size, especially for cutting the straights off the reel. In addition, you will need a tape
measure for aligning the track and checking if the required distances are kept. Adhesive tape may be
useful for temporary alignment of track elements before affixing them finally. For long straight sections,
you can also use a chalk line or line laser.
The following table lists all track elements available for designing your Weasel®Lite travel path. Before
affixing the track elements, we recommend to just place them on the floor and check the travel path
once again. It is often easier to identify potential problems (e.g. obstacles) when you actually see the
travel path in the field. You may also want to fix the track elements temporarily using standard adhesive
tape for this purpose.
Track element
Sketch
Straights: Straights come on 25m reels. These track elements
are used for all straight sections in your travel path. Simply cut
the required length off the reel by means of a box knife.

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Curves: Bend sections are supplied as 45° curve elements.
For 90° curves and U-turns you will need two and four of these
elements, respectively. The curve radius is 600 mm. This
element can be used both for turns in the main loop and for
station entrances/exits.
Switches: Switches are track elements which enable switching
from one track to another, i.e. diverters and mergers. Normally,
they are used for station entrances/exits. Please note that there
are two variants: Left switches and right switches.
Once you are convinced that your travel path is correct, you can affix the track elements. In order for
the track elements to stick to the floor properly, make sure to remove any dirt, dust grease and moisture.
Remove the film and press the track element onto the floor firmly. Smooth out the tape to remove any
bubbles.
In the case of longer sections, we recommend that two persons do the job. Align the track by pulling the
ends slightly. Then, starting at one end, remove the film and affix the track on the floor. Smooth out to
remove any bubbles. You may also want to use a chalk line or laser to ensure that the track is aligned
perfectly.

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Fig. 3 | Affixing long track elements

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2.4 Markers
Markers form the heart of your Weasel®Lite system. They define how the Weasels will move along the
travel path. They identify stop, waiting and turning points for stations. Markers are RFID transponders
affixed on the track. They contain information which is scanned by the passing Weasels (contactless
scanning). Each marker has a symbol attached to it so that you always know what type of marker it is.
Markers are affixed on the track directly. Remove the film and press the marker onto the track such that
the center of the marker is on the black axis of the track. After that fix one of the transparent round
adhesive protectors to protect the mark. You may also place the marker on the travel path without
affixing them and affix them later after successful test runs.
The markers are designed to stick well on the track once they are affixed. If you still need to remove a
marker, carefully peel off the round adhesive protector and then use a box knife to carefully separate
the marker from the track.
Fig. 4 | Affixing and protecting markers
There is a variety of markers, which gives you a wide range of design options. The combinations options
for creating stations using the right markers and the right track elements will be described later. If you
want to deviate from these patterns, please note that a minimum distance of 30 cm must be provided
between all markers to ensure that they can be read from passing weasel vehicles without interference.
The following is an overview of the markers which are available.
Symbol
Marker
Station: This marker defines the position of a station (Station 1 in illustration), that is the
position where transport goods are to be loaded or unloaded. Weasels which are on their
way to this station will stop here and wait for a new destination to be entered via the app.
Fine positioning: This marker indicates that there is a station ahead (Station 1 in
illustration). Weasels travel at a speed of 1 meter per second in order to execute their
transport tasks as quickly as possible. For this reason, they must slow down before they
reach a station so that they will stop in the station accurately. The Fine Positioning marker
should be placed approx. 40 cm upstream of the Station marker.
Turn: This marker indicates that there is a station (Station 1 in illustration) at the next
switch to the left or to the right (to the left in illustration). A Weasel on its way to this station
will turn right/left at the next switch. This marker should be placed approx. 10 cm upstream
of the switch element.

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Request: With this marker, you can instruct free Weasels to check if there is a request from
a station (Station 1 in illustration). A Weasel circulating without destination will stop at this
marker and check if there is an app call within its range. If such a call exists, the Weasel will
accept the requesting station as its new destination and move on. If no call exists, it will
continue to circulate without destination. This marker should be placed at least 60 cm
upstream of the next turn marker.
Attention Entrance: This marker indicates that there is an entrance ahead, i.e. another
track merging with this track at a switch. This is the case, for example, at locations where a
station (Station 1 in illustration) rejoins the main loop again. Note that this marker is placed
on the main loop. Weasels passing this marker will stop and wait to check if another
Weasel is about to leave the station and re-enter the loop. If this is not the case, it will move
on. This marker is always used in combination with the Entrance marker. The Attention
Entrance marker should be placed approx. 160cm upstream of the track element
representing the merging switch.
Entrance: This marker indicates an entrance and is needed at locations where this track
rejoins another track. This is the case, for example, at locations where a station (Station 1
in illustration) rejoins the main loop again. Note that this marker is placed on the station
track. Weasels passing this marker will stop and signal their intention to enter the loop.
Then, it will move on. This marker is always used in combination with the Attention
Entrance marker. The Entrance marker should be placed approx. 100cm upstream of the
track element representing the merging switch.
New Destination: This marker will only be required if you want to cancel the current
destination of a passing Weasel vehicles and set another station (Station 1 in illustration) as
the new destination. Typically, this is done using the app while the Weasel is waiting for you
at a station. This is why this marker is not used often. However, as “loose marker” it is ideal
to catch a moving Weasel and guide it to a certain station (e.g. for maintenance).
Clear Destination: This marker will only be required if you want to delete the current
destination of a passing Weasel vehicle. Typically, this is done using the app while the
Weasel is waiting for you at a station. This is why this marker is not used often. However,
as “loose marker” it is ideal to catch a moving Weasel and delete its current destination
(e.g. after incorrect commands). Alternatively, a simple restart of the Weasel will have the
same effect.
Speed Limit: These markers are used for defining areas with a speed limit. A speed of 30,
for example, means that the Weasels, as from this point, may only travel at 30% of their
maximum speed (i.e. 0.3 meters per second). The speed limit applies until it is canceled by
a corresponding marker. If a station is equipped with loading/unloading transfer stations, for
example, the passing speed must be reduced to 30% for safety reasons.
No Speed Limit: This marker cancels the current speed limit. As from this point, the
Weasel is allowed to run at maximum speed (1 meter per second) again.
Turn (Station Group): This marker indicates that there is a group of stations (Station
Group 0 in illustration) at the next switch to the left or to the right (to the left in illustration).
They are only used if you use secondary loops in addition to the main loop. Station groups

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and secondary loops will be detailed in section 2.6. This marker should be placed approx.
10 cm upstream of the switch element.
Request (Station Group): This marker serve the same purpose as the Request marker.
However, it is not linked to a specific station but a group of stations (Station Group 0 in
illustration). Weasel vehicles circulating without current destination will stop at this marker
and check if there is an app call within their range and will accept any call provided it comes
from a station of this station group. This may be useful, for example, where stations are
organized in the form of harps. Station groups and station harps will be detailed in section
2.6. This marker should be placed approx. 60 cm upstream of the next Turn mark.
Charging Station: This marker defines the position of the charging station in the travel
path. The charging Station is approached by free Weasels (without destination) with low
battery level. Weasels will wait at this marker until a charged battery is installed. You will
only need this marker if you plan to use a charging station. Details will be provided in
section 2.5.
Fine Positioning (Charging Station): This marker corresponds to the Fine Positioning
marker but is used for the charging station. They indicate that there is a charging station
ahead and ensures that the Weasel slows down for accurate positioning. This marker
should be placed approx. 40 cm upstream of the charging station marker. You will only
need this marker if you plan to use a charging station. Details will be provided in section
2.5.
Turn (Charging Station): This marker corresponds to the Turn marker but is used for the
charging station. Like in any other station, the charging station must be indicated upstream
of switches. This marker should be placed approx. 10 cm upstream of the switch element.
You will only need this marker if you plan to use a charging station. Details will be provided
in section 2.5.
Attention Entrance (Charging Station): This marker corresponds to the Attention
Entrance marker but is used for the charging station. Placed on the main loop, it indicates
that there is an entrance from a charging station ahead to enable rejoining Weasels to
pass. This marker should be placed approx. 160cm upstream of the track element
representing the merging switch. You will only need this marker if you plan to use a
charging station. Details will be provided in section 2.5.
Entrance (Charging Station): This marker corresponds to the Entrance marker but is used
for the charging stations. It indicates that there is an entrance back to main loop ahead.
This marker should be placed approx. 100cm upstream of the track element representing
the merging switch. You will only need this marker if you plan to use a charging station.
Details will be provided in section 2.5.
Sensors Off - Left: This marker is not included in the Weasel®Starter Kit but is available
as a special marker. It is used for defining an area where the left sensor pairs are disabled.
This is useful when Weasels must pass cramped areas. In this case, the distance between
the middle of the track and an obstacle can be reduced to 25 cm, provided that the vehicle
is in parallel with the obstacle. Note, however, that in such areas there is the risk of
collisions with obstacles and accessibility is no longer guaranteed. This marker should only
be used if there are no other options. The sensors will remain disabled until they are

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reactivated by the corresponding marker. Note that all areas where the safety level is
reduced by partly/fully disabled sensors must be protected by optical means or additional
warning facilities (optical or acoustic). Follow the instructions provided in the operating
manual.
Sensors Off - Right: This marker is not included in the Weasel®Starter Kit but is available
as a special marker. It is used for defining an area where the right sensor pairs are
disabled. This is useful when Weasels must pass cramped areas. In this case, the distance
between the middle of the track and an obstacle can be reduced to 25 cm, provided that the
vehicle is in parallel with the obstacle. Note, however, that in such areas there is the risk of
collisions with obstacles and accessibility is no longer guaranteed. This marker should only
be used if there are no other options. The sensors will remain disabled until they are
reactivated by the corresponding marker. Note that all areas where the safety level is
reduced by partly/fully disabled sensors must be protected by optical means or additional
warning facilities (optical or acoustic). Follow the instructions provided in the operating
manual.
Sensors Off - All: This marker is not included in the Weasel®Starter Kit but is available as
a special marker. It is used for defining an area where both sensor pairs are disabled, i.e.
the Weasel will be “blind”. This is useful when Weasels must pass cramped areas. In this
case, the distance between the middle of the track and obstacle on both sides can be
reduced to 25 cm, provided that the vehicle is in parallel with the obstacles. Note, however,
that in such areas there is the risk of collisions with obstacles and accessibility is no longer
guaranteed. This marker should only be used if there are no other options. The sensors will
remain disabled until they are reactivated by the corresponding marker. Note that all areas
where the safety level is reduced by partly/fully disabled sensors must be protected by
optical means or additional warning facilities (optical or acoustic). Follow the instructions
provided in the operating manual.
Sensors On - All: This marker is not included in the Weasel®Starter Kit but is available as
a special marker. It enables sensors which were disabled before.
2.5 Stations
Stations are locations in the travel path where your Weasels will be loaded (sources) or unloaded (sinks).
The charging station is an exception. All stations are composed of tracks and markers as described in
the previous sections. Stations may be simple stop points where the goods are loaded/unloaded
manually or areas where loading and unloading transfer stations (available for upgrading your Weasel®
Lite system) are used. Transfer stations will be detailed in chapter 5.
Note each station is always assigned a unique number (1 to 999) which must only be assigned once in
the travel path. With the Weasel®Lite Starter Kit, you can install 5 stations, for example. If you require
additional track elements and markers you may order them later at any time. Typically, a tablet (or
smartphone) is assigned to a station to enable calling Weasels or instructing Weasels once they reach
the station.
Although the available track elements and markers enable a great number of variation options, most
applications can be implemented following two simple patterns which can be combined to form a travel

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path: Station Bays and Station Harps. The charging stations are an exception. On the following pages,
we will present these patterns.
Fig. 5 | Completely installed station bay

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Station Bays
Bays are the simplest, most flexible, and most frequent station pattern. Typically, a bay is assigned to a
workstation and vice versa. Bays comprise a switch to exit the main track and a switch for re-entering
the main track. The section between exit and entrance can be designed as required (with additional
bends and straights, etc.) as long as they are connected to the main track via exits/entrances and there
are no switches within the bay.
In the case of a bay, the exit switch is always indicated upstream by means of a Turn marker (e.g. Turn
Left marker as shown in the following illustration). The actual Station marker (i.e. the stop position for
the Weasels) is located in the bay itself. Upstream of this marker, there must be a Fine Positioning
marker. For traffic control, an Entrance marker is required upstream of the re-entrance switch into the
main loop. An Attention Entrance marker must be provided in the bay upstream of the same switch. If
the station is a source (or source/sink combination), i.e. free Weasels can be called from here via an
app, a Request marker must also be provided upstream of the Turn marker.
When the minimum distances as shown in the illustration are kept, the total length of station bay
(including the position of the optional Request marker) is at least 400 cm, the minimum width is 80 cm.
In case you plan to build this bay as shown in the illustration, please note that the straight section of the
main loop (between the two switches) is approximately 250 cm long, whereas the straight section inside
the station (between the curves) is approximately 80 cm long. However, you can use any width or length
for your bay or even realize courses with additional bends, etc. When doing this, you should note,
however, that the app communicating with your Weasel vehicles at the Station and Request marker
must not be too far away. A range of approximately 5 meters can be assumed (up to 10 meters if
conditions are favorable).
Fig. 6 | Pattern of a station bay

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Station Harps
Harps are used instead of bays where many stations are to be arranged in small areas where they can
be served by one workstation. In order to save space, the stations in a harp are arranged diagonally or
perpendicular to the main loop and use a common re-entrance back into the main loop. Generally, the
same markers are used for stations in a harp as in the case of a station bay. Only the track elements
are combined in a different way. Since the stations in a harp are only served by one workstation, markers
controlling the traffic at the merge sections are normally not required (normally there is not enough space
for this). Instead, it is assumed that two Weasels will never be assigned or released at the same time.
Between the stations, there should be sufficient space for the personnel loading and unloading the
Weasels. The layout should also consider the side from which the Weasels are to be loaded/unloaded
and what type of products are handled. The app communicating with the Weasel vehicles at the Station
and Request marker must not be too far away. A range of approximately 5 meters can be assumed (up
to 10 meters if conditions are favorable). If possible, with regard to the available space, you may even
use a Group Request marker at the beginning of the harp instead of individual requests for each station.
Fig. 7 | Pattern of a station harp

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The Charging Station
A charging station may be useful depending on the daily operating time of your Weasels. Two batteries
are included in the Weasel standard scope of supply.
If your Weasel®Lite system is only used in one-shift operation and one single charge is enough for
one day, you don’t have to install a charging station. Just remove the batteries at the end of your
shift and put it into the designated chargers. At the beginning of the next shift, reinstall the fully
charged batteries in the Weasels. You may use the batteries alternately for a longer battery life.
If you use your Weasel®Lite system in two-shift or three-shift operation we recommend that you
install a charging station which is approached by the Weasels once battery replacement is required
(battery level of 30% or less). When a charging station is used, each Weasel needs two batteries:
one battery is in use while the other one is being charged. Ideally, the battery chargers should be
located close to the charging station.
The charging station must branch off the main loop of your travel path. It should be installed at a location
where free Weasels are circulating. This is important as only free Weasels will approach the charging
station.
The charging station is normally designed as a bay. A harp design is not required because there may
only be one charging station in a Weasel®Lite system. The charging station uses the same markers as
simple station bays. The markers for the charging station, however, are special variants. Request
markers are not used because the charging station is no source and does not have to request free
Weasels. Free Weasels (i.e. Weasels without destination) follow the Turn marker into the charging
station automatically once the battery level is 30% or less.
Fig. 8 | Pattern of a charging station

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Weasel®Lite User Manual
Weasel®Lite User Manual
2.6 Station groups
As described in the previous sections, Weasel®Lite systems always have a main loop with a variety of
stations (typically bays) branching off to the left or right. In some cases, there may also be secondary
loops within the main loop each of which may have various stations. Note that stations in secondary
loops can only be sinks but no sources. This is due to the fact that free Weasels only travel along the
main loop (they follow the “outer” circuit track) and will only respond to requests from stations there.
In order for the Weasels to know into which secondary loop they have to move in order to reach a
destination, the stations must be grouped and the corresponding Turn marker for station groups must
be placed upstream of the exit into the secondary loop. All stations belonging to the same number range
of 100 units form a station group. The stations in a secondary loop must be stations of the same group.
Up to 10 groups may be defined.
•Group 0xx: Station 1 to 99
•Group 1xx: Station 100 to 199
•Group 2xx: Station 200 to 299
•Group 3xx: Station 300 to 399
•Group 4xx: Station 400 to 499
•Group 5xx: Station 500 to 599
•Group 6xx: Station 600 to 699
•Group 7xx: Station 700 to 799
•Group 8xx: Station 800 to 899
•Group 9xx: Station 900 to 999
Fig. 9 | Main and secondary loops for three station groups
Since every secondary loop must rejoin with the main loop, there are additional merge sections where
traffic control is required (provided that you use more than one Weasel). These merge sections are not
linked to stations. Simply use the markers Attention Entrance and Entrance of an unused station. The
Entrance marker should be placed in the secondary loop to avoid unnecessary stopping of your Weasels
in the main loop.