EGR 450  Manufacturing Controls
Design Project:
    Automated conveyor with package diverter.

Project Description:
I automated a conveyor and package diverter that I helped design and build for EGR 409
(machine design II), and EGR 367 (manufacturing processes).  This system can be used in
a student laboratory either as a trainer for students to design their own PLC programs, or
as an manufacturing work cell to be applied with other projects.

Major Components & Features:

Controls:
    Operating the System
        1. Connect all electrical connections
            o 208 VAC 3 Phase for conveyor motor
            o 120 VAC for PLC, inputs, and outputs
        2. Pull out E-Stop
        3. Press "System Start"
             o Turns on PLC & inputs
             o Turns on conveyor motor
             o Run light flashes when motor is on
        5. Wait for "Load Parts" light to use conveyor

Safety:
· Pressing the self locking “E-Stop” button at any time will shut the entire system down even the
· PLC; the diverter will also stop in place.
· Pressing the “Stop Conveyor Motor” button will stop the conveyor belt from moving,
  but the diverter will continue its cycle.
· A flashing light has been setup to warn the operator that the conveyor motor is on.
 

The Ladder Logic designed for this system can be found at the following link:
Ladder Logic of Automated Conveyor

The control panel with extended package diverter in the background.  If the E-stop is pressed at any
time the entire system will shut down, which includes stopping the diverter where ever it is at in its cycle.
To restart the system, pull out the E-stop and press the "Start System" button shown here.

 

The green "Load Parts" light comes on when the conveyor motor is running and there is no packages to be
diverted.  To run the conveyor motor press the "Start Conveyor Motor Button."

 

The red "Wait" light comes on when the conveyor motor is stoped or the diverter is in the process of moving
a package.

 

The orange light on the light tower flashes if the motor is running.
The diffuse photoelectric sensor to detect packages is also shown
here mounted to a rigid fixture.

 

The package diverter extends out until a contact switch is touched on the back
of the diverter.  For this system, the program was designed to return the diverter
back to its original position once a contact has been made.

 

The contact switch to tell the PLC when the diverter is full retracted is shown here.

 
 

3-Phase power was used to control the conveyor motor.
The 208 VAC source power comes into the control panel
through the yellow cord.  The relay is tripped with 120 VAC
power from the PLC.  The conveyor motor can still be plugged
into the source power for manual operation.

 
 

The wiring diagram I designed for this automated conveyor with package diverter is shown below.