Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

Technology
BEng-Tech: Industrial
Industrial Engineering Laboratory Handbook
Manufacturing Systems Design 2A [MFDMIA2]

Advanced PLC

Compiled by: Mr. SS Mthombeni

Date Revised: February 2024

THE SEPARATING STATION
The Separating station differentiates workpieces based on their drilled hole depth and
separates them into two different material flow directions.

Workpieces placed on the conveyor are transported to the depth measurement point. An
analogue diffuse sensor checks the drilled hole depth.

Workpieces of the type "cylinder body" (deep hole) are transported to the end of the
conveyor. Workpieces of the type "housing" (shallower hole) are directed towards the
rear via the second conveyor using a pneumatic branching gate with rotary drive. Fibre-
optic through beam sensors with optical sensors monitor the material flow on the
conveyors.

Instructions:
1. Conveyor belt 1
• When the part placement sensor AND the start PB are activated the conveyor
belt will begin to move.
• If the part does not have a hole, the part will divert and the CB2 sensor 1 wil be
activated causing the conveyor belt to stop.
• If the CB1 end sensor OR CB2 sensor 2 is activated, they will be used to deactivate
the conveyor belt after two(2) seconds which will be done by a timer which is
resetted by the stop button OR the part placement sensor.
2. Plunger
• The plunger sensor will be activated after three(3) seconds after the part arrives
to be able to retract the plunger.
• The timer will be resetted by CB2 sensor 1 OR CB1 end sensor.
3. Diverter
• When the hole detection sensor is activated, the diverter will be activated after
THREE(3) seconds using a to be able to detect the depth of the work piece through
a non-latching timer.
• When the CB2 sensor 1 is activated the diverter will retract back to its original
position.
4. Conveyor belt 2
• When the CB2 sensor 1 is activated, the conveyor belt will be activated
deactivated they will be used to deactivate the conveyor belt after two(2) seconds
which will be done by a timer which is resetted by the stop button OR the part
placement sensor (SAME AS CONVEYOR BELT 1).
//PANEL INPUTS
P0 AT %IX0.0:BOOL; //START
P1 AT %IX0.1:BOOL; //STOP

//SEPARATION INPUTS
I0 AT %IX2.0:BOOL; // PART PLACEMENT SENSOR
I1 AT %IX2.1:BOOL; // PLUNGER SENSOR
I2 AT %IX2.2:BOOL; // CB1 END SENSOR (NC)
I3 AT %IX2.3:BOOL; // HOLE DETECTION SENSOR
I4 AT %IX2.4:BOOL; // CB2 SENSOR 1
I5 AT %IX2.5:BOOL; // CB2 SENSOR 2 (NC)
I6 AT %IX2.6:BOOL; // N/A
I7 AT %IX2.7:BOOL; // N/A

//SEPARATION OUTPUTS
Q0 AT %QX2.0:BOOL; // CONVEYOR BELT 1
Q1 AT %QX2.1:BOOL; // N/A
Q2 AT %QX2.2:BOOL; // DIVERTER
Q3 AT %QX2.3:BOOL; // PLUNGER
Q4 AT %QX2.4:BOOL; // CONVEYOR BELT 2
Q5 AT %QX2.5:BOOL; // N/A
Q6 AT %QX2.6:BOOL; // N/A
Q7 AT %QX2.7:BOOL; // N/A