| |
| |
Success Stories: Engineered Systems |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
| |
Auto-Dispatch Crane System
| |
|
|
Background |
|
|
As a cost cutting measure, an auto
parts manufacturer wanted to reduce the amount of
people and space required to manufacture brake pads.
The solution entailed creating small work cells
within their manufacturing facility. An overhead
crane was added to each cell to move hoppers filled
with brake pad material to the top of presses that
form the brake pads. To help the operator position
the load, an auto-dispatch feature was added to the
overhead crane control system.
System Description |
| The hoist, bridge, and
trolley motions of the
overhead crane are
controlled by IMPULSE™ G+ Series 2 drives, while reversing
contactors |
| |
An Auto-Dispatch Feature Added to
Overhead Crane Control System
|
control the grab motion. The
hoist is positioned using a 3 position
geared limit switch, the bridge is
positioned using a laser, and the
trolley is positioned using proximity
sensors. An Allen-Bradley SLC
5/04 PLC controls the auto-dispatch function and
an Allen- Bradley PanelView 1000 provides an
operator interface to the system. Position
verification sensors are also used to prevent
the operator from sending a hopper to an
occupied location.
|
System Operation |
|
|
A fork truck brings a full hopper to one of the two entrance areas of the
cell. After the fork truck is out of the way, the operator selects the
proper entrance location using the PanelView. If the crane determines it is
safe, it moves to the entrance location and the grab engages onto the
hopper. Once engaged, the operator selects the press location. The system
then checks to see if the location is occupied. If not, the crane moves the
hopper to the press, disengages from the grab, and stops. Moving an empty
hopper off of a press is done in a similar fashion. The operator selects the
press using the PanelView. The crane moves to the location and engages onto
the hopper. Once engaged, the operator selects the exit location. If the
location is not occupied, the hopper is moved to it, the grab disengages
from the hopper, and the crane stops. If a move cannot be performed safely,
a message is displayed on the PanelView. Manual control of the crane is
accomplished through either the PanelView or a back-up pendant.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|