New to PLCs...Will PLCs work for this application??

I want to build a machine with a turntable that take a round piece of heavy paper, rotates it two times and while it is rotating, dispenses adhesive on the periphery of the piece. I want it to then pause for an indefinite period until the operator activates it again. Then I want it to dispense adhesive on the entire surface. Is this a PLC application or am i barking up the wrong tree? Thank you in advance. Any resources where I can read more about this would be appreciate as well.

Will a PLC do the job? Yes

You will need a more detailed design description though, something very exacting.

How will the glue be applied?
Will there be seperate dispensing heads for the edge, and entire surface, or must the head move?
Is any overlap or gaps allowed?
How fast will the turntable be rotating?
Estimated cycle time?
How will the operator interact with the machine?
Safety concerns!

The list could go on and on, the answer to these and other questions will have a large influence on the cost of the machine.

The glue will applied with an electric dispenser similar to the one shown at http://www.itwdynatec.com/Literature/Pdf%20Print/BF%20Elec%20Head.pdf.

Regarding head movement, which ever would be most cost effective.

Turntable rotating at approx 10 rpms, although this is not terribly critical.

The paper ranges in OD from 48" to 72".

Regarding cycle time, I would like the adhesive dispensed and then a pause for 30 seconds. I want the machine to remain in the paused state until the operator pushes a button, indicating the the process should continue. The turntable would then make 10 more revolutions and then enter a paused state again. The cycle would be complete at this point. I hope this helps.

Yes a plc could do it.

You are talking about a stretch wrap system that will use glue instead of stretch wrap, the kind that puts stretch wrap around pallets etc.

I have used many of the Dynatec glue systems on box forming machines and others. They tend to drip and have to be cleaned up on a regular basis.

What I am not understanding is what exactly are you gluing? Is it the top of the roll or the sides? I am asking to understand the application, most paper facilities just tape and sometimes stretch wrap paper rolls.

I have converted quite a few stretch wrap machines from relays to a PLC. There operation is fairly simple; place the material on the turntable then press start (or an automated conveyor would sense the presence of material and start when in place), the stretch wrap is put in place, the turntable starts rotating, the wrap moves up to cover the necessary height to cover the material then lowers until it reaches bottom, turntable stops rotating after specified number of turns, then wrap is cut and material is removed. The only difference is whether it is a manually loaded or automated system, either way it is not that complicated.

There is always maintenance involved with machinery but the Dynatec glue systems are high maintenance compared to stretch wrap systems overall so I am curious why the need to glue.

I think a picture or drawing would help to convey your application better. I was imagining something completely different than rsdoran. Please post whatever you can if you need help beyond whether to use a PLC or not.

I wish he would return

Gerry, I may have mis-read some of the information. I am not sure what he meant by heavy paper, I guess I assumed he was refering to rolls. Having re-read, it may not be rolls, but some large round sheet of paper that will be glued to something else.

It still appears to be similar to a stretch wrap with some minor differences. A strect wrap moves the wrap verticall where it seems the glue system will need to move horizontally.

Some of the "I want" aspects I am not sure would work. Dynatec glue systems work on heat, the glue is fluid until it is applied but within seconds after application it returns to a solid. Therefore I do not understand why the rotate 2 times to apply on periphery then stop until operator activates, this would probably allow the existing glue to solidify before more glue is applied.

I have also worked in corrugation plants where large sheets were glued but this was done with multiple glue heads while moving along a conveyor.

I had some of the same questions with the delays and such.

I know what you mean with the stretch wrap machine, but i haven't seen many glue applications before.

Sometimes its hard to figure out what someone is describing without a picture if you haven't had experience with it before. A wise man once said, "A picture is worth a thousand words!". Or, is it a million?

A PLC can be used to do pretty much anything, the question I think you should be asking is "Is a PLC the most cost effecient way of doing this?"


Sounds like a pretty simple project control wise, should be able to do it with something like a SLC brick, or compactlogix.