Relay to PLC Conversion

I am about to replace a old conveyor control cabinet with a plc control system using the micrologix 1100.

Question # 1 Is there any example code available for convey controls? This is a takeaway conveyor with off feed to 3 different lanes and the lane is determined by box height.

Question # 2 The current panel is fed froma 125 amp breaker ina I-Line panel and the current control panel does not have a disconnect. I want to put a disconnect in the new panel to make it easier to lock out for service.

When looking at disconnects I see 100 amp and 200 amp. can I use a 200 amp cable style like a AB 1494C type? Is it ok to fuse it at 125 amps as it is after the breaker or should it be fused at 100 amps so the fuses will blow first if there is a issue? The total load of the panel with all conveors running and loaded is around 70 amps max. I have measured it several times.

As far as examples http://plcguide.mrplc.com/index.html
This program should be straight forward and simple.

Question #1

How many different type of boxes do you have?(Height).

If there aren't many then use photoeyes to sense the height, stacked

If 1 makes then send box to conveyor 1
If 2 makes then send box to conveyor 2
If 3 makes then send box to conveyor 3

If there are many different heights involved I am sure a dimensioner could be applicable, or other type of height sensing device, I will let a senior guy to answer that.

fredz0003 said:

As far as examples http://plcguide.mrplc.com/index.html
This program should be straight forward and simple.

Question #1

How many different type of boxes do you have?(Height).

If there aren't many then use photoeyes to sense the height, stacked

If 1 makes then send box to conveyor 1
If 2 makes then send box to conveyor 2
If 3 makes then send box to conveyor 3

If there are many different heights involved I am sure a dimensioner could be applicable, or other type of height sensing device, I will let a senior guy to answer that.

Click to expand...

At first i thought the same thing but if your boxes are all the same footprint dimensions then the tallest box will trigger all three photoeyes, so what you will have to do is set up the code so the photo eye or prox that gets triggered that is the tallest will be the output determining what conveyor it goes to

STI Valuscan

Good stuff...you can mount them angled and get the dimension with even more resolution for a range...the analog option works great, too, and requires only a single analog input.

Also, you can get a bit stream from them serially with individual block beams represented by bit positions as 1 and 0.

CheezyMane13 said:

At first i thought the same thing but if your boxes are all the same footprint dimensions then the tallest box will trigger all three photoeyes, so what you will have to do is set up the code so the photo eye or prox that gets triggered that is the tallest will be the output determining what conveyor it goes to

Click to expand...

yeah I didn't think it thru..

If all three are made then send box to conveyor 1
If first and second are made then send box to conveyor 2
If first is made then send box to conveyor 3