Mechatronics Pick and Place Workstation

Description

Hands-on Industrial Practice

This comprehensive mechatronics workstation provides practical industrial training experience equivalent to more than three traditional mechatronics control stations, offering excellent value based on its cost. Sensors are equipped with indicator lamps to support fault-finding and troubleshooting activities.

Covered Training Elements

The workstation covers pneumatic actuators, electro-pneumatic valves, PLC control, AC solenoid systems, power supply, conveyor systems, pick-and-place mechanisms with pneumatic grippers, material hoppers, proximity sensors, optical sensors, inductive sensors, microswitches, electromagnetic relays, solid-state relays, fault finding, and troubleshooting.

Overall Operation

The comprehensive mechatronics workstation performs the following automated material handling and sorting operations:

• The material hopper provides a workpiece from the magazine.
• A sensor detects whether a workpiece is present and generates an error signal if no workpiece is detected.
• The pick-and-place arm moves into position to collect the workpiece.
• The pneumatic gripper closes to securely grip the workpiece.
• The vertical cylinder lifts the workpiece from the material hopper.
• The rotary cylinder moves the arm into the required position.
• The arm positions the workpiece above the conveyor belt.
• The gripper releases the workpiece onto the conveyor belt.
• The conveyor transports the workpiece through the detection and sorting area.
• A sensor identifies whether the workpiece is made of plastic or metal.
• Additional sensors detect the color of the workpiece.
• The PLC processes the sensor signals and determines the required sorting operation.
• One workpiece type is diverted from the conveyor into Slide #1.
• A second workpiece type is diverted from the conveyor into Slide #2.
• The remaining workpiece type continues to the end of the conveyor and drops into the end bin.

A. Specifications

1. Control Unit

• Omron CP1E PLC control system
• Main unit I/O control points
• 8K words memory, expandable up to 16K words
• RS-232 serial communication cable
• Two 25-pin D-shaped communication connectors for PLC-to-mechanism I/O
• Power supply: 220 VAC input / 24 VDC output
• Emergency stop protection
• Fuse protection

2. Control Buttons

• Start button – Green
• Stop button – Red
• Reset button – Yellow
• Operating modes: Automatic and Manual

B. Mechanism

1. Distribution / Material Feeding Unit

• One material magazine
• Aluminium magazine base
• Separate fibre-optic sensor installed at the bottom of the magazine
• One double-acting pneumatic cylinder
• Two speed-control valves
• Two reed switches for cylinder position detection
• One microswitch
• Six workpieces made from plastic and aluminium
• Three different workpiece colors

2. Pick-and-Place Arm

• Vertical two-rod pneumatic cylinder
• Pneumatic cylinder control valves
• Rotary cylinder for arm movement
• Pneumatically powered gripper

3. Conveyor Belt

• 24 VDC conveyor motor
• One conveyor belt
• Inductive proximity sensor
• Reductive proximity sensor
• Two sets of double-acting pneumatic cylinders for part selection and diversion
• Separate photoelectric sensor
• Two fixed-focus reflective photoelectric sensors
• Diffuse-reflective fibre-optic sensor

4. Air Preparation Unit

• Air filter: 40 μm
• 1/4-inch connector
• Pressure regulator: 0–10 kg/cm²
• Maximum pressure: 15 kg/cm²
• Air-pressure input sliding switch

5. Electro-Pneumatic Valves

• 24 VDC, 0.55 W
• Indicator lights
• Voltage overload protection circuit
• Electronic 5-port, 2-position single-acting valve
• Electronic 5-port, 2-position double-acting valve
• Electronic 5-port, 3-position center-closed valve
• 3-in-1 valve housing

6. Aluminium Platform

• Dimensions: 34 × 30 inches (approximately 86 × 76 cm)
• T-slots spaced 30 mm apart
• Mounting bolts designed to sustain loads up to 150 kg/cm²
• Approximate weight: 88 lbs (40 kg)

Training Applications

This workstation is suitable for practical training and laboratory exercises in the following areas:

• PLC programming and I/O control
• Pneumatic and electro-pneumatic control
• Industrial sensor applications
• Automated material handling
• Pick-and-place automation
• Conveyor control systems
• Material and color detection
• Automated sorting systems
• Relay and solid-state relay control
• Fault finding and troubleshooting
• Industrial automation sequence control