PLC Based 2D Pneumatic Palletizer Design and Manufacturing

Abstract

The proper material handling has a huge impact on production and distribution system. The use of pallets is efficient to handle small objects in large quantities so as to properly pack in cartons. The manual palletization is time consuming, expensive and also puts unnecessary stress on workers. The palletizers available are manual and microcontroller based. These solutions are not flexible enough to match production system requirements, and not cost effective as well. In this study the main aim is to incorporate flexibility with the help of PLC while being cost effective. It is proposed to have desired flexibility in pallet array size and layers in pallet. The proposed system has the pallet array size of 3×3 to 5×5 and single layer to 3 layers. The neatly and aesthetically designed control panel is used to select array size, layer control with advance PLC programming features. The algorithm is so designed it shall smoothly bridge other FMS components like conveyer. This system is not only cost effective but also adds the dimension of flexibility to palletization, so as to make it capable of handling future requirements including change in operation, etc. with the help of simple change in programming and/ or control and thus shall be avoiding expensive hardware changes. To design, manufacture a PLC based 2D pneumatic table top palletizer with the pallet array size of 3×3 to 5×5, consist of single layer to 3 layers and suitable control panel to indicate object presence in the process at particular stage, essential buttons, a special button to integrate the palletizer with supporting conveyor.