Design and Testing of a PLC Based Automatic Sorting System

Abstract

This thesis involves the design, development, and implementation of an automated box sorting mechanism using RSLogix Micro, Allen-Bradley MicroLogix 1100 PLC, photoresistors, and hobby motors. The main objective hereby is to devise a less expensive but efficient, and reliable system for the sorting of a small, medium, and large sizes of boxes on a conveyor belt, which is much of a problem in most industry setups, particularly in manual sorting. The signal is given by the respective photoresistor for the presence and size of a box. A hobby motor works as a cylinder, pushing a large and medium-sized boxes into the respective sorting channels. The small ones just run to the end of the conveyor, which is not interfered with. A MicroLogix 1100 PLC is used as the central unit of control. It is programmed with ladder logic through RSLogix Micro and processes input signals from photoresistors; accordingly, it controls the motors. Extensive testing showed the average sorting accuracy the system summed to 95.93%. Some scores during the tests even reached 100%. The average time the system took to sort a box was approximately 3.92 seconds. Also, the tests returned high reliability while performing the operation over a longer period to the tune of 97.6%. All results show the effectiveness the system has in enhancement of sorting efficiency and accuracy. iv This project, therefore, provides a practical low-cost solution with potential in automated sorting within the industrial automation field. The methodology also contains a comprehensive description of the integration of the sensors, motors, and PLCs and the development of ladder logic programs. Future work might include integrating advanced sensors within the system, thus optimizing the mechanism of sorting, and adding machine learning algorithms for improved performance. In general, this automated box sorting system has been a reliable and effective solution to the manual sorting challenges in industries. The conclusions derived from this study and the methods it employs serve as the basis for future study and development in the field of automated sorting and industrial automation.