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PLC based Sorting System using Metal Detection

Ashima Choudhary1, Syed Belal Abidi2
1,2B.Tech. Student, Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering,SVKM's NMIMS MPSTME, India
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Abstract In today’s world of technology and due to speed done with the help of a metal detector. It uses sensors in
running industries, the production rate has increased order to sort them accordingly and into their respective
tremendously. Generally, industries manufacture similar boxes. Though it can be achieved using a
models with little variation in material, height, color, microcontroller, using a PLC guarantees higher speed,
weight or shape. This is where sorting plays an important performance and reliability. A continuous conveyor belt
role. Sorting can be done by using many ways like sorting carries the products and a pair of pneumatically
of objects according to their dimensions, according to actuated pistons pushes them into the sorting bin. If it is
their colors, according to their weight, using machine a metal product the first piston pushes the product into
vision (image processing), according to the material of an the container, and the skipped product goes further
object etc. In such cases there can be no place for human towards the second piston, which detects the oncoming
errors in industries. Thus, it becomes necessary to develop product using the proximity sensor and pushes it into
a Low-Cost Automation (LCA) for sorting in an accurate another container. All these functions are precisely
manner. This thesis proposes the development of an LCA controlled by the PLC. We can further modify the project
system to sort objects according to their metallic by replacing DC motors by stepper motors to increase
property, using DC geared motors which are controlled by accuracy. Sensors can be replaced by cameras for digital
a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). This paper is Processing which can be done using MATLAB. We can
based on Delta PLC which is a basic type of PLC having 8 also segregate them on the basis of size, height, etc.
inputs and 6 outputs. It has a 24V input slot which acts as Robotic arms can be used instead of pneumatic pistons
a power source and a USB slot which is used to run the to place the objects in the desired locations. Such a
program. The work consists of two parts. The first consists system can not only be used in industries, but also for
of the software, which contains a ladder logic program segregation of wastes, mineral sorting, agricultural
used to program the PLC that controls the whole process grading, etc.
of the project systematically according to input data
sequence. Then we have the hardware part, which Our main aim is to build a system that can effectively
consists of conveyors, used to transport the objects; sort metals from nonmetals. Since such systems can
sensors used to sense the metallic property of the objects; form an integral part of industrial processes, our
pneumatic systems used to sort the objects and motors to objective would be to further increase the speed of
drive the conveyor belt. performance, reduce labor, increase accuracy as well as
efficiency. In this project, we create a setup that will
Key Words: PLC, LCA, CPU. decrease human effort to an extent by using the LAC to
avoid risk, improve accuracy, increase speed of
1. INTRODUCTION production and reduce the cycle time. Limitations will
be there due to the practical difficulties in programming
With the ever-growing industry, the efficiency of work is the project according to the availability of the materials
also expected to increase. In countries where the and components. This setup can be further improved to
markets have moved onto automation in their a sorting system that sorts the items based on the other
industries, the efficiency of those industries has physical consideration. This can be achieved using the
increased remarkably. Keeping this in mind, we are various sensors. In industry it can be used for sorting of
developing a various objects, tools, with a high degree of accuracy
system that will reduce the burden of manual labor and quality.
along with the errors that can be caused by it. This
system 2. RELATED WORK

would help spend less energy and effort, so that there In order to achieve a deeper interpretation of this
would be a definite increase in efficiency. There are problem statement, we need to look at the various parts
many such systems that can help in metallic property, in which it is fragmented. Firstly, a logic has to be built
etc. We have selected the situation of sorting objects on that will help to carry out the whole project with the
the basis of their metallic characteristics. This system of least human intervention possible. Therefore to achieve
sorting products is optimized to differentiate between the key target, which is the separation of metals and
products on the basis of their metallic property, which is non-metals; there should be sensors to detect the

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materials needed to separate. The next aspect would be 2.2 DELTA DVP14SS PLC
sorting of the items, which could very easily be After an exhaustive literature survey, the usage of a
accomplished with the use of pneumatic pistons. The Delta PLC was decided; the model used is ‘Delta DVP
auto industries complained that the cost of purchasing 14SS2’. Delta's DVP series programmable logic
and changing a single relay is highly cost. The second controllers offer high-speed, stable and highly reliable
factor involved time, expenses and labor required when applications in all kinds of industrial automation
a change of control needs to be done by modifying the machines. In addition to fast logic operation, bountiful
control panel itself. instructions and multiple function cards, the cost-
effective DVP-PLC also supports various communication
2.1 PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER (PLC) protocols, connecting Delta's AC motor drive, servo,
human machine interface and temperature controller
A programmable logic controller is a digitally operating through the industrial network into a complete Delta
electronic apparatus which uses a programmable Solution for all users.
memory for the internal storage of instructions for
implementing specific functions, such as logic, The 2nd generation DVP-SS2 series slim type PLC keeps
sequencing, timing, counting and arithmetic, to control the basic sequential control functions from the DVP-SS
through digital or analog input and output, various series PLC but with faster execution speed and
types of machines or processes. PLC is also referred to enhanced real-time monitoring capability.
as programmable controllers that are used in
commercial and industrial applications. It consists of
input modules, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), and
output modules. The PLC accepts inputs from switches
and sensors that measure or senses from the system. An
input module accepts a variety of digital or analog
signals from various field devices (sensors) and
converts them into a logic signal that can be used by the
CPU. The Central Processing Unit evaluates, makes
decisions and executes these signals based on a program
instructions or logic sequence. Output module converts
control instructions from the CPU into a digital or analog
signal that can be used to control various field devices
such as a machine or process.
Figure 2: Delta PLC Module
Basic hardware components of a PLC system consist of a
central processor unit (CPU), input and output modules,
power supply unit and programming device. The central
processor unit (CPU) is a microprocessor system that
contains the system memory and is the PLC decision
making unit. The CPU monitors the inputs and makes
decisions based on instructions held in the program
memory.

Figure 3: Delta PLC DVP-14SS2

Specifications:

1. MPU points: 14 (8DI + 6DO)

2. Max. I/O points: 494 (14 + 480)
Figure 1 : PLC Block Diagram 3. Program capacity: 8k steps

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4. COM port: Built-in RS-232 & RS-485 ports, Table 1: Input/output Modules of PLC
compatible with Modbus ASCII/RTU protocol.
Can be master or slave. Input Module Output Module
5. High-Speed Pulse Output：Supports 4 points
(Y0 ~ Y3) of independent high-speed (max. Start Push Button Conveyor Belt(12V Motor)
10kHz) pulse output
Stop Push Button Solenoid Valve for Metal
6. Supports PID Auto-tuning：DVP-SS2 saves
parameters automatically after the PID auto Metal Detector Coil Solenoid Valve for Non Metal
temperature tuning is completed.
Photoelectric Sensor Light Indicators
3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

It works on the method of utilizing electric energy to The current voltage goes to the DC motor through a
mechanical energy to carry the objects to the sorting capacitor filter to relay and the motor gets started, it
station. The operation starts when the user presses the converts electrical energy into rotational energy. This
Push Button 1 button to launch the logic. When the rotational energy is transferred to the roller. As the
predefined logic is satisfied, i.e. no objects must be conveyor belt mounted on the roller is also rotated and
initially placed on the conveyor belt, the belt starts the objects placed on the conveyor goes in forward.
moving. The Green Bulb lights up as soon as the button When the object comes in front of the sensor, the object
is pressed, signaling that the process has started. Power is detected accordingly and the respective piston gets
is down-converted and supplied to the 12V DC motor to activated which is connected with the solenoid valve
power the conveyor belt. We have defined 4 inputs and and the objects are collected in the respective bin. As the
5 outputs in the PLC module. The user then starts DC motor has a capacity of 30rpm this process goes on
placing the materials for sorting. The material, say X, and the cards on the conveyor belt get sorted.
goes through the metal detector coil first. If X is a metal,
a specific frequency is detected, signaling that X is a
metal. This data is then transmitted to the PCB board,
which functions as a metal detector circuit.

Figure 4: Overall Block Diagram

It consists of a conveyor belt, electric motor. In this

system we use the electric supply as a source of energy.
When the current supply is switched ON the current
goes to the system through a step-down transformer, it
converts the high-power current into low power up to
12 volts.
Figure 5: Flowchart

Description of the flowchart:

1. Switch ON the power Supply

2. Place the object on the moving conveyor belt

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respective ladder logic. In our performance testing,

A) A Metal Detector is placed below the conveyor we placed several objects; the system was
belt and once the belt moves forward, we successfully classifying the objects based on the
determine following things ladder logic.
B) If the object detected by coil is metal, it is sorted
by the help of a piston which is connected on
For Metal Sorting:
the side of the belt
The object placed on the conveyor belt is sensed by a
3. If the object turns to be non-metal then by the metal detector located under the belt and thus detected
photoelectric sensor, which has been positioned as a metal. As soon as the metal is sensed after a delay of
perpendicular to the conveyor, the Non-Metal Object is 8ms, it is pushed forward by the piston into the
sorted by another piston. corresponding box. The same operation is carried out in
4. This will keep sorting objects N number of times, till the above ladder logic.
the user wants.
5. Once the sorting is DONE, we turn-off the power
supply.

4. SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION

ISPSoft is a highly accessible programming software

application for Delta’s programmable logic controllers
(PLC). With its modular editing interface, ISPSoft
integrates hardware configuration, network
configuration, and motion control programming into the
same editing platform. Our current implementation is
based upon the software building for the project model.
As mentioned initially, we are using ISPSoft 3.03 For Non-Metal Sorting:
software for implementing the PLC ladder logic. The
logic we have built is compiled error free in the software If the object is not detected as a metal by the frontier
atmosphere. We have tried using the least number of metal detector, it is considered to be a non-metal
networks for functioning of each part, at last we system. Hence, the object moves forward on the
acquired a logic of total 18 Networks. Each network conveyor belt; the object is sensed by the proximity
corresponds to the functioning of our model. The ladder sensor, which has been fixed in a perpendicular manner
logic is uploaded on the PLC using Cadyce Cable. towards the conveyor. After a delay of 15ms to cover
the distance till the piston, the non-metal is pushed into
Inputs of the Ladder Logic: the respective box and therefore segregated.

1) X0 - cycle_start_pb
2) X1 - proxy1
3) X2 - proxy2
4) X4 - cycle_stop_pb

Output of the Ladder Logic:

1) Y0 - conveyor _start
2) Y1 - cycle_on_lamp
3) Y2 - pusher_1
4) Y3 - pusher_2 6. CONCLUSION
5) Y4 - cycle_stop_lamp
In this project report, we have tried to create a setup
5. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS that will decrease human effort and succeed to an extent
by using the LAC system to avoid risk, improve accuracy,
Analysis includes the performance of the device increase speed of production and reduce the cycle time.
with various inputs and by using different The project can be used to meet demands of high-speed
topologies applying to the device. The Delta DVP production using the least mechanism requirements.
PLC requires a Cadyce Cable in order to upload the The system also provides high accuracy and precision of
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incoming metals or any other non-metallic products. packed food are running on a single line. The system
Though it is true that the use of PLC is a costly affair separates out the wet and dry waste along with few dry
particularly for small industries it offers many components detection and separation. This system can
advantages like it can be easily programmable and it is be implemented at the municipal level or in some small-
easy to handle. Limitations will be there due to the scale industries to segregate out the metallic, plastic,
practical difficulties in programming the project glass and paper wastes more efficiently at an affordable
according to the availability of the materials and cost
components. In the industrial field, it can be used for
sorting of various objects, tools, with a high degree of 7. FUTURE SCOPE
accuracy and quality with automation. Also, this system
can come in handy nowadays to segregate the metal and It is very useful in wide varieties of industries along
nonmetal waste for the industrial and domestic use. with the help of PLC, especially in the sorting process. It
ensures remarkable processing capacity as well as
PLC based automated sorting machines are able to peerless performance including color detection. Of
consistently perform the same repetitive motion to the course, we need to add high speed DC Motors and
same standard, lowering the prospect of injuries and, sensors with appreciable response to speed up the
even worse, accidents. Injuries can lead to time off for system for industrial application.
the affected party and rising costs for the manufacturer.
The advantage for workers is the opportunity to learn The model can be improved by making some changes in
other skills in the company away from uninspiring jobs the program and components. Some suggestions are
that require them to repeat the same motion time and given below:
again. PLCs are completely solid-state devices and hence
are extremely compact in comparison to hard-wired 1. We can add a load cell for measurement and
controllers where electro-mechanical devices are used. control of weight of the product.
There is no requirement of rewiring if any change is 2. We can also add a counter for counting the
required to be implemented. It can carry out complex number of products.
functions like arithmetic operations, counting, 3. Speed of the system can be increased
comparing, generation of time delay etc. It has a very accounting to the speed of production.
high processing speed and greater flexibility in both 4. The system can be used as a quality controller
analog and digital processes. “On Line”/ ‘Off Line’ by adding more sensors.
programming is also possible in it. 5. The sensor can be changed according to the
type of product.
Automated system is more expensive up front than 6. The DC motor can be replaced with a stepper
manual equipment. However, what you save in man motor.
power and what you gain in increased productivity,
means the equipment will eventually pay for itself and 8. REFERENCES
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