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June 12, 2018
June 6, 2018
Controlling of conveyors with interlock
PLC Program: Conveyor Sequence Control and Interlocking
Problem Description
A feeder drops material onto Conveyor 1, which then transfers the material to Conveyor 2 for further processing. The system must function automatically—conveyors should start based on material detection using load cells. The system must ensure sequence control and interlocking to avoid collisions.
System Components and Setup
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PLC Type: Siemens S7-300
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Software: TIA Portal
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Material Detection: Load Cells (preferred over proximity or limit switches for higher reliability)
I/O List
Inputs
Address | Description |
---|---|
I0.0 | START Push Button |
I0.1 | STOP Push Button |
I0.2 | Load Cell 1 (Conveyor 1) |
I0.3 | Load Cell 2 (Conveyor 2) |
Outputs
Address | Description |
---|---|
Q0.0 | Cycle ON Indicator |
Q0.1 | Conveyor 1 Motor |
Q0.2 | Conveyor 2 Motor |
Q0.3 | Feeder Motor |
Ladder Logic Program Description
Network 1: System Start Logic
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When START (I0.0) is pressed and system is not in STOP mode (I0.1 not active), Cycle ON (Q0.0) is latched to keep the system running.
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This also starts the Feeder Motor (Q0.3) to begin dropping material.
Network 2: Conveyor 1 Activation
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If Cycle ON (Q0.0) is active and Load Cell 1 (I0.2) detects material, then Conveyor 1 Motor (Q0.1) turns ON.
Network 3: Conveyor 2 Activation
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When Load Cell 2 (I0.3) detects material (i.e., material has transferred from Conveyor 1 to Conveyor 2), then Conveyor 2 Motor (Q0.2) turns ON.
Network 4: Emergency Stop Logic
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If STOP Button (I0.1) is pressed, all outputs are turned OFF by resetting the Cycle ON (Q0.0) latch.
Functional Sequence (Interlocking Logic)
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START Button Pressed (I0.0 = 1):
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Q0.0 (Cycle ON) = 1
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Q0.3 (Feeder Motor) = 1
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Material Detected on Conveyor 1 (I0.2 = 1):
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Q0.1 (Conveyor 1 Motor) = 1
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Material Transferred to Conveyor 2 (I0.3 = 1):
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Q0.2 (Conveyor 2 Motor) = 1
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STOP Button Pressed (I0.1 = 1):
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All outputs reset (Q0.0–Q0.3 = 0)
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Runtime Test Cases
Inputs | Outputs | Physical Behavior |
---|---|---|
I0.0 = 1 | Q0.0 = 1 | Cycle ON Lamp turns ON |
I0.2 = 1 | Q0.1 = 1 | Conveyor 1 Motor starts |
I0.3 = 1 | Q0.2 = 1 | Conveyor 2 Motor starts |
I0.1 = 1 | All Q outputs = 0 | System stops |
Conclusion
This PLC program ensures automatic sequencing and interlocking of conveyor belts using load cell feedback. It minimizes manual intervention, improves reliability, and provides a robust material handling solution using Siemens S7-300 and TIA Portal.
Would you like me to also draw the ladder diagram or generate an image of the conveyor setup for better