Vision Systems for Automation

Vision systems are the eyes that help automation complete the manufacture of products in the most accurate way. Usually a vision system is made up of any one of various cameras or sensors that is connected to the controller of the manufacturing operations. Through the connection the vision system sends images or other feedback to the controller to continually let the "brain" know what is the current state of manufacturing operation at every moment. The controller can make a decision about a next step in the manufacturing process based on the images that it receives from one or more vision systems or sensors. Instructions that can come from the controller to the manufacturing devices as a result of images it receives can be anything from "continue on to the next step" to "totally shutdown manufacturing" and everything in between. Vision systems have become part of the safety process that keeps manufacturing running. It is important for devices to be stopped when parts are products are out-of-place or not available for other devices to process. In some cases if devices are not shut down when parts are not available, equipment could be damaged, bringing the entire manufacturing operation down for costly repairs.

Vision systems have moved from being devices that are nice to have in manufacturing to necessities for making manufacturing as efficient as possible. When these systems were first introduced for use in manufacturing the technology was adequate, but did not give vision devices all the abilities that they have today. The main purpose of vision systems are to examine the state of parts and products during the manufacturing process. This inspection is done to determine positions of pieces, accuracy of production, and availability of products. The accuracy of production relates to the inspection of products in the various phases of manufacturing. If a product has been partially assembled in such a way that the completion of its assembly would cause the manufacturing process to be put into jeopardy, the controller will likely shutdown the process. In some cases the controller will have the option to send an improperly assembled product off the production line so that a full shutdown is not necessary. Technology has brought forth the 3-D and high definition cameras that the work of any vision system very effective.

Another use of vision and sensor systems is in the determination the position of parts and partially assembled as they move down the production line. In some production scenarios parts move down a belt toward an assembly operation. The part are in random positions as they move along. In order for the next step in the manufacturing to be completed, a robotic device is required to pick up each part so that it can be joined with another part to continue the process. The vision system make the robotic aware of the position of each incoming part so that it can be picked up efficiently. Without the vision system in this case high-speed production would not be possible. It is also possible that the vision system in this case would act as a safety mechanism. It would alarm the controller if there were no parts available on the production line so that precautions could be taken.

Usually the setup of a vision system is not very complicated and the system can be used in production with very little training of personnel. The benefit of a well-coordinated vision system brings a great deal of utility to your production environment without very much expense and effort. In some cases such a system includes a controller for the vision, an operating system, an intelligent camera, and the applications software to run the camera, all bundled together as a single unit. Usually the operating system is Windows, which is well-known and easy to use. Often these types of systems are used in packaging functions like inspecting the inside of containers or reviewing the amount of contents in containers in a filling operation. Sometimes they are also used in label placement inspection or in the inspection of tamper-resistance seals on containers. Vision is effective in reviewing package and container integrity or inspecting for contaminants inside product containers. Package counting and the confirmation of product inserts are other applications.

Considerations for applying a vision application to your manufacturing should include such thoughts as the speed that your production line will require for reduced impact on overall line speed. You should review all the areas that will need vision in your manufacturing to make sure that adequate vision coverage is in place to get optimum return. Review the environmental requirements of a possible vision option o make sure your production will allow what the system needs to do the job as you expect it to be done. This would include temperature and lighting considerations.

Standby Power Systems: Frequently Asked Questions

A standby generator offers different benefits to different facilities. From facilities that require constant power to ones that do not, the electricity supplied by an industrial generator can range from critical to convenient. In each case, however, generators are part of emergency power supply systems (EPSS) that consist of several components, require various services, and have multiple implementation options. If you are considering implementing an industrial generator to provide electricity during outages, but you have questions about standby power systems, the answers below may help.

How much does an EPSS cost to implement?

Depending on the amount of electricity a facility uses, an industrial system could cost from under $50,000 to over $1 million. In general, the more electricity a building requires, the greater the cost of its EPSS. Instead of depending on ballpark figures, the best approach is to have your building evaluated by professionals.

How long can an industrial EPSS last?

Due to its industrial grade construction, it is not uncommon for an industrial system to last over thirty years. With occasional modernization measures and/or retrofitting, some systems can last for around fifty years. Buying an industrial generator is a significant investment, but it can last for decades.

What types of maintenance does an EPSS require?

Standby power systemsrequire certain types of regular maintenance, particularly: switchgear maintenance, transfer switch maintenance, and generator maintenance, which are carried out on a monthly basis in accordance with guidelines set forth in National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Code 110.

What types of testing does an EPSS require?

Standby power systemsrequire monthly and annual testing that assesses their readiness to respond to outages. Manipulating circuits to trigger reactions that should occur during an outage is done in monthly testing, while annual tests fully simulate an outage. Other types of equipment testing, such as breaker testing, are often performed on the same date as generator tests. Guidelines for Genset testing are set forth in NFPA 110.

When is load bank testing performed?

A load bank test is usually performed when a generator fails to operate at a minimum of 30% of its Kilowatt nameplate rating for thirty minutes during a monthly test. A portable load bank that delivers the load to a generator is typically used for the test.

How can you tell when an EPSS needs replacement?
Generator replacement is recommended when the cost of repairing, retrofitting, or modernizing a generator exceeds the worth of performing the measure in question. Due to its high cost, the failure of a generator's motor often leads to the purchase of a new Genset.

How should a commercial power solutions provider be selected?
A provider should be selected on two counts: the range of its services, and its level of customer service. A company should contract with a provider that can supply all the services it could possibly need-now and in the future-and can deliver them on a timely basis. For example, a provider arriving onsite within two hours is much better than one that takes four hours.

Used Plastic Pelletizing Systems: A Purchasing Guide

A plastic pelletizing system is equipment that creates plastic pellets and is one of the most important intermediate processes in plastics. There are four main processes: strand pelletizing, underwater, hot ring, and hot cut. The technology has not changed significantly in recent years and used plastic pelletizing equipment offers a high return on investment. The typical life of a new plastic pelletizing system from a reputable manufacturer will exceed 20 years if properly cared for and maintained. The most important considerations when buying a new or used plastic pelletizing system are cost, quality and delivery time.

How Plastic Pelletizing Systems Work
Plastic pelletizing systems add raw materials, often powders, to the barrel of an extruder. Inside the barrel, heat and pressure are applied to melt the powders and a rotating screw mixes it together. This creates a uniform and consistent molten product. The molten product is passed through a screen that creates pressure in the extruder barrel, filters impurities, and controls flow to the die. The diameter and shape of the molten plastic is determined by settings on the die. From this point, four different processes can be applied.

Different Plastic Pelletizing Processes Strand Pelletizing
One option to process compound plastic is strand pelletizing. After the extruder process, a strand die creates a series of spaghetti-like strands that are cooled in water. Once cooled, an air stripper removes excess water. The strand pelletizer then cuts the cooled strands. In the case of the strand die, the number of holes is proportional to the size of the extruder. Another consideration is heat source: electric or oil. Electric systems are cleaner and easier to maintain at a constant temperature, however some applications require oil. The most common manufacturer is Extrusion Dies Industries (EDI). It can be difficult to determine the brand of the die without documentation.

Water Bath

Issues to consider when purchasing a used water bath include the length, width, and depth of the submersion chamber. It's important to ensure the water bath is big enough to hold the strands. The size of the water bath is generally matched to the throughput of the extruder. Construction material is also important with stainless steel the best choice because it doesn't rust. Other materials include carbon steel and aluminum.

Air Stripper

When purchasing an air stripper, make sure the width of the lips are wide enough to allow the strands to be pulled through and ensure the horsepower is strong enough.

Strand Pelletizing

When purchasing a used strand pelletizing system, ensure the entrance width and strand guide matches the size and number of strands. Examine the type of rotor: either removable blades or solid helical. In both cases, the number and width of the blade on the rotor is important. Make sure the unit has adequate horsepower to spin the rotor to cut pellets. Manufacturers include Conair and Cumberland.

Screen

Screens can be round or rectangle. Ensure the size of the screen matches the extruder. Screens with more decks allow greater levels of filtration. Manufacturers of round screens are Sweeco, Midwestern, and Kason. Manufacturers of rectangular screens include Witte and Rotex. Screens need to be sized to match the rate of the extruder.

Underwater Pelletizing

Another option to process compound plastic is underwater pelletizing. In this process, an adapter connects the extruder with or without a screen changer to a system comprised of a die, a cutting system, a water system, and a spin dryer. In this process, molten material is cut into pellets after moving through the die and into a water slurry. Pelletizing takes place underwater. After this, pellets are dried in a spin dryer and sorted according to size by a screen. The underwater pelletizer must be sized so that the flow of water in gallons per minute is appropriate for the production rate of material from the extruder. Each manufacturer has a different calculation. The most common manufacturers are Gala and Farrel.

Water Ring Pelletizing
A third option to process compound plastic is water ring pelletizing. This works in the same way as underwater pelletizing except the pellet is cut when hot and cooled in a ring of water. As the plastic moves through the die, the pelletizer throws the pellets against the wall of the ring with water instantly cooling the hot pellets. The pellets are dried in a spin dryer and sorted by size through a screen. When purchasing water ring pelletizing systems, consider the model, capacity and manufacturer. The most common brands are Beringer, Xaloy, and PTI. It's common for water ring pelletizing systems to include the die, cutter, water system, spin dryer and water trough.

Hot Cut Pelletizing

The fourth option to process compound plastic is hot cut pelletizing. In this case, pellets are cut when hot and cooled by a blower before being sorted by size through a screen. This process is typically used with PVC pellets. The best-known brand is Cincinnati Milacron.

Used plastic pelletizing systems
When purchasing a used plastic pelletizing system, consider its age, manufacturer, horsepower, type of rotor, and screen holes. The advantages of buying a used plastics pelletizing system includes immediate installation and competitive price. Choose a reputable brand with maintenance records.

Conveyor Systems Overview - The Different Types

Conveyor systems are typically used to transport goods of various kinds and sizes to different parts of a warehouse or distribution hub. Kinds of products that can be transported include: large products, white goods, car parts, boxes and food products.

Uses involve moving products or storage of products.

There are various kinds of conveyor including roller, belt, powered, pallet, in-floor, gravity. All these different kinds have purposes and reasons for use.

Roller conveyor and gravity

Using roller and gravity conveyor allows the easy transport of products around a warehouse. This uses rollers on the conveyor which allows the products to be pushed around or using gravity to move the products. An advantage for using gravity conveyor is that it is that the cost is less than powered conveyor.

Pallet conveyor

Pallet conveyor can be used to move bulk storage and bulk sized products. The differences are the size of products that are transported. Using pallet conveyor make's the moving easier and faster.

Powered conveyor

Powered conveyor allows the transport of the products around a warehouse being able to be controlled. This means that the products can be transported up to another floor or round to other parts of the warehouse. Being able to control the stopping and started and which way the products go and to which area they sent makes the efficiency greater and the process faster.

Belt conveyor

Belt conveyor is used a lot of the time for a vertical change in the system, allowing the warehouse to use multiple floors on different levels. Other methods include vertical lifts or spiral conveyor that allow the products to be taken up or down to other levels.

A conveyor system puts these different kinds of conveyor together to suit the purpose of the project to make it work in saving time, allowing better movement or storage in the warehouse or distribution hub. By putting all these parts together they allow the movement of goods in a way that makes the warehouse run effectively. Having the various parts together in a complete system allows the control and fast working of the conveyor to suit the purpose of why it is built.

Benefits of a conveyor system include: 

• Being able to move multiple products around a warehouse    Control where products and goods go
• Automate your production line
• Speed up the transport of goods
• Stop and start the movement of products to fall inline with production timimgs