Cooking Vessel Loading and Unloading Automation
Project Completion Date: 2014
Project Highlights
- Crossmuller were contracted to automate the loading, unloading and cooking initiation for a leading Australian food manufacturer
- Upgrade of two cooking vessel Programmable Logic Controllers into a distributed system
- Safety upgrade of the cooking vessels to Category 3 using the SamosPro programmable safety controller
- Cooking vessel drive system upgrade including an inverted drive with encoder feedback for chain positioning
- Development of a load and unload methodology.
Overview
Crossmuller were contracted to automate the loading, unloading and cooking initiation for a leading Australian food manufacturer. Loading of the cooking vessels was a manual task with operators required to transport baskets of product from the loading machine to the cookers. They would then load the baskets of product into the vessels manually. NDC was contracted to supply automated guided vehicles (AGVs). It was Crossmuller’s job to automate the cooking vessels so that the loading and unloading process was fully automated.
The upgrading of the two cooking vessels PLCs into a distributed I/O and central PLC system. Rockwell Point I/O and a Compactlogix PLC were used. The existing Seimens PLC program was then rewritten into a Logix5000 format and upgraded for the new automation requirements.
The upgrading of the two cooking vessels PLCs into a distributed I/O and central PLC system. Rockwell Point I/O and a Compactlogix PLC were used. The existing Seimens PLC program was then rewritten into a Logix5000 format and upgraded for the new automation requirements.
The Project
Crossmuller organised the supply, design and programming of three PanelView+ operator interfaces, along with a cooking vessel drive system upgrade, including an inverted drive with encoder feedback for chain positioning.
Gaining a thorough understanding of the existing process and the automation requirements was important for the success of this operation. Crossmuller worked closely with production personnel and machine suppliers to develop the load and unload method.
Automated Guided Vehicle interaction and handshaking involved the development of an automated handover system with communications to the AGV via ethernet. Handshakes were developed to ensure the safe and efficient handover of baskets to and from the cooking vessel.
Gaining a thorough understanding of the existing process and the automation requirements was important for the success of this operation. Crossmuller worked closely with production personnel and machine suppliers to develop the load and unload method.
Automated Guided Vehicle interaction and handshaking involved the development of an automated handover system with communications to the AGV via ethernet. Handshakes were developed to ensure the safe and efficient handover of baskets to and from the cooking vessel.