A review on PLC Interfacing with Robot Conveyor

Abstract

The material handling system used in automation utilizes a pick-place robotic arm synchronized with a conveyor belt for efficient object handling. Current industry practices, often relying on manual or conventional processors like Arduino, face limitations. To address these, a proposed solution involves the integration of a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) for superior control. Challenges such as the robotic arm encountering issues in the assembly line, are acknowledged. A comprehensive solution is introduced, combining a PLC and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. This system offers advanced features like timers and counters. Extensive analysis during design and programming ensures an effective solution to overcome operational obstacles in the pick-place robot system.

Different types of robots and robotics arms are prevalent in the market, and addressing breakdowns presents a considerable challenge in terms of reverse engineering and repair. In this project, the approach involves the successful repurposing of an existing 5-degree-of-freedom robot arm structure and electronic components. The key modification lies in replacing the controller with a new Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and a Low-Level Design (LLD) model. The initiative leverages the intact DC servo motor, encoder, sensors, power supply, and interface board from the original design. Given the availability of the structure and most electronic components, a thorough analysis and understanding are prerequisites for their effective reuse, necessitating reverse engineering activities. Furthermore, to optimize costs, a cost-effective PLC is employed, albeit restricting the simultaneous movement of all axes due to budget constraints. This article reviews the existing scenario on interfacing practices of PLC with various types of robots.