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Robot Packing PLC Program Development
5K views
Jan 29, 2024
The Machine Simulator (MS) is a valuable component of the EasyPLC software suite. It offers a range of built-in machines, including the robot packing machine, which effectively demonstrates various programming techniques. We will use the Click PLC programming software to showcase a sequencer application for this example. In this scenario, the robot is tasked with collecting five bags and loading them into a cardboard box. A logical sequence of steps will be implemented to accomplish this, with a counter controlling the progression. This fundamental approach to programming sequences applies to all PLCs. To program the EasyPLC robot packing machine simulator, we will use the free Click programming software and a Click PLUS PLC. Communication between the software and the PLC will be established using Modbus TCP (Ethernet). The program sequencer offers a convenient and efficient means of controlling the automation system. We will follow the five program development steps to guide you through the process. These steps will provide a clear and structured approach to programming the sequencer. With that said, let's dive right in and begin our journey into the world of robot-packing PLC program development. Our website post provides effortless access to all the relevant links discussed in the video. We have gathered all the necessary information for your convenience, to all the resources mentioned. https://accautomation.ca/robot-packing-plc-program-development/ 00:00 Robot Packing PLC Program Development 01:36 Define the task: (Step 1 - Click Easyplc Robot Packing) 04:12 Define the Inputs and Outputs: (Step 2 - Click Easyplc Robot Packing) 05:58 Develop a sequence of operations: (Step 3 - Click Easyplc Robot Packing) 07:27 Develop the ladder logic PLC program (Step 4 - Click Easyplc Robot Packing) 13:47 Test the program: (Step 5 - Click Easyplc Robot Packing) The EasyPLC Software Suite Series can be found here... https://accautomation.ca/series/easyplc-software-suite/ Some previous posts include the following: EasyPLC Installing the Software
View Video Transcript
0:00
Hi everyone, today we are going to be looking at the Robot Packing PLC program development
0:10
The Machine Simulator, or MS, is a valuable component of the EasyPLC software suite
0:15
It offers a range of built-in machines including the Robot Packing machine, which effectively
0:19
demonstrates various programming techniques. We will use the CLICK PLC programming software to showcase a sequencer application for this example
0:28
In this scenario, the robot is tasked with collecting five bags and loading them onto
0:32
a cardboard box. A logical sequence of steps will be implemented to accomplish this, with the counter controlling
0:38
the progression. This fundamental approach to programming sequencers applies to all PLCs
0:45
To program the EasyPLC Robot Packaging Machine Simulator, we will use the free CLICK programming
0:50
software and a CLICK PLUS PLC. Interference between the software and the PLC will be established using Modbus TCP or Ethernet
0:59
The program sequencer offers a convenient and effective means of controlling the automation system
1:04
We will follow the five program development steps to guide you through the process
1:09
These steps will provide a clear and structured approach to programming the sequencer
1:14
With that said, let's dive right in and begin our journey into the world of Robot Packing
1:18
PLC program development. Detailed information contained in this video can be found at accautomation.ca
1:25
A link has been put in the description below. If you have not watched the other videos yet, there will be links in the description below
1:30
that will start you with video 1. There will be links to the rest of the videos in the series as well
1:38
Step 1. Define the Task The first step of a CLICK or any PLC program development is to determine what must be done
1:46
Start the EasyPLC Machine Simulator or MS. Click the Start button on the main page or select Machines from the main menu at the
1:53
Machine Simulator window. All of the available machines will now be displayed
1:59
Click on the 30 Packing Auto. This is the example we will be programming
2:03
To the left of the screen, information will be displayed on how the robot packing machine
2:07
needs to function. A conveyor belt supplies bags containing food that must be packed into cardboard boxes
2:13
Another belt supplies the cardboard boxes to fill the food bags. The objective is to manipulate the automatic packaging system to fill each cardboard box
2:21
with 5 food bags. The packing robot has two working modes, continuous loading or loading in different positions
2:30
In the continuous work mode, the PLC must indicate a lowering speed to match the rate
2:34
of supply of food bags. In the position mark mode, once each bag has been loaded, the PLC must indicate new loading
2:41
positions to the robot so that it lowers and a new bag can be loaded
2:47
Use the two photo cells installed on the bag conveyor to give the appropriate instructions
2:51
to the packing robot. Once the 5 bags have been loaded, the bag conveyor must be stopped and the robot clamping
2:58
system must be closed so that the bags do not fall when they are inserted into the cardboard box
3:03
At the same time, the PLC must manage the cardboard box conveyor to position it correctly
3:08
in the loading position, stopping the advance with the stop cylinder rod and using a pneumatic
3:14
blocker so that the box does not move during the loading operation
3:18
Once loaded, release the box to load a new empty one. The robot packing machine simulator has a demo mode for this built-in machine
3:27
This will allow you to watch the operation of the robot packer. Select the demo mode for the packing auto robot
3:34
The demo mode will show you the basics of the robot packing operation
3:39
Move around this 3D virtual environment. The icons on the top of the window will allow you to move around this 3D environment
3:45
The first icon is the default selection. This will enable you to move around without bumping into components
3:50
The last icon will automatically show you around this virtual environment. The first mode will mimic a person in your 3D learning world
3:59
The third person will show you an operator and their relationship to the auto packing machine
4:06
Once we understand what must be done, we can move on to the next step in developing the
4:09
CLICK PLC program. Step 2. Define the inputs and outputs
4:19
At the bottom of the machine simulator window, the VUIO will display the inputs and outputs
4:22
required for this robot packing example. While still in demo mode, we can see the operation of the inputs and outputs
4:31
The EasyPLC-30 packing auto will require 12 digital outputs and 13 digital inputs
4:37
If you are unsure of what an input or output is doing, start the robot packing machine
4:41
in start mode
4:59
Select the VUIO at the bottom middle of the auto packing machine simulator window
5:04
You can manually run the auto packer without any control or PLC connected
5:11
Clicking on the outputs will allow you to turn them on manually. You can then monitor the inputs to see their operation
5:35
The reset button at the bottom of the machine simulator window will reset the machine back
5:55
to the start. Step 3. Develop a logical sequence of operation. A flowchart or sequence table is used to understand the process that must be controlled thoroughly
6:09
It must also answer questions like what happens when electrical power or pneumatic air is lost
6:14
What happens when inputs and output devices fail? Do we need redundancy
6:20
This step is where you will spend most of your time. Understanding everything about the operation will save you time
6:25
It will help prevent you from continuously rewriting the PLC program logic
6:30
Knowing all these answers up front is vital in developing the PLC program
6:36
Our CLICK PLC robot packing example will break down into two basic parts
6:40
The conveyor controlling the empty box and the robot collecting the bags
6:45
When the start button is selected, the box conveyor will make a box and position it for
6:50
the robot to fill the bags. When the box is filled with the bags, it is sent down the conveyor belt and another box
6:56
is positioned for the robot. Our sequence table for the robot will show the input signals to the left side and the
7:04
output signals to the right. The value of the counter is shown with each step
7:09
Each step will show the conditions that need to occur for the next step to operate
7:14
A PLC programmer must know everything about the sequence and operation of the machine
7:18
before programming. Ask questions or view existing documentation to ensure you know the logical steps to the
7:24
machine's operation. Step 4. Develop the CLICK PLC program
7:33
The next step in our program development will be writing the ladder logic code for the CLICK
7:37
PLC example. We will use the free CLICK programming software with the CLICK PLUS PLC
7:44
The CLICK series will install the program, communicate to the controller instruction and address the controller
7:51
Using the address picker, enter as many address names as you can think of that you will use
7:54
in the program. As you write the program, we can always go back and document the additional addresses
8:00
To access the address picker, select it from the main menu, Program, Address Picker
8:05
This can also be accessed in the navigation window in the Program tab under the Ladder
8:10
Program heading. The first rung will start and stop the robot packing machine by turning on the internal
8:17
bit C1. This bit will then be used as a condition in the entire program
8:23
The next two rungs are part of the control for the boxes on the conveyor
8:26
If the robot packing machine bit is on and we do not have a photocell 3 signal, activate
8:32
the cylinder stop. This resets when the box is full. A timer ensures that the box is stopped by the cylinder rod
8:43
This creates a half second delay after the photocell 3 signal is seen
8:47
The box conveyor will stop after this. The conveyor will start again when the box is full and the cylinder stop has returned
8:56
The pneumatic push ensures the empty box remains still when the robot fills it
9:01
This is engaged after the timer expires to ensure the box is positioned correctly
9:06
Timer 2 is activated when the box is full and the cylinder stop is back. It is a half second timer
9:13
The box full bit is set from the counter sequencer. Timer 16 will activate the box once it is complete
9:21
Timer 3 is used to reset the full box bit. This happens 1.5 seconds after photocell 3 no longer sees the signal
9:38
A counter is used to control the sequence of the robot. The previous step and table give us conditions for each counter increment
10:12
We compare the counter or accumulator to set the outputs
10:35
In the case of the robot home output signal, the counter will be greater than or equal
10:39
to 0 and less than or equal to 9. It will also be on when it is greater than or equal to 11
10:45
We can see this by looking at the sequence table. The work part creator will create the bags along the conveyor belt
10:53
This will occur when the counter equals 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8
11:05
Robot 1 load position will activate when the counter is 1. A timer ensures that the position is reached before the next step
11:14
Robot 2, 3 and 4 load positions will activate at the appropriate counter value
11:20
Individual timers ensure that the position is reached before the next step
11:28
The closed grip on the robot activates when the counter is equal to 9 and 10
11:32
This holds the bags so that they do not fall when moving to the box
11:37
When the counter equals 10, the robot is sent to the unload position
11:41
A timer ensures that the position is reached before the next step
11:46
The robot home reset timer ensures that the home position is reached before starting the
11:50
robot sequence over again. This is the end of the ladder logic for our packaging robot program
12:23
Select the COM port under the Setup selection on the main menu
12:33
Available ports on the CLICK PLC are displayed. Using Modbus TCP Ethernet, we can set up either the WLAN, Wireless Local Area Network, or
12:43
Port 1 Ethernet. Select Setup for Port 1. Note that if you want to go directly to the COM port setting details window, select COM
12:55
Port 3 Setup under the CPU Configuration on the Function tab of the main navigation window
13:02
A static IP address is used for our CLICK PLC. This ensures that the IP address on the network can always be found
13:10
Note the IP address we are using. This will be later used for the EasyPLC Robot Packing Machine Simulator connection
13:18
Under the Setup menu on the main screen, you will also see Modbus TCP
13:21
This will show us the default parameters for our Ethernet port and allow us to enable the
13:25
Modbus TCP server. This is enabled by default on the controller. We will leave everything as their default values
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Our CLICK PLC is now set to communicate to the EasyPLC Machine Simulator Modbus TCP client
13:41
Download the CLICK Ladder program to the CLICK PLC. Ensure that the PLC is in Run mode
13:49
Step 5. Test the program. We will use Modbus TCP on our CLICK PLUS PLC to communicate with the EasyPLC Machine Simulator
13:59
Call up the Robot Packing Machine Simulator in Start mode. The status of the machine simulator will be at the bottom of the screen
14:09
Currently, we have no PLC connected. Select I0 drivers on the bottom middle of the screen
14:17
The Machine Simulator I0 number will be displayed. Ensure we select more I0 than the number required for a Robot Packing Machine
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The EasyPLC driver is selected by default. Under the Driver pull-down menu, select Modbus Driver
14:32
This driver will communicate Modbus TCP or Ethernet and Modbus RTU serial
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Select the Configure button. We can now enter the information for our Modbus driver
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Select TCP IP. This means the Ethernet port on the computer will communicate with the CLICK PLC
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Digital inputs from MS to the CLICK PLC will be C101 to C112
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This will start at address 16484 due to the offset of 1
15:04
Digital outputs from MS to the CLICK PLC will be C201 to C213
15:09
This will begin at address 16584 due to the offset of 1
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Select the OK button. You will now see the inputs and outputs specified for the Modbus driver
15:22
We can now manually assign the driver outputs to the PLC inputs and the driver inputs to
15:27
the PLC outputs. However, the automatic assignment works well and will save you time
15:34
Select Automatic Assignment from the Driver option in the main menu. This will automatically assign the PLC I.O. to the Machine Simulator I.O
15:44
Select Start Driver and exit from the main menu. On the bottom left side of the window, the driver communicates to the CLICK PLC with
15:53
a green light. Select View I.O. to know the input and output status of the Machine Simulator
16:03
Ensure that the CLICK PLC is in Run mode. We can see the operation of a robot packing machine
16:22
Select the Start button on the control panel and ensure the Emergency Stop is not on
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The digital inputs and outputs of the MS will correspond to the PLC controller
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Using the Data View window of the CLICK programming software, we can also watch the inputs and outputs operation
16:49
Using Machine Simulator or MS to test the program will assure that your program works
16:53
Troubleshooting is quickly done without damage to any physical hardware
17:03
You can practice your modification and debug by modifying the robot packing operation in
17:07
the following way. Add a stack light to indicate the operation of the robot packing machine
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Add a Jog button to the control panel to sequence through the steps
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Calculate the rate of full boxes coming out of the robot packing machine in boxes per hour
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Let me know how you made out in the comments below. If you enjoyed this video, please hit the like button below
17:34
If you have any questions about the video, please leave a comment below and I'll do my best to answer it
17:37
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17:44
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17:48
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17:54
Thanks so much for watching, I will see you next time. Stay safe
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#Industrial Handling & Processing Equipment
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