426
K. Konkatti and G. D. Bassan
3 Results and Discussion
With the help of spoon bundling machine, precise bundles of the wooden ice cream
spoon can be easily prepared. PLC setup helps in the temperature control of the heater,
and helps for proper and accurate working of the counting sensor and proximity
sensors.
3.1 Working and Discussion of the Machine
Initially, the spoons will be arranged in the storage mechanism, thereafter the spoon
will travel to the star wheel with the help of timing belt and the counting sensor.
At the bottom of the storage system there are two rollers attached and there is one
timing belt on which the spoons are kept [7]. Roller rotates with the help of the
stepper motor attached behind the roller. Star Wheel has total 40 pockets in which
the spoons are captured. One 3/2 solenoid operated direction control valve is used
to properly arrange the spoons in the pockets of the star wheel. Star Wheel will be
operated with the help of gearbox and stepper motor mechanism. Gearbox of ratio
40:1 is used and is attached to the star wheel. Star Wheel has to be paused or stopped
after fixed certain degree of rotation for the fix interval of time. So, at the bottom of
the star wheel there are bolts inserted at equal interval of the star wheel. Proximity
Sensor being kept under the star wheel will detect the bolts and will pause the rotation
of the star wheel for the fixed interval of time [8]. When the star wheel gets paused,
then the spoons start entering to the pocket of the star wheel. It is completely being
monitored and controlled by the PLC setup. Thereafter, the star wheel will rotate
and will take these spoons to the glue mechanism where the spoons gets attached
together with the help of the hot melted glue. The heater and copper pipe inside the
glue tank will take proper care that certain desired temperature is kept constant for
the melting of the glue. Thereafter the bundle of the spoon exits the machine and the
required number of spoons in the bundle is achieved. Final assembly of machine is
shown in Fig. 6.
The spoon bundling machine is designed and manufactured successfully on the
basis of trial and error method. The design as shown in Fig. 7 has been obtained by
several trial and error methods. Before these various designs were prepared which
are failed due to some or other reasons. This design is successfully tested and makes
bundles of 80 spoons in one minute and is proved experimentally. The sample of the
spoon bundled together is shown in Fig. 7.
K. Konkatti and G. D. Bassan
3 Results and Discussion
With the help of spoon bundling machine, precise bundles of the wooden ice cream
spoon can be easily prepared. PLC setup helps in the temperature control of the heater,
and helps for proper and accurate working of the counting sensor and proximity
sensors.
3.1 Working and Discussion of the Machine
Initially, the spoons will be arranged in the storage mechanism, thereafter the spoon
will travel to the star wheel with the help of timing belt and the counting sensor.
At the bottom of the storage system there are two rollers attached and there is one
timing belt on which the spoons are kept [7]. Roller rotates with the help of the
stepper motor attached behind the roller. Star Wheel has total 40 pockets in which
the spoons are captured. One 3/2 solenoid operated direction control valve is used
to properly arrange the spoons in the pockets of the star wheel. Star Wheel will be
operated with the help of gearbox and stepper motor mechanism. Gearbox of ratio
40:1 is used and is attached to the star wheel. Star Wheel has to be paused or stopped
after fixed certain degree of rotation for the fix interval of time. So, at the bottom of
the star wheel there are bolts inserted at equal interval of the star wheel. Proximity
Sensor being kept under the star wheel will detect the bolts and will pause the rotation
of the star wheel for the fixed interval of time [8]. When the star wheel gets paused,
then the spoons start entering to the pocket of the star wheel. It is completely being
monitored and controlled by the PLC setup. Thereafter, the star wheel will rotate
and will take these spoons to the glue mechanism where the spoons gets attached
together with the help of the hot melted glue. The heater and copper pipe inside the
glue tank will take proper care that certain desired temperature is kept constant for
the melting of the glue. Thereafter the bundle of the spoon exits the machine and the
required number of spoons in the bundle is achieved. Final assembly of machine is
shown in Fig. 6.
The spoon bundling machine is designed and manufactured successfully on the
basis of trial and error method. The design as shown in Fig. 7 has been obtained by
several trial and error methods. Before these various designs were prepared which
are failed due to some or other reasons. This design is successfully tested and makes
bundles of 80 spoons in one minute and is proved experimentally. The sample of the
spoon bundled together is shown in Fig. 7.