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Integration And Automation Of Systems For Product Identification And Segregation

Karamchedu Spandan Harithas1, Naregalkar Akshay2 , Vajanepalli Pavan Kumar3, Gade Venkata Sai Aasish4, Akula Mounika5
1-4

Department of EIE, CVR College of Engineering, Ibrahimpatnam, R.R. Dist. 501510 (India)

Department of ECE, Sri Indu College of Engineering and Technology, Ibrahimpatnam, R.R. Dist. 501510 (India)

ABSTRACT
In this paper an automated segregated system using integrated PLC (programmable logic controller), OPC Server and National Instruments LabVIEW technologies is proposed. The main objective of this paper is to verify different products manufactured using the barcodes and compare the process barcodes on products with the reference barcode for identification and segregation based on edge detection technique. This paper proposes an idea which overcomes that difficulty of using different technologies from different vendors by introducing the integration of different technologies to monitor and control the industrial parameters. This paper not only monitors and controls the Industrial parameters but also helps in efficient product handling manufactured in the industries using different technologies. This paper is implemented by using LabVIEW2011 software for control logic implementation , Allen Bradley SLC -500 PLC for interfacing sensors and actuators of system , Vision Assistant for image processing and RSLinx OPC Server for PLC LabVIEW communication.

Keywords: Barcode; Edge Detection; LabVIEW; OPC Server; PLC; Vision Assistant.

1. INTRODUCTION
In todays fast moving, highly competitive industrial world, a company must be flexible, cost effective and efficient if it wishes to survive. In Process and Manufacturing Industries, this has resulted a great demand for industrial automation in order to stream-line operations in terms of speed, reliability and product output. Industries involve many products to be manufactured and should be divided into different workstations which are very difficult to perform manually. In order to overcome the difficulty, the automatic process has to be achieved [1], [2], [3]. This project aims at designing a automated process for product identification and segregation. Identification of the product is done using the barcode present on the product and segregation of the product is done using Edge detection technique. The Image is acquired using an image acquisition device and the Image Processing Techniques are used to get the barcode of the object and the dimensions of the object. After the suitable information is extracted using image processing techniques, the mechanical systems such as Piston Actuators, Pinion and Gear Arrangement, Robotic arms which responds to the edge detection technique are used and the segregation is done. 1.1. Problem Formulation In a typical industry, a product is processed in different workstations. The basic means to transport them from one workstation to the other is by implementing conveyor belts. In certain cases the product though produced using the same raw materials are segregated to different units where they may undergo enhancements depending on the final specification. 1.2. Solution to the Problem This segregation of interim products into different workstations is the aim of this project. This prototype is basically developed to customize the things automatically so that they can reduce the man-power and time. Segregation is done by considering the properties of the object such as dimensions, colour, weight, barcode etc. Among all the properties of the object, this prototype uses the barcode of the object and the dimensions of the object for the Segregation purpose. The Image is acquired using a image acquisition device and the Image Processing Techniques are used to get the barcode of the object and the dimensions of the object. After the suitable information is extracted using image processing techniques, the mechanical systems such as Piston Actuators, Pinion and Gear Arrangement, Robotic arms and the segregation is done.

2. PROPOSED WORK
The proposed automated system is divided into four sections, Object transportation unit, Barcode Scanning unit, Image Processing unit and Segregation unit. The Object transportation unit is the Conveyor Belt which is made to run with the help of DC Motors which are attached to pulleys of the Conveyor Belt. The Barcode Scanning unit compares the product barcode with the reference barcode. The presence of the product on the belt is known with the help of the

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proximity sensor which is connected to PLC [4]. After the presence is detected the image of the product barcode is obtained using a camera. The acquired image is processed LabVIEW to extract the information of the barcode and compare the extracted information of the product barcode with the reference barcode. All the matched barcode products are passed on to the next stage for segregation based on edge detection. In the Segregation Unit, a camera is used to acquire the image of the product and the image is fed as an input to LabVIEW for the processing of the image to know the information of edges. Depending on the distance between the edges of the product, the product is segregated as small product or the large product. The Segregation unit is connected to PLC. The communication between LabVIEW and PLC is achieved using RS Linx OPC Server [5], [6].

Figure 1. Architecture of Automated System

3. IMPLEMENTATION
The supply to the system is 230V AC, the Computer and PLC takes 230V for their operation. The other equipments such as sensors, Rack and Pinion System work on 24V DC. Hence a Voltage Regulator is used to convert 230V AC to 24V DC supplying to field equipments. The PLC is the Central device to which the Rack and Pinion System, Proximity sensor are connected to the input and output ports. The PLC is made to communicate with the Computer containing LabVIEW with the help of RS Linx OPC Server.

Figure2. Block Diagram of Automated System The Barcode Scanner is the camera which is used to capture the image of the product barcode. The image from the camera is processed for reading the barcode using the tool called Barcode Reader in LabVIEW and the information of the product barcode is obtained. The obtained barcode is given to the comparator for the comparison of the product barcode with the reference barcode. If the product barcode is matched with the reference barcode the product is passed to the segregation unit. In the Segregation unit, a camera is used to obtain the image of the product and the acquired image is processed using a tool called Edge Detection tool in LabVIEW and the distance between the first and last edges of the product is obtained. The information of distance between the edges of the product is used to segregate the product into the large product or small product. The segregation into large and small products is done using a segregation system, Rack and Pinion System. There are two such systems used each for small and large products. Depending on the distance between the edges of the product the corresponding Rack and Pinion System is driven which is connected to PLC.

4. COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LabVIEW and PLC

The Rack and Pinion System which is used for segregation of products into small and large products and the proximity sensor which is used to detect the presence of the object are connected to PLC. The barcode comparison and edge detection is done using LabVIEW. So there should be a communication between PLC and LabVIEW. The communication between PLC and LabVIEW is established with the help of an I/O Server called RS Linx OPC Server. OPC stands for OLE for Process Control. Using RS Linx OPC Server the input ports and output ports of the PLC are invoked as shared variables into LabVIEW and are controlled and driven using LabVIEW Program.

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Figure3. Process Flow of the system

5. SIMULATED RESULTS
Here LabVIEW is not only used HMI but also to simulate the entire process. The Process is simulated such that the barcode obtained is shown using a variable called string, the distance between the edges of the product is shown using a variable called Numeric and function of the rack and pinion system corresponding to distance between the edges of the product is shown using an LED. 5.1. Reading a Barcode The Vision Acquisition Block is responsible for acquiring the image of the product which is present on the conveyor Belt. The output of the Vision Acquisition Block is the image of the barcode of the product. The output of Vision Acquisition is fed as input to the Vision Assistant which is responsible for Image Processing. The Vision Assistant block takes the image from the Vision Acquisition Block and checks for the barcode. The information which is obtained from the barcode is given as output of the Vision Assistant Block which the required Barcode in the form of the String. The output from the Vision Assistant Block i.e. the information of the Barcode obtained is compared with the reference barcode with the help of the comparator. If the obtained barcode matches with the reference barcode, only then the product is sent for the processing of Edge Detection, otherwise the product is rejected.

Figure 4. Block Diagram for reading the barcode VI

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Figure 5. Front Panel of Reading the Barcode VI Reference Barcode: 0 to 1000 Barcode Read: 100

5.2. Edge Detection The Image of the object is acquired with the help of the camera and Vision Acquisition Block is responsible for acquiring the image of the product with the help of the camera. The output of Vision Acquisition Block is the image of the product on the conveyor Belt. That image is fed as input to the Vision Assistant Block which is responsible for the Detection of First and Last edges of the product. The Vision Assistant Block scans the edges from the image fed into it and calculates the distance between the edges. The output of Vision Assistant Block is the information of the edges of the product. Depending upon the output of Vision Assistant Block i.e. the distance between the edges, the products are segregated into Small and Large Products i.e. the segregation is done with respect to size with the help of Mechanical Plungers. Table 1: Edge Detection Results Distance Between Small Medium Large the Edges (cm) Plunger Plunger Plunger 0-3 On Off Off 3-6 > 6 5.3. Segregation with respect to size The information of the edges i.e. the distance between the edges is given to comparators and depending upon the outputs of the comparators the corresponding plunger will be switched on and the object is pushed aside from the Conveyor Belt. Off Off On Off Off On

Figure 6. Plunger Programming Block Diagram

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Web Site: www.ijaiem.org Email: editor@ijaiem.org, editorijaiem@gmail.com Volume 2, Issue 4, April 2013 ISSN 2319 - 4847 6. RESULTS
6.1. Barcode Detection Table2 Results of Barcode Comparison Reference Barcode 0 to 1000 Barcode Read 103 Result Barcode Matched and product forwarded to Edge detection unit 0 to 1000 0 to 1000 0 to 1000 10003 5745 782 Barcode Does not Match and product is rejected. Barcode Does not Match and product is rejected. Barcode Matched and product forwarded to Edge detection unit 0 to 1000 950 Barcode Matched and product forwarded to Edge detection unit 0 to 1000 1008 Barcode Does not Match and product is rejected.

6.2. Edge Detection Table3 Results of Edge Detection Distance Between the First and Last Edges of Product 1 cm 3 cm 4 cm 6 cm 7 cm 9 cm Plunger Corresponding to Small Size Objects is Switched on Plunger Corresponding to Small Size Objects is Switched on Plunger Corresponding to Medium Size Objects is Switched on Plunger Corresponding to Medium Size Objects is Switched on Plunger Corresponding to Large Size Objects is Switched on Plunger Corresponding to Large Size Objects is Switched on Type of Plunger Switched On

7. CONCLUSION
This Project of Integrating two most powerful technologies ruling the industries lead to many new features like acquiring data at faster rate, controlling the industrial parameters accurately and several other features. It is very difficult to perform Image Processing with the help of PLC where as LabVIEW has good Image Processing Techniques. In Contrast the Load driving capacity of LabVIEW is very low when compared with the load driving capacity of PLC. Hence in order to achieve an efficient industrial process, LabVIEW is integrated with the PLC and efficient control of Industrial Parameters is achieved.

REFERENCES
[1.] Lakshmi, A., Experimental validation of PID based cascade control system through SCADA-PLC-OPC interface, India Computer Communication and Informatics (ICCCI), 2012 International Conference on pp. 1 4. [2.] Jacob, M. Real-time hardware-in-the-loop test platform for thermal power plant control systems, Intelligent Systems and Informatics (SISY), 2011 IEEE 9th International Symposium on, pp. 495 500.. [3.] Padhee. S and Singh.Y, Data Logging and Supervisory Control of Process Using LabVIEW, Students Technology Symposium, IEEE 2011. [4.] S. Aleksandrov, S. Cajetinac, Z. Jovanovic, "Internet access to PLC with integrated web server", Proceedings of the 11th International Conference Research and Development in Mechanical Industry, RaDMI 2011,September, 15.-18 ,2011, Sokobanja, Serbia, pp.425- 430.

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[5.] Kai Zhou, Xudong Wang, Chao Zhang and Jian Liu, Data Acquisition System Based on LabVIEW ABS Dynamic Simulation Test Stand , International Conference on Information and Automation, IEEE 2010. [6.] Wenge Li, Zhenmei Li, Wei Liu, Peiyu Wei and Yayang Bur, Remote Monitoring and Analysis System of Min Safety Based on Virtual Instrument, International Conference on Test and Measurement, IEEE 2009.

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