Hello there guys ! This will be my first post here, so sorry for any mistakes. Also, I've manage to do a quick search over Google and in the Forum and wasn't able to find a right answer to my specific problem, so here it goes:
I'm currently planing a project that would allow me to control the availability of a machine. Basically the main idea is : I wanna detect when a conveyor belt stops moving, and the duration of the stoppage. My main idea to address this problem, and from what I've read on the matter, would be to use a RGB sensor. I would paint a spot of the conveyor belt with , lets say, the red color. If, for example, the sensor didn't picked up the red color in 1 min, then the arduino board would start registering the time that it will take for the color to appear again in it's sensor (meaning that the conveyor belt has started working again).
What do you guys think? Is it a feasible idea? I know my way around programming ( a little bit ), and I believe it's a fairly easy thing to achieve. I believe that the TCS3200 Color Sensor would allow me to detect those changes in color, thus commanding the arduino board.
Any help? Toughs on the feasibility of the project?
AWOL:
Why does it have to be a colour sensor?
Why not a simple monochrome clock track?
(sp. "want to")
Like I said mate, I'm really open to suggestions. This was the first thing that came to my mind. The conveyor belt is green, and I wanted another color to be detected for the sensor to know that the conveyor belt is working, thus I remembered of looking up for RGB sensors. I believe that your idea, for the purpose of this project, would work as well.
Could you explain a little more your idea? Thank you !
A few simple high contrast stripes and a photodiode, and maybe an illuminator.
Much simpler than a colour sensor, which may be adversely affected by changes in ambient lighting.
Can you monitor the rotation of one of the pulleys over which the belt rolls. A simple optical detector (such as a QRE1113) could detect a spot of white paint against a dark background (or vice versa). Sparkfun make a QRE1113 breakout board,
The advantage of monitoring a pulley is that it will rotate many times for one complete movement of the belt.
AWOL:
A few simple high contrast stripes and a photodiode, and maybe an illuminator.
Much simpler than a colour sensor, which may be adversely affected by changes in ambient lighting.
Uhm I see your idea. I would tape a high contrast strip in a specific part of the conveyor belt and then I'll just code the board to start registering whenever a certain amount of time has passed without the strip to pass on the sensor (meaning that the conveyor has stopped).
The illuminator would be to better detect that strip I believe?
Robin2:
Can you monitor the rotation of one of the pulleys over which the belt rolls. A simple optical detector (such as a QRE1113) could detect a spot of white paint against a dark background (or vice versa). Sparkfun make a QRE1113 breakout board,
The advantage of monitoring a pulley is that it will rotate many times for one complete movement of the belt.
...R
If I understood your idea, you're saying that I could place a detector at the end of one of the pullets?Sadly we're talking of a series of conveyors belts connected, and thus not having that much space to place that sensor (if I got your idea right).
TKall:
What causes the conveyor to stop? Is the power to motor cut? If so, I would use a non-invasive CT and measure the current at the motor.
Indeed. But I would prefer no to interfere with any of the current connections that are taking place. My idea would be just to install this little project and then let it monitor the line, with no need to modify the connections, even tough it would be minor ... Hence the color idea.
PancakeLover:
If I understood your idea, you're saying that I could place a detector at the end of one of the pullets?Sadly we're talking of a series of conveyors belts connected, and thus not having that much space to place that sensor (if I got your idea right).
As you have not posted any diagram or pictures of the system you want to monitor it is difficult to comment. The QRE1113 is very small.
TKall:
That's the one. I use them all the time, they work great.
Awesome man, this is actually a really awesome idea! I'm so glad that I've managed to post on here, I had no idea this type of device existed. Regarding the project, I believe that it's only a matter of programming, to make the arduino register the time, date and duration of the stoppages? (after detecting a current change)
Thanks for the sensor link - solves a compressor running check project I have coming up
Re the conveyor - having worked around many conveyors marking the conveyor belt might not be very accurate as it could be a long time relative to things making your info not very accurate -I would look at the sensor or a piece of tape or something on a pulley -
TKall:
That's the one. I use them all the time, they work great.
saildude:
Thanks for the sensor link - solves a compressor running check project I have coming up
Re the conveyor - having worked around many conveyors marking the conveyor belt might not be very accurate as it could be a long time relative to things making your info not very accurate -I would look at the sensor or a piece of tape or something on a pulley -
Good luck
What do you guys suggest to retrieve the data? I can't have a pc plugged all the time to the device. I would need to retrieve the data after a certain amount of time (like 24 hours perhaps) ? it would only register the time in which the conveyor stopped, so it wouldn't use a lot of space ...
Not too bad to send the data to a LCD screen - they come in several versions - 4 lines x 20 char is common - I would display three pieces of info - elapsed time since last reset, run time and down time (sort of what I used to do for things like this)
The reset is so you can record the info and start over without needing to cycle power to the Arduino (use some sort of push button) -
saildude:
Not too bad to send the data to a LCD screen - they come in several versions - 4 lines x 20 char is common - I would display three pieces of info - elapsed time since last reset, run time and down time (sort of what I used to do for things like this)
The reset is so you can record the info and start over without needing to cycle power to the Arduino (use some sort of push button) -
Uhm so basically arduino does not have any way of storing data locally is that correct? I have to have a PC connected to it so that it can register values?
Regarding the LCD option, what I really need to know is basically this : Time, Date, and duration of the stoppage. The LCD could register up to 4 lines, correct? So I could have 4 different stoppages before it gets full I suppose?
If one side of the shaft of the *driven * end is accessible an optical or Hall effect sensor there would work well. It also proves that everything from the motor starter/contactor on is working.
You could log data to an SD card for later upload.
If timestamp is critical an RTC module would help a lot.
The LCD can only display four lines at a time. The content of those lines is controlled by the Arduino. With a basic menu system you could scroll through many previously logged entries. Add some more code and selection by date is possible.