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If a material flow must be split or merged in the longitudinal direction without the load carrier changing orientation, turntables with integrated roller conveyors are used. Pallets, mesh pallets, skids or workpiece carriers can all also be rotated easily in this way. The angle of rotation is usually between 90° and 180°, which means that the rotary table can be used extremely flexibly.
To ensure the highest possible output of the conveyor line, the rotary movement must be very fast – but without the goods on the rotary table slipping or tipping over during the stop.
The RASP5 variable frequency drive makes it very easy to implement a suitable drive solution. All four of the drive’s sensor inputs are used for this purpose: Sensors 3 and 4 ensure a changeover to crawling speed (fixed frequency 1), sensors 1 and 2 stop the drive and report “end position reached” to the higher-level programmable logic controller (PLC).
Configuration of RASP5 with drivesConnect parameterisation software.
The following parameters are set in RASP5 for this purpose: “SEN Config Select P1-13 = 7”
The sequence is configured as follows: Clockwise rotation starts with fixed speed 0
“SEN I3 = active” switches to fixed frequency 1 (crawling speed) and brakes the rotary table gently.
“SEN I1 = active” stops the rotary motion.
Counterclockwise rotation with fixed speed 0 is started to return the rotary table to the starting position.
“SEN I4 = active” then switches back to fixed speed 1 (crawling speed).
“SEN I2 = active” stops the drive.
The entire sequence can thus be configured directly in RASP5; no additional programming effort is required in the PLC.
The corner converter is a simple solution for splits in the material handling systems. It allows a load carrier to be discharged to the right or left in a 90° direction without interrupting the flux reference of the main conveyor line. As an example, the corner converter consists of a toothed belt conveyor that is lowered between the support rollers of the main conveyor line. If a light barrier or laser scanner identifies the material to be discharged, the toothed belt conveyor is moved upwards, and the material is transferred to another distribution path at the right moment.
Several conveyors in interaction
So in principle, an additional conveyor track is integrated into a conveyor section (the main roller conveyor), which takes over the discharge. When the material reaches the end position, the main roller conveyor is stopped with a quick stop. The actuator output of the Rapid Link enables the pneumatic system, which slightly raises the toothed belt conveyor and starts the discharging process. As soon as a sensor reports that the material has reached the other distribution path, the material handling system is started there. In the corner converter, the toothed belt conveyor returns to its starting position in parallel.
Vertical conveyor application
Vertical conveyors are used, for example, to convey load carriers to different floors of a warehouse in a space-saving manner. They can be used to move containers, cartons or pallets up and down to any desired height. The drive is purely electromechanical.
During this process, the lowering conveyor must remain securely in any position. “Sagging” is not permissible. This is achieved using electromechanical brakes.
Direct control of mechanical brakes
For this purpose, RASP5 has different output voltages (options: 230 V AC, 400 V AC and 180 V DC) which can be used to directly control a mechanical brake. When the lifting table of the vertical conveyor reaches the desired position, it is blocked by this brake at the same time as the drive stops. When the start signal for the drive is given, the brake is also released again. During this process, the brake is applied for a short time (the time span can be adjusted) to prevent the lift table from “sagging”.
For this purpose, the following configuration parameter is set in Rapid Link 5:
“Brake Mode P3-01 Simple/Advanced Mode Brake Control”
Realisation of a drive control for a vertical conveyor is therefore very simple: You just need to select a device with an internal brake resistor and the correct control voltage for the mechanical brake from the RASP5 series. The required functions can then be easily implemented via parameterisation, without additional programming in the programmable logic controller.
Conclusion
As a decentralised, electronic drive system, Rapid Link 5 offers the right solution for a wide range of intralogistics application requirements. With its design specifically tailored to material handling systems, the drive solution enables greater efficiency during assembly and maintenance. The devices can be easily adapted to changing requirements and, in addition to a high degree of flexibility, offer a wide range of functionalities with which material handling system-specific applications can be implemented quickly and easily.
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