Development of an Automatic Mini-Conveyor System for Product Monitoring

Abstract

This thesis presents the development of an automatic mini-conveyor system for product monitoring. It is aimed at solving relative industrial and manufacturing problems such as product pilferage, inefficient supervision, monitoring and workmanship. It is also to improve production management system, using ICT based platform to enhance monitoring control and data acquisition (MCDA) system in manufacturing process. ASSEMBLY programming language was used on a programmable logic controller (Atmel 89C52) microcontroller for control and monitoring protocol. The method includes; simulation, hardware development; to include; sensing, counting and signalling wireless system containing sensors and a wireless radio frequency transmitter and receiver. Design calculation analysis, fabrication and operational tests were carried out on the developed mini-conveyor. The operational and test result shows that, the time the product travels along the conveyor through a distance of 0.8m between entrance and exit point sensors was between 15.7sec to 16.3sec. At a distance of 0.096metres between sensors, the response to display time on LCD is approximately 1.0 second. The developed mini-conveyor system is able to remotely monitor a product on a communication distance of 22 metres in which the required information is displayed on computer screen on a telnet hyper-terminal platform, through a baud rate of 1200. Therefore, the developed machine has open opportunities for product monitoring control and data acquisition in material handling systems in the industries for more accountability.