Description
The Automatics Smart Factory allows students to get the experience of a number of processes and technologies that are commonly used in manufacturing and modern-day Industry 4.0 principles.
Students gain an understanding of conveyor systems, sensing systems, pneumatic pick and place technology, DC motor drives, and stepper motor drives. The factory includes a number of coloured discs made from plastic and other materials. A conveyor belt moves these pieces into the factory, where user-programmed sensors sort the discs into multiple rejection bins. Some are picked off the conveyor by a suction device and a stepper motor-controlled gantry sorts the discs into appropriately coloured containers.
The smart factory is completely self-contained and can be stored away in a standard tray. The smart factory can be used with Siemens (or other brands) 12V or 24V) PLC and is also compatible with our MIAC .
Smart Software
The Smart Factory is controlled in one of two ways. Users can either opt to control using two of our dsPIC driven MIAC controllers, which are educational PLC’s and perfect for younger students to understand the capabilities and possibilities of industrial smart factories.
Alternatively, MATRIX’s Siemens add-on for the Smart Factory, gives students the ability to program the system using an industrial-grade S7-1200PLC. This is provided on a DIN rail bracket with adaptor modules. As a Siemens education partner, we can also provide you with software to control these upon request.
Learning objectives:
- Factory control and automation systems
- Software design for automation
- DC motor and stepper drives
- Conveyor and gantry systems
- Vacuum pick and place systems
- Component sensing and sorting
- System design with more than one controller (some systems)
The Smart Factory is compatible with the AllCode robot arm production cell, which can be added to provide a powerful and interesting Industry 4.0 solution.
Curriculum:
