Conveyor Drive Control Unit Synchronizing Rotary Encoder Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control units for conveyor means, such as hoists and cranes, require individual programming and are limited by the regulation of individual drives, leading to inefficiencies and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A method and control unit that utilize rotary encoders to transmit rotation angle and rotational speed signals to a control device, which compares these signals to a referential rotational speed to synchronize all drives and adjust their speeds accordingly, thereby optimizing conveyor speed and reducing the need for individual programming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual programming is performed for each drive regulation, then safety can be ensured, but programming complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is designed to regulate multiple drives (first drive and second drive) using a unified control approach based on referential rotational speed, eliminating the need for separate programming for each drive. The control device receives rotational speed signals from rotary encoders and automatically adjusts all drives according to the same referential speed, providing universal regulation across multiple drives while maintaining safety.
2Productivity
If conveyor speed is increased, then productivity improves, but the regulation of individual drives becomes more difficult and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control device continuously receives rotational speed signals from rotary encoders connected to each drive and compares them against the referential rotational speed. This feedback mechanism allows the control device to automatically adjust drive speeds to maintain safe operating parameters while optimizing conveyor speed. The system can detect and respond to speed deviations, ensuring safety is maintained even at higher conveyor speeds.
3Measurement precision
If multiple rotary encoders are installed on each drive, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system segments the regulation task by assigning one rotary encoder per drive, with each encoder providing rotational speed signals to the control device. This segmentation allows precise measurement for each drive individually while avoiding the complexity and cost of multiple encoders on a single drive. The control device processes signals from multiple encoders independently, maintaining measurement precision without unnecessary complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for operating a conveyor means, in particular a hoist, a crane, a continuous conveyor or the like, and to a control unit, the conveyor means comprising a drive unit (21) and a control unit (20) for controlling the drive unit, the drive unit comprising at least two drives (43, 44), the drives being controlled by means of a control device (22) of the control unit, a rotary encoder (25, 38) of the control unit being connected shafts (29, 42) of the drive unit of the conveyor means each allocated to the drives and registering a rotation of the shafts, a rotation angle signal and/or a rotational speed signal being transmitted to the control device by means of an encoder device (26, 39) of the corresponding rotary encoder in order to control the drives, the control device determining the corresponding rotational speed of the shafts and comparing it to a referential rotational speed, the control device controlling the drives depending on the comparison.