Egg Conveyor Synchronization via Servomotor Torque Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional chain conveyors in poultry plants face issues with uneven load distribution, leading to chain length discrepancies, accumulation, and motor stops, which result in egg flow disruptions and increased risk of cracks and microfractures, especially when covering lengths exceeding one hundred meters without auxiliary transfer stations.
Innovation Solution
A closed-loop chain conveyor system with synchronized traction assemblies driven by gearmotors and servomotors, featuring a control unit that continuously detects angular position and bar count, calculates average torques, and adjusts servomotor speeds to maintain constant torque across all assemblies, ensuring even tension and preventing chain accumulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single conveyor is used to cover long paths exceeding one hundred meters, then egg conveyance efficiency is improved and collisions are limited, but chain accumulation and motor stops occur due to uneven load distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the speed of individual traction assemblies based on real-time load detection. Each traction assembly's motor speed is independently controlled to maintain uniform chain tension despite varying egg loads at different conveyor sections, preventing accumulation and ensuring continuous operation over long distances
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates load detection means that continuously monitor the weight of eggs at each traction assembly. This feedback information is used by the control system to automatically adjust motor speeds, creating a closed-loop control mechanism that maintains optimal chain tension and prevents accumulation throughout the conveyor
2Length of stationary object
If auxiliary transfer stations are added to cover greater lengths, then conveyor length capability is improved, but speed differences and discontinuities cause egg shell cracks and microfractures
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor is divided into multiple independent traction assemblies, each capable of independent speed control. This segmentation allows each section to adjust its speed to match the load conditions, eliminating the need for auxiliary transfer stations and ensuring smooth, continuous egg flow without speed discontinuities that would cause shell damage
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters (speed) of individual traction assemblies based on detected load conditions. By continuously adjusting speed parameters across different sections, the system maintains uniform egg flow velocity throughout the entire conveyor length, preventing the speed variations that lead to egg shell cracks
3Reliability
If accumulation control with motor stop is implemented, then chain tension is restored, but abrupt stops disrupt egg flow and reduce system reliability
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of abrupt motor stops, the system dynamically adjusts motor speeds to prevent accumulation before it occurs. Each traction assembly's speed is continuously modulated based on load detection, maintaining optimal chain tension without interrupting egg flow, thereby preserving both reliability and productivity
Data Source
AI summary
An egg conveyor for a poultry plantincludes a chain of the closed-loop type with bars, for conveying eggs from one or more laying hen sheds to a collection location,assemblies for traction along the chain which are provided with a motor drive component, anda control unit for synchronization of the traction assemblies. The motor drive components each include at least one gearmotor provided at least with a corresponding servomotor.The method for synchronization of traction assemblies in the conveyor includes the following steps:detecting continuously and instantaneously the angular position and the number of bars at each traction assembly, andcalculating continuously and instantaneously the average of all the torques at the traction assemblies and, if the number of bars is different from a set number, correcting the speed of each servomotor to obtain a constant torque on each traction assembly, which corresponds to the average.