Development of a completely decentralized control system for modular continuous conveyors

Stephan Mayer

ISBN 10: 3640825616 / ISBN 13: 9783640825615

Published by GRIN Verlag, GRIN Verlag Feb 2011, 2011

About this Item

Neuware -Doctoral Thesis / Dissertation from the year 2009 in the subject Business economics - Supply, Production, Logistics, grade: summa cum laude, University Karlsruhe (TH) (Institut für Fördertechnik und Logistiksysteme), language: English, abstract: To increase the flexibility of application of continuous conveyor systems, a completely decentralized control system for a modular conveyor system is introduced in the paper. This system is able to carry conveyor units without any centralized infrastructure. Based on existing methods of decentralized data transfer in IT networks, single modules operate autonomously and, after being positioned into the required topology, independently connect together to become a functioning conveyor system. Parallel to the development of the decentralized control system, identical square modules were developed, which in a compact unit contain all of the features necessary to function as a switch, junction or linear conveyor section. To fulfill this task, every module is equipped with an RFID identification system, sensors, a multi-directional drive, and a microcontroller-based control unit that executes the control algorithm.The following functions can be performed by these modules with the help of the innovative control algorithm:¿ Independent generation of the topological map in the form of routing tables¿ Recognition of an incoming conveyor unit and identification of the destination address¿ Planning of the path to the destination taking into consideration conveyor units already located in the system¿ Protection against collisions and deadlocks, and transportation of the conveyor unit to the next module¿ Autonomous regulation of the injection rate to ensure the highest possible throughputThe throughput performance of the control algorithm developed here was analyzed by simulating representative topologies. Furthermore, it was proven that under certain conditions, despite the conveyor routes being used in multiple directions, a situation can never arise where conveyor units block each other and the flow of material comes to a halt in the form of a deadlock.Books on Demand GmbH, Überseering 33, 22297 Hamburg 152 pp. Englisch.

Seller Inventory # 9783640825615

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Development of a completely decentralized control system for modular continuous conveyors
• Publisher: GRIN Verlag, GRIN Verlag Feb 2011
• Publication Date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3640825616
• ISBN 13: 9783640825615
• Binding: Taschenbuch
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 297W x 210H x 11D millimeters 297 millimeters width by 210 millimeters height by 11 millimeters depth
• Weight: 462 grams

About this title

Synopsis

Doctoral Thesis / Dissertation from the year 2009 in the subject Business economics - Supply, Production, Logistics, grade: summa cum laude, University Karlsruhe (TH) (Institut für Fördertechnik und Logistiksysteme), language: English, abstract: To increase the flexibility of application of continuous conveyor systems, a completely decentralized control system for a modular conveyor system is introduced in the paper. This system is able to carry conveyor units without any centralized infrastructure. Based on existing methods of decentralized data transfer in IT networks, single modules operate autonomously and, after being positioned into the required topology, independently connect together to become a functioning conveyor system. Parallel to the development of the decentralized control system, identical square modules were developed, which in a compact unit contain all of the features necessary to function as a switch, junction or linear conveyor section. To fulfill this task, every module is equipped with an RFID identification system, sensors, a multi-directional drive, and a microcontroller-based control unit that executes the control algorithm. The following functions can be performed by these modules with the help of the innovative control algorithm: • Independent generation of the topological map in the form of routing tables • Recognition of an incoming conveyor unit and identification of the destination address • Planning of the path to the destination taking into consideration conveyor units already located in the system • Protection against collisions and deadlocks, and transportation of the conveyor unit to the next module • Autonomous regulation of the injection rate to ensure the highest possible throughput The throughput performance of the control algorithm developed here was analyzed by simulating representative topologies. Furthermore, it was proven that under certain conditions, despite the conveyor routes being used in multiple directions, a si