Abstract
In the wake of using technology to increase the efficiency of doing work, the project brings in the use of technology that could help in sorting colors. This could reduce the burden of work that usually encounters the separation of colors. Color sorting has always reduced the efficiency of the subject industries and the subsequent output of such industries. Beside assortment of things always, associate to boredom and monotony thereby reducing the output of the manual assortment. On the other hand, the color sorter is not always associated to monotony since it has a reliable functionality. There has always been the wastage of time and money in the employment of workers to separate the colors in the shoe industries. The project therefore discusses about the introduction of efficient color sorter that could effectively used by the industries.
Proposal
This project about the color sorter is significant for the general advancement of the world in the field of manufacturing. The project intends to intend to introduce a color sorter that could help in sorting out boxes with different colors. The project take the form of technological advancement which has always been the basis for competition in the market This could lessen the problem, which the industries always experience when it comes to separating equipments of different colors. The device would the various components in relation to their colors. In developing this device, the project mainly bases their action on resolving the issues which always arise during the sorting of the colors.
In ensuring that their project has achieved perfectness, the researchers have taken into consideration the problems, which may arise if there was to be adoption of the color sorter. Therefore, this would serve in eliminating the unnecessary problems that could come up during the actual use of the power sorter in the industries. Consequently, the project would come out as perfect because the researchers have already determined the remedy of the problems related to the use of the color sorter. In achieving the introduction of the color sorter into the market, the project would have done away with the manual sorting of colors which is always tiresome and ineffective. The use of the device will only need the proper maintenance for it to function for longer times. The device also needs only one qualified individual to operate it, hence lowering the cost associated to the device. Therefore, after purchasing the device, the industry will experience a huge proportional reduction in cost as compared to when the industry uses the manual sorting. This therefore offset the installation cost that the industry may consider high. The industry will stay to be enjoying the long-term effect of the benefits of the device.
Industrial research and development
The project researched the various industries, which were dealing with color sorting from where they establish the basis of their work. Fashion industry is one of the industries they researched about, in relation to the assortment of colors. In analyzing the problems that the industries underwent during the assortment of the colors, the researchers were able to develop their project to meet the standards required by the subject industries. During the development of the project, the researchers determined the frequencies of the various colors in order to meet the specification of every industry. This is because the various industries dealt with various colors of different frequencies hence the need to accommodate all the type of colors in their studies. The development of the project also accommodated the strength of the different proximity sensor. The proximity sensor is essential because it helps in determining the distance of which the sorter would move.
Project mechanical hazards
Every development relating to technology always comes with hazards that can only happen if the user does not respond appropriately. The following are some of the hazards that may be associated with the project if care is not taken:
The piston
The piston which acts in ejecting the sorted boxes, may be released and in the event hurt the user. This can only occur if the user did not ensure that he fixed the piston well. The probability of this hazard is always less because the device always comes with the piston fixed in its position. Even though its probability of occurrence is less, the hazard is always severe on the user.
Burn the electric circuits by provided high voltage
Reduction of the transmission volt by the built up transformer always makes the device to be vulnerable to petition electric. This hazard has a high probability of happening because there is always the need to change the transmission voltage that bases on the separation of the different colors.
Boxes may hit the color sensor
Being that the range of the color sensor is short; the boxes have the high probability of hitting the sensor thereby hindering the use of the color sensor. The hazard is severe because the repair will need the user to open inside sensor in order to repair the damage. This will therefore interfere with the normal working of the color sorter.
Flying rejected boxes
This normally occurs when the normal working mechanism of the color sorter have been interfered with. This makes the front of the color sensor to deflect the rejected boxes outside the color sorter thereby causing accidents. The probability of this hazard is low because the front of the color sensor is made in such a way that it allows the smooth passage of the rejected boxes.
Project objectives
The major objective of the project was to establish color sorter device that could help in separating colors. The objectives of the project therefore arose from this major objective:
• To increase the efficiency in the industries operating in color sorting:
• To reduce the cost involved in the color sorting
• To increasing the output of the color sorting industries
• To eliminate all the problems related to the color sorter
Examples of industries that the project targeted: fashion industries and ice cream industries
Background
The color sorter projected came into being because of the need to address the issue related to color sorting. Most of the industry makes use of manual sorting whenever they need to separate the colors. Being that this day’s technology has taken over the advancement in the world, they could also be the possibility of establishing a technological color sorter. The technology is always preferable in reducing the energy and the money that the industry uses in their operations. The technological advancement could therefore help in fastening the process of color sorting, which is always a burden in most of the industries constituting the sorting of colors in their operation. Some of the problems related to the manual color sorting were inefficiency and lagging in the operation of the industry. Therefore, this problems set the way for the project to come in with the objective of cutting down on the problems related to manual color sorting in the company. The color sorter would the mechanism in which, there is automatic separation of any two separate colors. There is the part for rejection of the black color and for the acceptance for the white colors. The color sorter also has the color sensor, which could identify the frequencies of the different colors.
Summary of the project
The main mission of the project is to introduce a color sorter that makes use of the technological advancement. In introducing the color sorter, the subject industries could increase in the efficiency of their operation and reduce the cost related to the manual sorting. The main project also had the objective of addressing all the problems that could encounter the user during their operation with the color sorter. The addressing of the problem would therefore ensure that the project is perfect for the existing industries. The color sorter will have vital parts like the color sensor and the piston, which would help in the separation of the colors, through the mechanism of rejecting and allowing. The operation of the color sorter depends on the frequency of the colors to be sorted hence the user should always determine the frequency of the colors he would like to separate using the color sorter. The project also proposes for the intended users, to ensure that every part of the color sorter is in its position to avoid hazards. The color sorter technology could therefore increase reliability in the industries dealing with the separation of colors; consequently reducing the cost of production in such industries
Project’s part
Conveyor motor:
Just like the conveyor belts in the warehouses, the conveyor motor help in the carrying of the products to be sorted to the piston through the color sensor. Its failure in operation will mean that the there will be no separation of the products because of lack of the transport. It therefore forms the basis for the sorting of the products. The motor requires a voltage transmission 12 volts for it to transfer the products up to the piston. It also holds the products steadily in front of the color sensor.
Color sensor
The color sensor uses the mechanism of the different frequencies of the various color in its function of sorting the colors. The color sensor consists of a short-range circuit. The short circuit is suitable for the connection to the resistors hence its use in the connection of the color sorter to the couple resistor and the OP-AMP. The operational amplifier is used in the amplification of the frequency of the colors detected hence helping in the separation. The white box relates to 6volts when detected by the color sensor. The voltage divider will then make the comparison for the voltage then finally send the voltage to the OP-Amp. The OP-Amp then detects whether it is a white box, after which it sends it to the PLC.
PLC system (programmable logic controller system)
This system helps in the processing of the information received from the OP-Amp pertaining to the time at which there should be activation of the piston. This will help in achieving the accuracy in the separation of the colors. It is programmable in such a way that it identifies the seconds at which the piston get energized hence can only send the signal when the piston is read.
Piston
It depends on the command of the PLC in its action of rejecting the black boxes. After receiving the signal, the piston will reject the black boxes to the correct rooms. Therefore, this presents the last stage for the separation of the colors.
Transformer voltage
This acts as a step down transformer that converts the voltage from 120V to 24V during the rejection of the black boxes by the piston.
