The following resources come from the 2009/10 BEng in Electrical Engineering (course number 2ELE0066) from the University of Hertfordshire. All the mini projects are designed as level two modules of the undergraduate programmes. In a normal domestic houses and businesses premises, lighting appliances, heating and cooling, security and monitoring systems, entertainment (home audio and video), communications (telephones and intercoms) and even lawn sprinklers is above 20 items. House keepers naturally lose tracks of monitoring and controlling the aforementioned items. This project is about home monitoring, controlling, security and automation. The home automation system setup, programme and operate specific wireless communication protocol such as ZigBee are part of this mini project’s theme. The completion of the project must follow a testing stage to assure proper setup.

1. Mini Project: Automated Selection Machine.
Author: University of Hertfordshire
Date created:
Date revised: 2009
Abstract
The following resources come from the 2009/10 BEng in Electrical Engineering (course
number 2ELE0066) from the University of Hertfordshire. All the mini projects are designed
as level two modules of the undergraduate programmes.
The objectives of this module are to demonstrate within a domestic control environment:
• The implementation of wireless starter kit
• The evaluation and implementation of wireless sensors
• The implementation of wireless Cameras
In a normal domestic houses and businesses premises, lighting appliances, heating and
cooling, security and monitoring systems, entertainment (home audio and video),
communications (telephones and intercoms) and even lawn sprinklers is above 20 items.
House keepers naturally lose tracks of monitoring and controlling the aforementioned
items. This project is about home monitoring, controlling, security and automation. The
home automation system setup, programme and operate specific wireless communication
protocol such as ZigBee are part of this mini project’s theme. The completion of the project
must follow a testing stage to assure proper setup.
Contents
Mini Project: Automated Selection Machine.......................................................................................1
Section 1. Project Overview.................................................................................................................2
Section 2. Project Day 1 Activity Briefing Sheet.................................................................................5
Section 3. Project Day 2 Activity Briefing Sheet.................................................................................6
Section 4. Introduction Lecture ...........................................................................................................7
PLC ..................................................................................................................................................7
Ladder Logic ...................................................................................................................................9
Credits.................................................................................................................................................10
In addition to the resources found below there are supporting documents, which should be
used in combination with this resource. Please see:
Mini Projects - Introductory presentation.
Mini Projects - E-Log.
Mini Projects - Staff & Student Guide.
Mini Projects - Standard Grading Criteria.
Mini Projects - Reflection.
© University of Hertfordshire 2009 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License.

2. Mini Project: Automated Selection Machine
Section 1. Project Overview
1. Learning Outcomes assessed (as taken from the DMD)
All Learning Outcomes specified in the Definitive Module Documentation are assessed as
part of this mini project, the specific Learning Outcomes are:
Knowledge and Understanding
• Be able to analyse and breakdown problem tasks into manageable steps.
• Integrate previous and concurrent learning and to use it to solve technology-based
problems.
• Be able to describe the project life-cycle appropriately.
• Be able to assemble, programme and automate home automation and control
Skills and Attributes
• Produce a solution to a defined domestic control application.
• Carry out a simple critical evaluation of their solution.
• Demonstrate an ability to work effectively in a teams, small groups and individually.
• Demonstrate an ability to manage time and resources effectively.
2. Project Title: Automated Selection Machine
3. Project Objectives: (technical, specific to this project)
To demonstrate within a domestic control environment:
• The implementation of wireless starter kit
• The evaluation and implementation of wireless sensors
• The implementation of wireless Cameras
4. Project Summary: (50 words max)
In a normal domestic houses and businesses premises, Lighting appliances, heating and
cooling, security and monitoring systems, entertainment (home audio and video),
communications (telephones and intercoms) and even lawn sprinklers is above 20 items.
House keepers naturally lose tracks of monitoring and controlling the aforementioned
items. This project is about home monitoring, controlling, security and automation. The
home automation system setup, programme and operate specific wireless communication
protocol such as ZigBee are part of this mini project’s theme. The completion of the project
must follow a testing stage to assure proper setup.
5. Introductory Lecture (2hrs) Content:
• Introduction to home automation
• Introduction to ZigBee
• Hardware to be used
• Topics for students to revise: Wireless starter kit, sensors and cameras user
manuals. ZigBee user manual.
6. Preparation Session (3hrs):
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3. Mini Project: Automated Selection Machine
• Home automation familiarisation
7. Day 1
Expected Outcomes for the day:
Students working in a group should lay out the required devices in model house. They
should also wire-up these devices to the USB development kit. Additionally students
working in group should be able to install and operate the USB development kit.
Assessment criteria; the way in which the work has been planned and managed,
demonstrate the technical criteria on selecting the positions and types of the devices in
use.
Key Tasks:
• Project Planning; developing an appropriate strategy to meet a specific set of
technical requirements.
• Assemble the hardware components.
• Fit set of sensors and cameras where is necessary.
• Configure the whole home automation system.
• Technical Appraisal; First phase test.
8. Day 2
Expected Outcomes for the day:
Students working in small groups will have to produce an appropriate flow chart required
for the operation of the home automation system. Student working in small groups should
develop the programme and demonstrate the completed project.
Assessment criteria; Based on successful development and implementation of the
software modules. Demonstrate the complete home automation system is working
according to the above specification.
Key Tasks:
• Project Planning; developing an appropriate strategy to meet a specific set of
technical requirements.
• Programme the home automation system.
• Reviewing ZigBee details.
• Technical Appraisal; Second phase test.
9. Facilitator guidance (key ideas to draw out from students):
Day 1: ZigBee protocol, type of sensors, video streaming.
Day 2: Home automation evaluation.
10. Required Resources: Laboratory Facilities and Teaching Support.
Laboratory Resources: D421.
1. PC Workstations with Visual Studio developer software.
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4. Mini Project: Automated Selection Machine
2. USB development Kits and CD with drivers.
3. PC Workstations should allow the installation of drivers from the user.
4. A home model.
5. LEDs and wireless cameras and a set of switches.
6. One Signal generator and one oscilloscope.
Teaching Resources:
1. Preparatory Session; an overview to the industrial application.
2. Day 1; briefing pack containing instructions for the day with source materials.
3. Day 2; briefing pack for the day; additional source materials, team allocations for
group work.
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5. Mini Project: Automated Selection Machine
Section 2. Project Day 1 Activity Briefing Sheet
Expected Outcomes for the day:
Students should be familiar with the material and concepts provided in the introductory
lecture. And draw up a list of required input, output and sensors.
Suggest and draw an industrial process control machine
Write Ladder Logic and Sequential Chart for this machine
Key Tasks:
Project Planning: developing an appropriate strategy to meet a specific set of technical
requirements.
Try a the Ladder Logic in Real time
Draw a list of required input and output switches and sensors
Technical Appraisal: First Phase Test
Assessment Criteria: The way in which the work has been planned and managed.
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6. Mini Project: Automated Selection Machine
Section 3. Project Day 2 Activity Briefing Sheet
Scenario
A conveyor carries two different types of products, for example red and green balls. It is
required to convey both balls to two separate channels to be packaged separately.
A Start/Stop is switch is to be used to turn off/on the conveyor motor. Set of two sensors,
one to sense the red balls and the second to sense the green balls are mounted on the
conveyor.
Key Tasks
To simulate the action you may use two LEDs to indicate the green and red balls have
been passed the sensors. You need to:
a) Draw the project
b) List the required input switches and sensors, output relays, output LEDs, etc.
c) Write the Ladder Logic for this application
d) Write the Sequential Chart for this application
e) Try them on the provided PLC
f) Draw the application on HMI E1071
g) Test and verify the application in real time
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7. Mini Project: Automated Selection Machine
Section 4. Introduction Lecture
Process Automation has driven the market to manufacture more, to charge less, to satisfy
the customer further, to improve the quality to maximum and to reach the state of the art
production in a record time. That wouldn’t be possible without using a system called
Programmable Logic Controller (PLC).
PLC
PLCs are made available by quite few companies such as Allan Bradley, Siemens,
Mitsubishi, Sharp, Omron etc.
PLCs all share the same basic structure as depicted in Figure 1.
Figure 1: PLC Basic Architecture
The intelligent part within the hardware section is the microcontroller CPU (Central
Processing Unit). The code is loaded to the memory and the CPU received the code from
the memory. The programmer expects the input devices to follow the instructions (code) to
drive the requested output to drive output devices that are connected to the PLC.
The input and output devices are connected to the PLC via dedicated set connections. The
input terminals on Mitsubishi PLC FX0 labelled as X0 to X12 and the output terminals are
labelled as Y0 to Y12. Figure 2 shows the PLC with power supply that covert the 220 V to
24 V, AD and DA converters and 12 input and 12 output terminals.
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8. Mini Project: Automated Selection Machine
Figure 2: Mitsubishi PLC with Power Supply converter, 2-channel A to D converter and 4-
Channel D to A converter
The example shown in Figure 3 shows an example that the X0 input turn on/off the output
terminal that wired to a light bulb via Y2.
Figure 3: Mitsubishi PLC With Input X0 and Output Y2 connected to a Switch and Lamp
Load
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9. Mini Project: Automated Selection Machine
Ladder Logic
Ladder Logic is a programming language that translates an electrical circuit diagram that
contains power supply, input and output devices.
The example shown in Figure 4below depicts the circuit diagram that drawn in Figure 3
above.
Figure 4: Ladder Logic of a Switch and Light
It is very simple and straight forward to explain the Ladder Logic in Figure 4. If X0 is turned
on, Y2 will drive the Light Bulb on, that all to it!
The example shown in figure 5 consists of inputs X0 and X1 are driving two outputs Y2
and Y3. From the figure, you may notice immediately that the diagram looks like a ladder,
hence Ladder Logic.
Figure 5: Ladder Logic with two lines of code
The software tool that allows you to draw and check Ladder Logic for Mitsubishi PLCs is
called GX IEC. It is available on all PCs in D411/D421. GX IEC will allow you to download
the code to the PLC to try your program in real time.
The session of using GX and a PLC is in the afternoon. I will draw on the whiteboard the
exercise and it should take two to three hours’ time to finish the exercise. I, T. Alukaidey,
will be around to answer any question on the subject.
Good Luck!
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10. Mini Project: Automated Selection Machine
Credits
This resource was created by the University of Hertfordshire and released as an open
educational resource through the Open Engineering Resources project of the HE
Academy Engineering Subject Centre. The Open Engineering Resources project was
funded by HEFCE and part of the JISC/HE Academy UKOER programme.
© University of Hertfordshire 2009
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License.
Microsoft product screen shots reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft
and Visual C# are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the
United States and/or other countries.
The name of the University of Hertfordshire, UH and the UH logo are the name and registered
marks of the University of Hertfordshire. To the fullest extent permitted by law the University of
Hertfordshire reserves all its rights in its name and marks which may not be used except with its
written permission.
The JISC logo is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-
No Derivative Works 2.0 UK: England & Wales Licence. All reproductions must comply with the
terms of that licence.
The HEA logo is owned by the Higher Education Academy Limited may be freely distributed and
copied for educational purposes only, provided that appropriate acknowledgement is given to the
Higher Education Academy as the copyright holder and original publisher.
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