PLC Trainer - Festo Conveyor Station
There are three different Festo MecLabs. This video covers the Conveyor Sorter and shows it being controlled by the PLC. The conveyor module is equipped with two inputs and three outputs. The inputs include a thru-beam photo sensor and an inductive proximity sensor. The three outputs include one for the diversion solenoid and two to control the conveyor. The reason for two outputs to control the conveyor is that one controls the direction and the other turns the conveyor on and off.
I also show the conveyor being used along with my homemade operator's panel. I chose to use the selector switch to pick between an always running mode or one that requires the operator to press a green pushbutton (a green light comes on to signify it is now running). In this mode, the operator can also stop the process by pressing the red pushbutton.