Design of an Automatic Sixpack Bottle Filling System using RFID Technology for adaptation to The Lucas Nülle IPA23 Plant

Abstract

The Process Control Laboratory of the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL) includes an IPA 23 training plant of the Lucas Nülle brand on a small scale that has the following stations: Material buffering station (IPA 2), filling station (IPA 3), sealing station (IPA 4). The resulting plant obtained with these substations is a simulation plant of a sixpack production line for bottles filled with an adjustable amount of liquid "A ".The IPA 23 plant does not package a product other than the one found in the main tank of the filling station without first conducting an automatic pre-washing process in the dosing pipes. This process prevents the filling of bottles with concentrations of residual product from previous liquids housed in the dosing system. In addition, it does not have a technology that identifies products allowing flexibility and inventory management. In view of the above problem, an auxiliary filling module containing the 2 pressurized bottles was implemented: one for liquid "B" and another for pre-washing. Radio-Frequency Identification technology (RFID) was adapted, which includes: communication module, reader and transponders, providing greater ease in product identification by the system and better control in production inventory. The programming and implementation of the control panel of the auxiliary module were also carried out. All this will contribute to the flexibility of the control of the operation of the training plant and the realization of laboratory experiments related to flexible production systems by the students.