Dredge Automation Project

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Overview Unmanned dredge used to clean ponds Need to control all dredge operations Current system controls operations with relay based control pannel Proposed solution is to replace control panel with a programmable logic controller (PLC) Description of Dredge Operation To fully understand the operation of the control panel for the dredge one must first understand the operation of the dredge.  The dredge is used to clean silt out of ponds to increase the holding capacity of the ponds being dredged.  The way this will be done is the dredge will be attached to a cable system that spans the entire length of the pond to be dredged.  To move along this cable a traverse motor on the dredge will be attached to the cable and will act as a winch to pull the dredge one direction or the other.  At each end of the cable there will be a limit switch that will be used to signal when end of the line is reached.  The dredging operation of the machine will be handled by three more motors.  There will be a hoist winch motor that will be used to raise and lower the cutting head of the dredge.  Since the cutter head will be under water and in contact will the bottom of the pond being dredged a hydraulic motor will be used to run the cutter.  The power for the hydraulic system will come from an electric motor connected to the hydraulic pump.  The final motor is the pump motor which will power the discharge pump so all the material dredged up can be removed from the pond.   Scope of Project The scope of the project will be to design and select all parts and materials to be used in the control panel and the wireless system.  This means that neither the motors, any of the limit switches, or power supply for the system are to be selected.  Instead the designed control panel must be able to interface with the existing system.  Since there is not any direct feedback from the motors all operations of the motors will be handled internally by the PLC.  The PLC will send control signals to the motor control devices after all information is processed.