CETYS UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
AUTOMATION AND CONTROL

Homework task 3:
Proposal Final Project

Misael Corrales Ontiveros (027773)

Vanessa Salcedo (23413)
Luis Gonzlez (23499)
Manuel Astorga (23249)
Mechanical Engineering
August 21, 2014

PART I FINAL PROJECT DEFINITION

Automated Paper Separator Proposal

This project proposal consists of an automated paper recycler controlled by a programmable

logic controller (PLC). The separator will receive a bunch of used white, letter-sized sheets of
paper to pass them through a quality control process to determine which sheet is still useful and
which is not.
The bunch of sheets will be placed on the separators tray, then when the start button is
pressed, it automatically will start taking each sheet out of the bunch through a scan-like system
to verify if that sheet still has enough white space whether to be printed on (minimum of a whole
white page) or to take notes (few marks on white sheet but still enough space to write, near 70%
white).When the qualification process is over, the page will be placed in its correct location, as
mentioned: notes/printable and not usable.
A PLC is needed to activate the rollers which are used to pick each shit, then with a
webcam the system takes a picture of both sides the sheet and with an object linking and
embedding (OLE) for process control (OPC) we could interact with a software of image analysis
to link the PLC with the analysis results generated from MATLAB to separate each sheet.
This project could be extended to offices or companies to determine if the bunch of white
sheets they have stored could be usable, even the proportion of the white space for each page
could be modified. If only printing is needed, notes separation tray could be removed by
reprogramming the parameters of the image software analysis. This project is intended to
reduce time while looking for available white space on a used white sheet and promote to the
people to waste less.

PART II FINAL PROJECT PLANNING

a) Activities
1. Research. Research which electric/electronic components can perform the
different stages of the process.
2. Verify, if these components are available in Mexicali or if the team has to order
them (ebay, amazon, etc). Also, verify is the approximate cost of all components
is inside the teams budget.
3. Conceptual design: the team must develop a conceptual design of the
prototype, using the previous researched data. The conceptual design must
include the mechanical mechanisms and the electrical/electronic circuits that the
dispenser will use.
4. System requirements: stablish detailed functional requirements.
5. Acquire (purchase): materials and components.
6. High-level design: transform the detailed requirements into complete detailed
systems. Start with a preliminary mechanical system construction.
7. Programming: start programming the PLCs instructions.
8. Preliminary prototype: construct/build up a preliminary prototype.
9. Test, identify and adjust: run tests to the prototype and identify errors or
problems (program and component malfunction). Adjust components to fix errors
or solve problems.
10. Detailed design: transform the high-level design into a detailed design taking
into consideration and fixing the errors found in the previous activity.
11. Final prototype: construct/build up the final prototype.
12. Test: run tests to the prototype and make the proper adjustments.
13. Present final project.

b) Gantt Diagram

c) Main Resources

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Webcam: to acquire the image of the white sheet to analyze, buy it.
Computer: to process the image through a software analysis, already have it.
PLC: to control de processes of the system, borrowed by the teacher.
Tray: a plastic recipient used to put on the bunch of paper, recycled.
MATLAB: software for a lot of purposes, in this case to analyze the image of the white sheet,
already in the laboratory.
6. PCL programming software: the software required to program the PLC, already in the laboratory.
7. Cable: used to connect the devices of the system, buy it.
8. Rollers: to pick each of the white sheets from the paper bunch, pick them an old printer.

The electric/electronic components will be acquired in local stores such as Radioshack, Steren and
others. If these stores do not have the required components, the team will purchase them via internet,
either on eBay, or other stores. Some mechanical components will be design and build, such as links
and structures; gears, shafts, rails and hydraulic components will be purchase in local hardware
stores.