Functioning

A roller conveyor is divided into zones for operation with ZPA. Each zone has a roller motor as a drive and a sensor that determines whether there is material in the zone. A motor controller controls the roller motor and evaluates the information from the sensor.

An EP7402 contains two motor controllers. Thus, only one EP7402 is required to control two zones.

A package is only forwarded from one zone to the following zone if there is no package in the following zone or if the existing package is already forwarded. To make this possible, the motor controllers of adjacent zones communicate with each other.

Example

This example shows the behavior of the motor controllers of two adjacent zones. The two zones can be located at any position within a roller conveyor. The figures show a view from above.

1. Initial situation:
   Zone A accepts a package from the previous zone.
   Zone B contains a package that is currently not being conveyed any further. This may be due, for example, to the fact that there is also a package in the following zone.
   
2. As soon as the sensor of zone A detects the package, controller A stops the motor. He is now waiting for zone B to become free.
   
3. The material has been removed from zone B, e.g. by continuing to convey it or by removing it manually.
   Controller B reports to controller A that zone B is free.
   
4. Controller A notifies Controller B that it is conveying a package to Zone B. Both controllers start their motors to convey the package further.