LabVIEW is used in this system to program a supervisor controlling the quality of sand in a career, before filling the trucks after the results of measurements of quality, we will inject a product to improve the characteristics of the sand to neutralize impurities (such as clay for example) and make them suitable for building. This pilot supervises three PLC (programmable logic controller), which each have a dedicated function: a sampler, a analyser and a divider.

*Software for the supervising of the sand quality control*

Programmable logic controller

Hardware technology

The excavation and filling trucks is completed by the sampler, analyzer and dozer system, wich is composed of:

a PC that monitors and controls the PLCs
three PLCs (and their mechanical components they control) linked to the PC via Ethernet:
- Mitsubishi FX3U
- Schneider Twido LCAE 40RDS
- Telemecanique Micro TSX37
signal lights for alarms

Software technology

Operating system: Microsoft Windows XP
Supervisor programmation: langage Graphique sous LabVIEW de National Instruments
PC-PLCs communication: OPC servers

How does it work?

The supervisor is able to display PLCs measurement data, and pilote PLCs and save data of the all system. It works in automatic or manual mode. Special machines orders are also available for the operator.

After sand excavation, the sampler takes a small amount of sand that leads to the analyzer. It analyses the sand with various chemical and electronic processes. The results will be given in order to inject a dose of inertant in the sand but upstream. Trucks of 48 tonnes are filled in 1 minute and 30 seconds.