Equipment swipe card interlock install

Interlock contactors to be installed on machinery.

@jace and I will be installing interlocks on electrical equipment to ensure the preservation of users and machinery.

We will start by installing contactors on the supply side of the machinery and will be needing people who are smart with the rfid tags to work with us to integrate the two systems.

We hope that by doing this we can ensure the people using the equipment are competent and won’t hurt themselves or others and also ensure the equipment is left in a state where others can also use it.

In order to use the equipment you must swipe in and swipe out after using the equipment.

All equipment upgrades will be documented here and if you would like to help please let us know in this thread.

Have a great day all!

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This is already on my todo list but I’ve been focusing on the overall access setup. Hit me up when you guys have switchable contactors installed and I’ll do the rest.

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It might just be me, but I feel like you should be finishing other projects such as putting the lathe back together before you start more.

As for equipment interlocks, what needs to be done is all documented on Trello. At present we only have enough interlock equipment to cover a few machines, the lathe, mill, kiln, laser cutter, and two extras. Bar the laser cutter, ethernet for these interlocks isn’t present either. If you happen to have a box of cat 5/6 lying around it’d come in rather handy.

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Will do @nogthree
Would it be possible to have a lockout function on the reader so if you hold down a button and swipe your card it deactivates the machine until it is fixed?

@jace is fixing the lathe and I will be assisting where available.
I have attempted for a while to get on trello without success so I’m just going to document here.

Does anyone use the kiln? I’ve never seen it used once since I have been at the space, can we sell it and use the money to fund more important upgrades?

As for the CAT5 I don’t have any, it’s pretty cheap though, about $100 for 300m
We could even get some donated from a job site, keep your eyes open if you see a large one. One job I was at threw out about 3km of new CAT5 because the spec was CAT6 and they installed the wrong stuff.

I’ve sorted out your trello access @Bean_flickers and added you to the main board.

Awesome, thank you @nogthree

As a heads up for this build to buy the gear new each interlock will cost about $200 if we can’t get second hand control gear.
If anyone knows where some second hand working contactors are that would help allot.
The contactors generally are controlled by 12,24 & 230V.
@nogthree @Thermoelectric what voltage do you want to use for control side?

Do you have a list of items you need? $200 is a lot for a contactor and a box. Most swipe related stuff is 12V, however 24V or 230 is doable through SSR’s.

The 1000V rated enclosures with some DIN rail and a contactor aren’t cheap.
We will also need glands.
I will have a better idea of the exact price on Friday.
We will also need a transformer for the 24v or a SSR that meets Australian Standards.
Most optocouplers will meet this but aren’t cheap.
The most important thing is segregation of the LV and ELV equipment.

A SSR such as this one is rated to switch up to 380v AC and 50A from just a 5v dc input. It has all the isolation needed …it’s optically isolated with 2kv safety rating…etc. It’s also CE certified and available locally from under $20. … or $5ish fron china. It’s the only part you need other than a SNARC and a suitable box …as the SNARC can do the rest.

http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/TUV-CE-and-RoHS-3-32v_1987660746.html

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Just to make sure you dont go putting yourself or the group in situations we don’t want to be in. If you want to spend the spaces money, it needs to be approved at a meeting before you spend it.

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That looks awesome. sure looks like something that would do the job.

Not a problem, Prices TBA.

Originally I was thinking of using the e-stop on the machines.
Reducing the need to interface with mains voltage.
Though I haven’t looked at the machines in depth so the e-stop could be at mains voltage.

I will leave it upto anyone who implements the system.

There’s a milk crate of 240V coil contactors in the boneyard.

Do the Estops have keys?

Nice, they will do nicely, have you ever cleaned contactors? I f not I can show you how to do it to stop chatter.

I’ve never cleaned contactors before, last contactor from that pile I was playing with wasn’t chattering.

Just a heads up for the mill, you’re either going to have to put the digital readout on the 240 side and not switch it, or leave it on 110 and not switch the transformer. If you switch it, you’ll make grown men cry.

It’s awesome that theres momentum here. simply freaking awesome.

Afaik the netrol boards are designed to switch at the estop which is theoretically low voltage.

The kiln is not used for these reasons:

  • It needs a plug to get plugged in!
  • It needs to be put through a heavily monitored ‘burn in test’ to get it ready to roll
  • It needs an interlock so we can bill per the minute for the power consumption

It’s worth keeping because if we promote it to the right people it could be a real little money spinner. Not only that, but due to its size we can do all sorts of crazy things. custom firebrick for the blacksmithers and metalworkers? how about baking the liner for your own, smaller, kiln design :stuck_out_tongue:

The laser also needs this billing feature, and both need some sort of screen to show whats going on.

We also need a way of forcing a maintenance lockout, and timed tools need to auto lockout for maintenance every N minutes of use.

I think you’re correct in as much as that you’ll need to have a swipe in and swipe out system. We thought about doing a whole ‘leave your tag on the reader’ scheme but we didn’t like the estop potential problems from a temp dodgy read.

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