Automation!

I need help with an automation projekt. I will build a machine that can sort, count and pack coins on a threadmill-kindof deal.

I have figured out how to sort and count, but not how to pack them, the coins will be packed in paper tubes but i can figure out a way to get the coins in them without jamming - that's the problem  . The tubes will be held in a magazine and be fed out one by one in the filling station.

I have no idea how get the coins in the tubes in a simple way.

Hint: the paper tubes have a hole in the bottom (maybe some sort of rod can support the coins, IDK), I plan to have the tubes in the filling station horizontally but feel free to think another way to do it. I will give rep to any thoughtful idea.

I'll post some design pix later.

Most coin sorters I've seen fill vertically since gravity is kind enough to stack them for you

Or, maybe if you had a stream of compressed air to push the coins into the tube, just have to make sure the tube isn't very tight on the coins, which would probably lead to jams.

Gravity, and vibration should get it. Or, go to Coinstar. http://www.coinstar.com/us/html/a-home ;D

Cool ideas guys! I like the compressed air solution. The tubes can be pretty snug.

Pix:

The coin feeder. (Exploded)


Basic layout. The lower one is seen from above.


An over complicated horizontal stacking-devise-thingy.


And the horizontal tube-magazine. I like this design.


If I go with the gravity stacking I'll need to design another tube magazine, but it shouldn't be a big deal...

Yeah, no prob!
Have you seen the coinstar machine? I know it uses vibration somehow!

The reason I thought of vibration is because we have a machine here at my cabinet shop that uses strong rapid vibration to feed dowels into the correct chambers so you can load the machine with a bucket then the vibrations orientate them and put them into position so they can be shot into the cabinet part (after the drilling heads do their part).

Good luck, and post pictures of your progress!

Thanks I'm gonna need it, this is hard! PLC, ladder and CAD is a different language to me. This is a school project and I haven't tried something like this before. Lots of things to learn...

I will post pictures and I hope for some more advise and stuff.


PS: I plan to use lasers to identify the size of the coins (small, medium and large).