Interroll, the Swiss company which specialises in conveying systems based on rollers with integrated motors, has developed a matching control technology that, it says, will simplify the integration of 24V conveyor systems.

The ConveyorControl system is said to make complex, costly PLC programming a thing of the past, as well as simplifying roller conveyor installation and commissioning. It is based on IP54-protected control modules that are mounted on the side of the conveyor and are connected using an insulation-piercing technique to a ribbon cable carrying both power and communications.

There are various types of control module, including:
•  SegmentControls, the backbone of the system, which are connected to two roller drives and two sensors to control two zones of a conveyor;
•  ComControls, which control one zone and provide three inputs and three outputs;
•  GatewayControls, which integrate ConveyorControl into a Profibus or Profinet network; and
•  CentralControls, which allow a ConveyorControl system to be configured from a PC running graphical software which is used to set parameters such as conveyor acceleration, speed and direction of movement.

The conveyor system is based on 32W motorised rollers with nine different gear stages, covering a broad range of possible applications. During braking, they recover energy, cutting energy consumption by up to 30%.