Playing with a photo switch and powder measure

jmorris · March 20, 2015, 09:16 PM

I rigged a photo electric switch above the beam of my old 10-10 powder scale to see how sensitive it was.

After this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLp9M6VI3gM

I weighed a gn of powder and counted the kernels, a calculated resoultion of .02083 grains.

jmorris · January 10, 2016, 05:46 PM

This one has been waiting on me awhile so after lunch I made a very simple trickler made from UHMW, .25" stainless tubing and a bit of aluminum.

I threaded the bottom of the "trickler housing" and it will be mounted to a base plate.

The base plate will also be large enough to mount the motor, have room for the scale.

Also an RCBS measure to throw the main charge and mounts for at least one, likely two photo electric switches like the one in the OP to control the trickler.

jmorris · January 11, 2016, 06:24 PM

Lost track of the PE switch but had a proximity switch to test it out with until I can order another one.

Looks like it will work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA0_KDjbBGQ

1stmar · January 11, 2016, 07:12 PM

Very cool. Looks faster than traditional digital powder dispensers. No resampling of data. Seems like it may be tough to adjust the trickle speed.

mkl · January 12, 2016, 12:55 PM

I wonder if anyone has ever tried using a vibratory pan feeder to trickle powder.

Having had quite a bit of experience in the snack food industry packaging corn chips, potato chips, etc. I would point out that virtually all of the flex bag packaging machines use a vibratory feed to convey the chips to the weigh scale on the machine. The feed pan is usually sloped at about a 15 degree angle and either the vibration frequency or the strength of the vibratory impulse is variable to obtain the desired feed volume. The pan dumps into a scale which when a set weight is made, stops the vibrator and then the scale dumps into the bag making part of the packaging machine.

Granted corn chips, etc. are somewhat larger than grains of powder, but I would think the feed principle used on snack food packaging machines would work for powder as well.

Just an idea for the experimenters who have a lot of time on their hands.

March 20, 2015, 09:16 PM	#1
jmorris Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2006 Posts: 3,077	Playing with a photo switch and powder measure I rigged a photo electric switch above the beam of my old 10-10 powder scale to see how sensitive it was. After this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLp9M6VI3gM I weighed a gn of powder and counted the kernels, a calculated resoultion of .02083 grains.

January 10, 2016, 05:46 PM	#2
jmorris Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2006 Posts: 3,077	This one has been waiting on me awhile so after lunch I made a very simple trickler made from UHMW, .25" stainless tubing and a bit of aluminum. I threaded the bottom of the "trickler housing" and it will be mounted to a base plate. The base plate will also be large enough to mount the motor, have room for the scale. Also an RCBS measure to throw the main charge and mounts for at least one, likely two photo electric switches like the one in the OP to control the trickler.

January 11, 2016, 06:24 PM	#3
jmorris Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2006 Posts: 3,077	Lost track of the PE switch but had a proximity switch to test it out with until I can order another one. Looks like it will work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA0_KDjbBGQ

January 11, 2016, 07:12 PM	#4
1stmar Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2012 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,378	Very cool. Looks faster than traditional digital powder dispensers. No resampling of data. Seems like it may be tough to adjust the trickle speed.

January 12, 2016, 12:55 PM	#5
mkl Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Location: DFW area, Texas Posts: 494	I wonder if anyone has ever tried using a vibratory pan feeder to trickle powder. Having had quite a bit of experience in the snack food industry packaging corn chips, potato chips, etc. I would point out that virtually all of the flex bag packaging machines use a vibratory feed to convey the chips to the weigh scale on the machine. The feed pan is usually sloped at about a 15 degree angle and either the vibration frequency or the strength of the vibratory impulse is variable to obtain the desired feed volume. The pan dumps into a scale which when a set weight is made, stops the vibrator and then the scale dumps into the bag making part of the packaging machine. Granted corn chips, etc. are somewhat larger than grains of powder, but I would think the feed principle used on snack food packaging machines would work for powder as well. Just an idea for the experimenters who have a lot of time on their hands.