Thread: New workshop dust extraction install - build blog

Against my desire to buy in Oz Legin (didn't think the Clearvue gates would put up with the pneumatic valves but that was proven to be a wrong assumption) I ended up buying them from Blastgate, Flex Hoses and Spiral Pipes
Really happy with the quality.

Things got busy as life does, so this build thread is well over due for an update.

Discovered the issue with slamming blast gates was a controlled release valve was needed on the output of each cylinder. Easy fix in the end.

One of the things I wanted to do with my blast gate system is have it fully automated - no switches or extra buttons to start the system (expect the lathe of course - manual control is a must). With some machines, it was simply a case of wiring across the extra contacts on the machine control relay (CNC, table saw), but others like the SCMS needed some form of detection device.

After a quick search, I came across this site which goes over the circuit required for an adjustable current sensor circuit - Current Sensing Slave Power Switch

My original system was 240V control so I adapted the circuit to allow for an on board power supply

Through hole board.jpg

Then i installed it into an adaptable box with a power point on the front The active wire for the power point is looped through the current transformer -

Sensor Box.jpg

Saw starts - current draw induces a voltage in the current transformer which triggers the on board relay - relay sends an input to my controller - dusty starts and correct blast gate opens. Once the saw stops, the system keeps running for the preset time then shuts down the dusty and after another preset time to allow the dusty to wind down, the blast gate closes. Any other machine gets started while the first run down timer is counting, the system closes the first blast gate, opens the new one and the dusty keeps on going.

About a few months of use, my controller decided to pack it in (was a second hand unit that had been in service for many a moon... in a pretty nasty environment) so it was replaced with a 24VDC controller. This meant I was able to do away with the mini power supply on the current sense board. So I had a few more boards made up, this time with smaller components to save board space

SMD Boards.jpg

If anyone is interested I am more than happy to post the files for the printed circuit board, bill of materials and 'how to' to get either the SMD or through hole board made up.

Father in law had retired last year so the mistress of finance, the MIL and I decided to get him a practical gift for Christmas - install the blast gate system and controller in his workshop.
I had read good things about the CLICK PLC controllers so decided to give one a go.
Hard to beat price wise at $120 for inputs and 6 outputs.
The pic below has a few extra inputs/outputs for a larger setup ($65 input unit and $79 ouput)

Click PLC.jpg

Purchased these from directautomation.com.au along with the pneumatic cylinders and fittings.
5/2 solenoid valves - $55 ea
20 x 150mm cylinders - $40 ea
Blastgates from Clearvue - $34 ea

All told, it was about $1K installation but IMO, well worth it. He cannot believe the simplicity of all and only wishes he had it sooner. The reduced amount of dust from the system running on after the machine has stopped has made a huge difference alone.

Back to my workshop - still on the todo list is a baffle box for the exhaust on my dusty enclosure, finish my SCMS dust hood (will post pics on that when it's done - built something in the lines of jays custom creations - https://jayscustomcreations.com/2015...drawer-fronts/), working out what the hakuna matata to do about dust extraction for work bench for hand tools etc, getting a dust sensor system as BobL and MandJ have done, hopefully save enough coin for a Clearvue system and... oh yeah - Do some actual wood work.

The system looks really good. Great job.
I'd be interested in any info you can give on the current sense boards.
You can get Analogue IO for the Click range too. Will keep those PLCs in mind.

Thanks NCArcher. Edit: As requested - Details of current sense boards can be found here Current sense switch - For dust extraction automation

Edit no 2: Attached the CLICK PLC program for controller - C0-00DR-D with 5 machine inputs and 1 stop button Dust Extraction Control.zip

For those of you looking for 6 inch pipe and fittings, I have found Total Eden to be easily the cheapest.

Well then its a shame my local one closed down then... When it was open it was cheaper for irrigation stuff though.

With the great information & inspiration from BobL and MandJ regarding dust sensors, I have started getting set up to install three units in my workshop - two sensors in the wood working area, and one in the mistress of finance / cherubs area.

I have been tinkering with Raspberry Pi boards and drag and drop programming software - 'Node-Red' for a while which I have used for a plethora of things around my house. As I had an unused Raspberry pi and touchscreen, it seemed like the obvious interface for the dust sensors.

This is only concept stages - will release the code when its a bit more refined.

First screen will be the current readings from the 3 sensors -

Graphs.PNG


The next screen will be a line graph
Chart.PNG

And there will be a couple more pages for interfacing with my automatic blast gate system, etc.
I have also been able to get the system to log the data to a CSV file with a time stamp against each data point. Below is the current flow that I have configured - I am yet to order my dust sensors there is test interval timer and random number generator where the data would feed in to make sure everything works.


Node_Red.PNG

One of the great things about Node-red Dashboard user interface is that you don't need the raspberry pi touchscreen pi for it to work - it creates a web server that you can access from any web browser - phone, tablet or computer. Although I have to test it, it may mean that this could work on a Raspberry Pi Zero which cost ~ $15 plus delivery.

Going to add a force sensor / load cell for the dust collection bin (thanks BobL for the idea!) to this unit with a 'Push' alarm to my phone using a free app called Pushbullet, as well as some light or sound indicator in the workshop.

If anyone is interested, I will do a step by step guide when it's closer to finished.

Hi, I can't see any pictures, link address look strange - or is it just me?

Cheers MandJ. Will fix up now : Looks like Google has broken the work around for embedding images in posts.

Time to find another host....

Pics are working for me...

Melbourne cup weekend gave me a couple of days where I could bog down and get some workshop stuff done - including some of my planned changes to my dc system.

Moved a bit of machinery to create a better work flow as well as cleaning up some of the cabling. Still a heap to go - need to relocate last pipe to new spot for bandsaw & pedestal drill, install floor sweep in the mistress of finances area (hence the 4 inch pipe at the back), tidy the last few cables....



Dust sensors arrived last week, but have not had a chance to play yet. Hope to get some more time just after Christmas to have another chip at it.

The Christmas break came and went all too quick as it always does, so no major changes to the workshop other than one - a new home for the compressor. Good ol' Murphy decided to mock me by slicing a hole in the side of my dusty collection bag, which in turn filled my compressor intake filter, the entire dusty enclosure and one large red back's web; and he looked seriously upset with the new decor.

So a new home was made for my compressor...

Then with all this extra space in my dusty enclosure, I decided it was time to get serious with dust collection, so I have been busy squirreling away my penny's for a Clearvue 1800. Just ordered and now awaiting shipment, but no point in sitting idle so got the new 3P circuit installed, new VFD installed and configured as well as the required 3kW motor purchased (Thanks again for the part number Dom!)

Productive week for me - My Clearvue arrived!, so I chipped away at getting the old beast out and the CV installed.



Couple more bends than I would like, but had to make the space work.

This thing is a beast! I installed a magnehelic gauge a while back and got only around 4" WC with one blast gate open with my old DC.

The CV-1800 at 50Hz is wavers around 11" ~ 12" WC with one blast gate open!

A whole lot noisier than my last DC but, but that was to be expected. Still need to make a muffler for the exhaust and a vent for the enclosure but once that is done I will get the sound level meter in action again and post my results.

Time for me to get back to programming my control system to play nice with my new toy...

Couple of mandated weeks off with the cherubs for school holidays has me getting back to tinkering with my DC setup. After looking at my to-do list, which resembles santas naughty/nice list, I decided to attack monitoring the DC drum level and what options have been proven.

As we all tend to stick to what we know, and I am no exception - I decided on trialing an ultrasonic sensor as we use industrial types at work and I have used a tinker type in another project, for an upgrade to the 'tennis ball on a string' car position sensor in the garage.
(Got sick of having to do the crab shuffle past the bonnet...)





So I ordered an IP56 sensor to see how it would go -



Drilled a hole in the top of the DC drum, installed the sensor and connected it to a Raspberry pi display in my workshop. So far testing has proved it to be really accurate. Obvious downside is that when the DC is running, the readings are over the place. One of the pins on the sensor will activate a 'stop read' when pulled low so I will utilize that when the DC is running.

Note to self: When feeding boards through the thicknesser, stop every now and then to let the sensor take a reading.

Starting to chip away at the muffler and exhaust so hopefully more on that tomorrow.