The code for this system will be controlled by a Raspberry Pi mounted near the cutter. The Pi will take the input from the encoder to calculate the length of material that has been pulled out. This will be done by recording how much the roller has rotated and multiplying that by the circumference of the roller. For example, if the roller is only rotated half a rotation, the length of material will be equal to .5 x 9.45″ (circumference of a 3″ roller). The Pi will then output this calculation to the seven segment display. This will allow the employees to see the length of material they have pulled out in real time. This display will be reset every time a cut is made. A second seven segment display will be used to record the total length of material dispensed.
The Raspberry Pi will control the power to ensure that the safety guards are down before a cut is made. This will be done using break beam sensors mounted on the cutting system. One break beam sensor will be mounted on the operational side of the table near the side guards of the cutter. The reciever for this break beam will be attached to the guard so that when the guard is down the beam will not be broken. Therefore when this input to the Raspberry Pi is a “0”, meaning the beam is not broken, the Pi will allow power to the cutter.
A second break beam will be placed on the other side of the cutter. This sensor will detect when the rotary cutter passes across the table, telling the Pi that a cut has been made. When the beam is broken, indicating a cut has been made, the Pi will reset the first seven segment display.
