Inventory management and stock level management is one of the key areas of research and development as the size and scale of production houses have increased many folds in the past few years. Manual inspection of warehouses and stock level inventory seems difficult and more and more complex owing to the scale of production and the magnitude of micro-level management. This has created the opportunity for research towards invention of switches that can operate like the human eye- sharp in detection and cautious in action. Switches and level sensors are the core instruments when it comes to stock management of fine, voluminous materials. Hence the need for devices such as level sensors and rotating paddle switch in the inventory management arena.
The contributions of such instruments are multiple but the most benefited of them all is in the area of food and beverages, agro, mining, chemicals, pharma etc. This device is very useful in stock level maintenance in dry, solid particles wherever the manual supervision of stock is impossible. The device is also useful in being accurate and simply easy for installation and upkeep. It is also one of the most effective switch sensors in the market.
Working Principle of Rotating Paddle Switches
It is fairly simple – rotating paddle switch when installed inside the bin or container of the product at specific stock levels, the rotating paddles attached to the motor are connected to an output signal that turns on and off according to the level of stock that is intended to be maintained in the container.
- When in contact with no material/produce, the paddles rotate at a an angular slow momentum generated through the motor without consuming much power or exerting force
- When in contact with material, the paddle movement is obstructed alerting the output signal attached to the device to alert the level of material in the container
- The paddles use magnetic force to determine the proximity and level of material around the paddles to give precise details which can then be mapped across a software as well
- The output signal may be as simple as a LED switch or transcripts the stock level using simple magnetic approximation into a sensor software
- Upon nil contact, the paddles will automatically start rotating again, disengaging the output signal to lapse into an angular momentum with frequency as low as 1Hz so as to relieve excessive force to the paddle
Benefits of Rotating Paddle Switch devices
There are numerous benefits to rotating paddle devices due to its simple and reliable design and the application of this device finds use in warehouses with minimal supervision and manpower
- The compact design of the device makes it extremely easy to be used in any size of container bins that has no scope for visual supervision of stock level
- The simple paddle connected to a motor design is easy to integrate into the system as well as easy to install in any kind of inventory design
- Due to its simple design and construct, the upkeep is fairly simple and almost non-existent owing to its mechanical nature
- Error and machine fault is quite low and the accuracy is superior. The paddle indicators having magnetic sensitivity gives precise indication each time
- Some designs also have direct stepper gear which means that the device is basically maintenance free and needs 0 supervision
- Temperature range varies between 0 to 300 degree celsius which means that the paddles can withstand high temperature materials as well with ease
- The paddles can be complex, with multiple paddles, or simple with just one paddle with varying and adjustable length and is quite fool proof and also has an option for adjusting the sensitivity based on the material size and weight
Applications in Warehouses
This superior device with a fool proof design is simply reliable due to its non complex, easy to use and easy to maintain construct. Hence, the device finds use in a large variety of warehouses and inventory management such as:
- Suitable for feeding and maintaining of grains in granaries
- Suitable for use in pills, capsules for pharmaceutical production and storage houses
- Suitable for use in pesticides, fertilisers and other agro related warehouse
- Suitable for use in plastic recycle and scrap factories
- Suitable for use in mining and processing of material mined
- Suitable for in chemicals that have a solid and dry texture and with safe pH levels
Conclusion
Rotating Paddle switches are extremely easy to use and a very reliable stock level indicator instrument with varied benefits and applications in almost all kinds of warehousing requirements.
