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Beer Can Filler A ny brewer will attest that the tedious process of bottling or canning the product can quickly erode the joy of producing your own beer. Commercial canning machines are available, but even simple entry-level units can go for thousands of dollars, and fully automated machines cost hundreds of thousands. By contrast, this DIY version can be built for a few hundred dollars using commonly available parts from your local hardware store and some online electronics suppliers. It has proven a reliable design for a craft brewery in Melbourne’s south-east, where it has successfully filled some 50,000 cans over the last few years. It even recently came to the rescue of another craft brewery that faced spoiling an entire brew when their newly-­ ordered commercial unit didn’t work! Overview This semi-automatic can filler is a valuable tool for any home brewer. It can be built in an afternoon for a fraction of the cost of a commercial offering! 70 The key to reliable and repeatable beer storage is to ensure there is no oxygen inside the package when it is sealed up. This canner works by displacing the oxygen using an inert gas, typically carbon dioxide, which the yeast in beer also produces naturally. Most food-grade CO2 sold is the excess produced by breweries. The fill process is thus: 1. Gas purge (around five seconds) 2. Pause (100ms) 3. Beer fill (around 20 seconds) 4. Pause (100ms) 5. Final Gas Purge (one second) This is also shown in the state machine diagram, Fig.1. Each state has adjustable timers so that the machine can be tuned for process variations due to ambient temperature, gas pressure, beer viscosity etc. Two connections need to be made to the machine, one to the carbon dioxide bottle and the other to the beer keg. This design fills two cans at a time, so each connection splits off at a tee and runs to its own solenoid. We therefore need to control four solenoids: left gas, right gas, left beer and right beer. The solenoids feed a pipe downstream that extends partway into the can to administer the gas or beer, as shown in the photos. Circuit description Project by Brandon Speedie The brains of the operation is a “smart relay”, which is essentially a simple, low-cost PLC (programmable logic controller). It is well-suited Australia's electronics magazine siliconchip.com.au Silicon Chip Fig.1: the operation of the Beer Can Filler is straightforward, as shown in this flowchart/state machine diagram. It is implemented using a basic form of programmable logic controller (PLC), a microcontrollerbased module used widely for industrial applications. to this application given its rugged industrial build quality, a decent array of inputs and outputs, and an LCD screen. The relay outputs control the solenoids simply by switching the 24V DC power supply. Freewheeling diodes such as 1N4004s can be used to protect against inductive voltage spikes, although the relays are pretty beefy, being rated at 265V AC/30V DC and 8A, so I didn’t bother. The six digital inputs are wired to 22mm pushbuttons and switches for user input. Digital Inputs 1, 2 and 3 are start buttons to begin a fill cycle. siliconchip.com.au Photo 1: the back of the Beer Can Filler, showing how the flexible tubes enter the rear of the bulkhead fittings that lead to the pouring spouts. You can see the four solenoids, plus the optional gas pressure regulator. DI1 will fill the left can only, DI3 the right can, while DI2 will fill both cans. DI2 is also wired to a footswitch in our application, as the operator usually has their hands full with cans. DI4 cycles through different timer settings on the LCD. DI5 and DI6 are used to adjust those timers up or down, respectively. Power is derived from a mains switch-mode power supply rated at 24V DC 1.5A. Software The smart relay is programmed in “ladder logic”, a graphical language Australia's electronics magazine widely used in industrial automation. Inputs and outputs are linked to form “rungs”, like in an electrical drawing. Given its similarity to a schematic, it is a popular language among practically-­ minded people and a great way to get into programming if text-based languages put you off. The “code” is read from left to right. Output elements called “coils” are placed on the right side of a rung. The coil will be energised if a connection is established from the left side (a binary “1”). Input elements called “contacts” can be placed in line with the rung to build up program logic. Series contacts August 2024  71 Screen 1: the “Idle” state ladder logic. Contacts M01 & M11 are closed on program startup. Should the user press a start button, contact N01 (left fill), N03 (right fill), or N02 (both fill) closes, which latches M01/ M11 off and M02/M12 on. This transitions the code to the next state. Rungs 17-22 are the “Purge” state code. Contacts M02/M12 are closed when transitioning from the Idle mode, enabling Timer 01. When the timer elapses (after five seconds, user configurable), contact T01 will close, which latches M02/M12 off and M03/M13 on, transitioning to the next mode. Screen 2: the gas and beer solenoid outputs. When in either purge mode (M02/M06 & M12/ M16), relay outputs Q1 & Q2 are closed, energising the solenoids and begins the flow of gas. When in beer fill mode (M04 & M14), the same occurs for Q03 & Q04. Screen 3: these rungs allow the timer periods to be adjusted via the buttons connected to inputs I5 & I6 (N5 & N6). T05 is used so that if you hold down one of the buttons, the timer continuously increments or decrements. The “rung” numbers are referring to the software. 72 Silicon Chip Australia's electronics magazine are a Boolean AND operation, while parallel contacts are Boolean OR. When the program starts, contacts M01 and M11 are latched on. This is the idle state, waiting for user input to start the sequence. In the program, the digital inputs are represented as I01 through I06. If the user presses the left start button, contact I01 is closed, turning on coil N01 (rung 5). M01 and N01 would then both be closed, which latches M01 off and M02 on (rungs 12 & 13), beginning the fill cycle – see Screen 1. M02 is the purge mode, turning on relay 1 (Q01 in the program) to begin the flow of carbon dioxide (rung 65). While in purge mode, timer T01 begins counting (rung 17). Once the timer has elapsed, purging is complete. Contact T01 will close, which latches M02 off and M03 on. M03 is the pause mode, which turns off the purge solenoid and waits for timer T02 to elapse before latching M04 and unlatching M03 to move to the fill mode (rungs 26-27). M04 turns on the beer-fill solenoid Q3 (rung 69). Beer will begin to flow from the keg into the can until timer T03 has elapsed, which latches M04 off and M05 on to transition to the second pause mode (rungs 32 & 33). M05 is the second pause mode, waiting for timer T06 to elapse before latching M05 off and M06 on (rungs 38-40). M06 is the final gas purge mode. Gas solenoid Q01 is activated to provide the final short blast of carbon dioxide before the package is sealed (rung 66 on Screen 2). When timer T07 elapses, M06 latches off, and M01 latches on, at which point the program returns to idle mode and waits for the user to trigger the next can. A similar process operates on the right side using timers and contacts M11/12/13/14/15/16 and T11/12/13/14 etc. Minor differences will exist between the flow rates into each can, so different fill times can be applied to the left and right sides. The timers can be adjusted using I05 and I06 (digital inputs 5 and 6), which increment or decrement counters C02, C03, C04, C05 and C06 for purge time, left fill time, right fill time, left post purge, and right post purge, respectively (rungs 97-101) – see Screen 3. Acceleration is provided via timers T04 and T05 (rungs 104-106) so that the time will automatically increment or decrement if the button is siliconchip.com.au Fig.2: the platform and support structure for the Beer Can Filler were made from 19mm-thick plastic, although the home brewer could also use timber (like MDF or plywood). The angle bracket is for the beer cans to rest on; the holes above that are for the spouts. held down. These counters/timers are saved to non-volatile memory, so settings will be preserved between power downs. The LCD screen will cycle through individual pages for purge, break, fill and post-purge as the sequence is executed. Timers are displayed to give user feedback. When in idle mode, the timers can be adjusted for purge, left fill, right fill, left post purge, and right post purge by cycling through the setting page using DI4 (rung 72). I have saved the whole program in a file called “Can_FillerV2.gen”, which is available for download from the Silicon Chip website (siliconchip.au/ Shop/6/414). You can upload that to the PLC using the programming cable specified in the parts list. Mechanical construction Begin by cutting out the plastic sheet siliconchip.com.au per the dimensions in Fig.2. We used food-grade HDPE, as this device is used in a commercial setting, but the home brewer could substitute a plastic cutting board or timber. Glue and screw the joints together using the drill pattern. The aluminium angle piece can be fastened in the same fashion. Drill 13mm (or ½in) holes for the pouring spouts on the front fascia. This design has separate pipes for the gas and beer. They were originally combined using a tee piece to give a single manifold to extend into the can, but the pour is marginally smoother with separate manifolds. Still, a single pipe is less cumbersome for the operator. See Figs.3 & 4 for the two hydraulic circuits, depending on whether you use single- or double-outlet pipes. Begin assembling the pipework by fitting the pouring spouts through the Australia's electronics magazine Photo 2: the LCD screen shows the current state of the process, including the duration of any timer that is currently in use. August 2024  73 Fig.3: I built the unit shown here with separate outlets for CO2 gas and beer, as I found it gave smoother pouring. However, it is a bit more fiddly to use and requires extra pipes. Fig.4: alternatively, use tee pieces to combine the beer and gas pipes into single outlets. That means you only have to insert one pipe into each can but I feel that it doesn’t do quite as good a job. drilled holes using the bulkhead connectors. The pipe extends through the solenoids and back to the main fitting: a keg attachment for the beer & gas fitting for the CO2. This design also includes a local gas regulator, which gives more consistent results as the canister runs down, but isn’t strictly necessary. The enclosure to house the electronics needs 22mm holes drilled for the buttons and switches, as shown in Fig.5. Also drill holes on the side of the enclosure to fit the cable glands. These are the penetrations for the wiring, so they can be positioned wherever is convenient. This design has two on the bottom of the enclosure and one on the side. Now would also be a good time to drill a small hole in the side to mount a DC input socket and fasten it into that hole. Drill 3mm holes in the centre of the baseplate and thread 3mm fasteners and washer through to secure the length of DIN rail. The smart relay and screw terminals can now be clipped onto the DIN rail. Mount the selector switch and buttons to the front fascia by threading through the 22mm holes, tightening the plastic nut and clipping the carrier on the back. The enclosure can be secured to the top of the assembly using glue or some screws. Electrical wiring Fig.5: these five 22mm holes in the electronics enclosure lid are for the controls: four momentary pushbuttons and one three-position selector switch. Holes are also required on the side for cable glands to pass the wiring through; refer to the vendor for the appropriate size and our photos for their approximate locations. All dimensions are in millimetres. The schematic/circuit diagram, Fig.6, shows the required wiring. Colour-code the wires red for +24V, black for GND and white (or other colours) for signals. Any cables with a single termination should be crimped with 0.75mm ferrules, while double joins should be made with a double ferrule. This isn’t strictly necessary but does make for a neater job. Begin by running a red wire from +24V on the power supply input connector to each selector switch. Double ferrules can be used to jump between each switch. These switches wire to the ‘normally open’ contacts on each selector, which is the terminal pair closest to the switch itself. A multimeter can be used to buzz out which contacts are normally open and which are normally closed if you are unsure. White cable can then be used to hook up each switch to its corresponding digital input on the smart relay. DI1, DI2 & DI3 go to the three green buttons at the bottom, while DI4 is for the top button. DI5 and DI6 are for the Australia's electronics magazine siliconchip.com.au 74 Silicon Chip Fig.6: connect the switches, solenoids and power supply as per this diagram. The Remote HMI is optional and not described here, as you don’t need it. The foot switch is also optional. Use the DIN rail terminals where you have to join multiple wires together, eg, for the common +24V & 0V connections. Photos 3 & 4: while my unit has an internal power supply, you should build it with an external DC supply to ensure live mains wires cannot coming in contact with anything else; that would be a major hazard. This can be done by drilling a small hole in the side to mount a DC input socket and fasten it into that hole. selector switch, which has two connections (up and down). If a footswitch is to be used, it can be wired in parallel with the middle button (digital input DI2). The baseplate can now be placed siliconchip.com.au into the enclosure, but it is best not to screw it in with the supplied self-­ tappers until all the wiring is complete. Continue with the red cable by connecting from +24V to one side of each Australia's electronics magazine relay output. The other side of each relay runs to each of the four solenoids: Q1 for left gas, Q2 for right gas, Q3 for left beer and Q4 for right beer. Complete the solenoid connections by running a black GND wire to each. August 2024  75 Photo 5: make the wiring to the front panel switches long enough that you can swing it out like this. These industrial switches are waterproof and making connections to them is easy thanks to the screw terminals. Photo 6: a closeup of the pipework on the rear of the unit. The solenoids I used for beer (below) are larger than the ones for gas (above) but you can use four of the same type. Just make sure the beer valves have orifices at least 4mm in diameter to avoid the beer fizzing up as it passes through. 76 Silicon Chip Australia's electronics magazine The DIN rail screw terminals can be fitted with internal jumpers and used as a busbar for multiple GND connections, including for the DC input socket. Programming and testing Plug in the power supply and switch it on. You should see the LCD on the smart relay glow green and boot up into a menu. Download the smart relay software (SG2 Client) from https://oceancontrols. com.au/TEC-005.html, install it and run it. Download the source code (from siliconchip.au/Shop/6/414), unzip it and open it using the software. Plug the programming cable into your computer via the USB to RS-232 adaptor. Give Windows a few minutes to install drivers, at which point the programming cable will appear as a virtual serial port. You can check progress using Windows Device Manager, which will display the serial port as a COM port under Ports (COM & LPT). The other end of the programming cable can now be plugged into the smart relay. A small cover below the keypad obscures the programming port, but it can be removed with a flatblade screwdriver. This will expose a four-way header, which accepts the other end of the programming cable. Back in the software, a connection to the smart relay can be established via Operation → Link Com Port. Enter the COM port name as shown in Device Manager. You should get a “link successful” dialog box after pressing OK. The source code can now be uploaded to the smart relay using the “write” button on the toolbar. Once the progress bar is complete, the smart relay should be ready. Briefly power cycle the relay after programming to place it into run mode, or that can be manually selected using the keypad buttons and LCD. Once the program is running, you will see a screen similar to Photo 2 on your LCD. You can now test the sequence by pressing one of the run buttons (DI1 for left, DI2 for both or DI3 for right). The solenoids should click on in sequence. The run timers can be adjusted by cycling through the menu using the top button and changing parameters using the selector switch. Finish the build by removing the programming cable and securing the lid to the enclosure using the provided fasteners. Happy brewing! SC siliconchip.com.au Parts List – Beer Can Filler 1 TECO SG2-12HR-D programmable logic relay [Ocean Controls TEC-005] 1 TECO SG2 series PL01 programming cable [Ocean Controls TEC-200] 1 TECO OP10N 4.3in 192 × 64 pixel graphic panel (optional) [Ocean Controls TEI-001] 3 green momentary pushbuttons [Ocean Controls HNR-200G] 1 white momentary pushbutton [Ocean Controls HNR-200W] 1 3-position momentary selector switch [Ocean Controls HNR-232] 1 24V DC 1.5A+ external power supply [Altronics M9393B] 1 175 × 35 × 7.5mm top hat DIN rail strip [Altronics HA8572] 5 25A 2.5mm DIN rail screw terminals [Altronics P2400] 1 shorting link for 25A 2.5mm DIN rail terminals [Altronics P2460] 1 220 × 160 × 80mm IP65 sealed ABS enclosure [Altronics H0333] 1 aluminium baseplate to suit Altronics H0333 [Altronics HA0312A] 1 USB to RS-232 converter [Altronics D2340B] 1 chassis mount DC barrel socket (to suit power supply) [Altronics P0622] Cable & hardware 1 370 × 300 × 19mm plastic or timber sheet (for example Delrin, HDPE, MDF, plywood) 1 320 × 300 × 19mm plastic or timber sheet (for example Delrin, HDPE, MDF, plywood) 1 300 × 100 × 19mm plastic or timber sheet (for example Delrin, HDPE, MDF, plywood) 1 300mm length of 50 × 50 × 1.6mm aluminium angle 25 M3 × 10mm panhead machine screws, nuts and flat washers 3 cable glands to suit 5-10mm cable [Altronics H4315A] 1 7.5A mains cable terminated with bare wires (not required if using an external 24V supply) [Altronics P8400C] 1 5m length of red heavy-duty hookup wire [Altronics W2270] 1 5m length of white heavy-duty hookup wire [Altronics W2271] 1 5m length of black heavy-duty hookup wire [Altronics W2272] 1 pack of 0.75mm single ferrule terminals (optional) [Altronics H2425B] 1 pack of 0.75mm double ferrule terminals (optional) [Altronics H2488B] 1 ferrule crimp tool (optional) [Altronics T1547A] Gas/liquid handling 1 beer keg 1 keg coupler [KegLand KL06903] 1 carbon dioxide (CO2) tank 1 gas fitting to suit the CO2 tank 1 adjustable gas pressure regulator (optional) [KegLand KL15035] ◾ 1 12m length of food-grade 8mm OD flexible gas-tight tubing [KegLand KL06224] 4 24V DC normally-closed solenoid valves, 2 × ½in BSP male threads 🔷 [AliExpress 1005005244510404] 8 ½-inch female BSP to 8mm push-fit adaptors [KegLand KL18753] 1 8mm diameter, 200mm long & 1mm thick stainless steel tube (304 grade) 2 8mm push-fit tees [KegLand KL02387] 4-5 8mm push-fit elbows [KegLand KL02400] 🔴 4 8mm push-fit bulkhead fittings [KegLand KL21036] 1 small roll of gas-tight (blue) Teflon tape AliExpress 32926145983 is a cheaper alternative, but you will also need one ¼in male BSP to 8mm push-fit adaptor plus one ¼in female BSP to 8mm push-fit adaptor these are not food grade but we think they are suitable for home use if cleaned. We used (much more expensive) food-grade alternatives in our unit; see www.valvesonline.com.au/stainless-steel-general-purposedirect-acting-norm (4-inch male BSP adaptors are required instead of ½-inch female) one extra elbow can result in neater hose routing but is not strictly required Silicon Chip PDFs on USB ¯ A treasure trove of Silicon Chip magazines on a 32GB custom-made USB. ¯ Each USB is filled with a set of issues as PDFs – fully searchable and with a separate index – you just need a PDF viewer. ¯ Ordering the USB also provides you with download access for the relevant PDFs, once your order has been processed ¯ 10% off your order (not including postage cost) if you are currently subscribed to the magazine. ¯ Receive an extra discount If you already own digital copies of the magazine (in the block you are ordering). EACH BLOCK OF ISSUES COSTS $100 NOVEMBER 1987 – DECEMBER 1994 JANUARY 1995 – DECEMBER 1999 ◾ JANUARY 2000 – DECEMBER 2004 🔷 JANUARY 2010 – DECEMBER 2014 🔴 siliconchip.com.au Australia's electronics magazine JANUARY 2005 – DECEMBER 2009 JANUARY 2015 – DECEMBER 2019 OR PAY $500 FOR ALL SIX (+ POST) WWW.SILICONCHIP.COM. AU/SHOP/DIGITAL_PDFS August 2024  77