Automated Food Filling System Programming
Budget: €30 – €250 EUR
Food product filling control system
Unitronics Samba SM43-J-R20 · VisiLogic · Programming specification
1. Overview
The system controls two pneumatic filling valves on a food product filling machine. The machine starts with one active valve but the program must support two-valve operation from the outset. The controller is the Unitronics Samba SM43-J-R20 — an integrated HMI touch 4.3" + PLC in a single unit, programmed in VisiLogic.
Valve logic: Valves are normally open (spring return). Output OFF = valve open = product flows. Output ON = valve closed = flow stops. Any failure or emergency forces outputs OFF and valves open automatically — fail-safe.
2. Hardware I/O
Terminal Name Description
I 0 Emergency Safety permissive — NC. I0=FALSE = emergency active.
I 1 Foot pedal Manual mode only. Pressed = valve(s) close.
O 0 Valve 1 Close valve 1. ON = closed. OFF = open (spring return).
O 1 Valve 2 Close valve 2. ON = closed. OFF = open (spring return).
O 2 Buzzer Warning / buzzer output — optional.
O 3 Spare Reserved for future use.
3. Operating modes
3.1 Manual mode
Controlled by the physical foot pedal (I1). Operator selects active valves on HMI (Valve 1, Valve 2, or both). Emergency always overrides and forces all outputs OFF.
Pedal state Output Valve state
Pressed ON Closed — product stops
Released OFF Open — product flows
3.2 Automatic mode
Runs according to the selected product recipe. Operator selects recipe and active valves, then presses START.
Step Name Action
1 Select Select mode, recipe and active valve(s) on HMI.
2 Start Press START. System validates timing before starting cycle.
3 Fill / open Output OFF — valves open — product flows for the opening/filling time.
4 Wait / close Output ON — valves close — waiting for the closing/wait time.
5 Repeat Returns to step 3 until STOP, emergency, or invalid condition.
Two active valves operate simultaneously. Alternated operation to be considered if practical.
4. Product recipes
Up to 10 recipes stored in the HMI, retained after power-off. All fields editable from the HMI Recipe screen. Each recipe contains: recipe number, product name, volume per unit (ml), reference speed (units/min), opening time, closing time, enabled/disabled.
4.1 Initial product table
# Product name Volume / unit Ref. speed Status
1 Cup 150 ml 32 units/min Active
2 Tub 2 500 ml 10 units/min Active
3 Tub 1 550 ml 9.5 units/min Active
4 Tub 3 1,000 ml 5.5 units/min Active
5 Tub 4 1,500 ml 3.5 units/min Active
6 Free product TBD TBD Free
7 Free product TBD TBD Free
8 Free product TBD TBD Free
9 Free product TBD TBD Free
10 Free product TBD TBD Free
Max product flow: 500 litres/minute. Opening and closing times defined per product during commissioning.
5. Speed and timing logic
Reference speed is loaded from the recipe and adjustable by the operator. The system calculates cycle time automatically:
Cycle time = 60 / speed (seconds)
Opening time + Closing time ≤ Cycle time
If validation fails, automatic start is blocked and the message is shown: "Times incompatible with selected speed. Adjust opening time, closing time or speed."
6. Counters
Counter Reset
Partial unit counter Operator (HMI)
Total unit counter Password protected
Partial processed volume Operator (HMI)
Total processed volume Password protected
Each valve has its own counter. One active valve: +1/cycle. Two active valves: +2/cycle. Volume = units × ml per unit. Example: 100 units × 150 ml = 15,000 ml = 15 litres.
7. HMI screens
Main screen
Mode, recipe name and number
Valve 1 and 2 active / inactive
Valve state LED (open / closed)
Start / Stop buttons
Speed, opening time, closing time
Partial units and volume
Active warnings
Recipe screen
Recipe selection (1–10)
Edit name, volume, speed
Edit opening and closing times
Enable / disable recipe
Save / load recipe
Maintenance screen
Emergency input status (I0)
Foot pedal status (I1)
Manual output test V1 and V2
Buzzer test
Partial counter reset
Total counter reset (password)
8. Warnings and safety
All warnings displayed on the main screen. No separate alarm screen required.
Warning message Condition
Emergency active I0 = FALSE — highest priority
No active valve selected No valve selected before START
Invalid recipe Recipe disabled or incomplete
Timing incompatible with speed Opening + closing time > cycle time
Automatic start blocked Any blocking condition active
When emergency is active: all outputs OFF · valves open by spring return · cycle stops · manual mode inhibited · warning on main screen · operator must reset before restarting.
9. Deliverables required from programmer
Complete VisiLogic .vlp source file (mandatory)
HMI screens — 3 screens as specified
10 recipes pre-loaded (5 initial + 5 free)
Counter logic — 4 counters as specified
All warning messages implemented
I/O list and operand register list
Tested in VisiLogic simulation
Short operating instructions
Food product filling control · Unitronics SM43-J-R20 · VisiLogic · v1.0
Unitronics Samba SM43-J-R20 · VisiLogic · Programming specification
1. Overview
The system controls two pneumatic filling valves on a food product filling machine. The machine starts with one active valve but the program must support two-valve operation from the outset. The controller is the Unitronics Samba SM43-J-R20 — an integrated HMI touch 4.3" + PLC in a single unit, programmed in VisiLogic.
Valve logic: Valves are normally open (spring return). Output OFF = valve open = product flows. Output ON = valve closed = flow stops. Any failure or emergency forces outputs OFF and valves open automatically — fail-safe.
2. Hardware I/O
Terminal Name Description
I 0 Emergency Safety permissive — NC. I0=FALSE = emergency active.
I 1 Foot pedal Manual mode only. Pressed = valve(s) close.
O 0 Valve 1 Close valve 1. ON = closed. OFF = open (spring return).
O 1 Valve 2 Close valve 2. ON = closed. OFF = open (spring return).
O 2 Buzzer Warning / buzzer output — optional.
O 3 Spare Reserved for future use.
3. Operating modes
3.1 Manual mode
Controlled by the physical foot pedal (I1). Operator selects active valves on HMI (Valve 1, Valve 2, or both). Emergency always overrides and forces all outputs OFF.
Pedal state Output Valve state
Pressed ON Closed — product stops
Released OFF Open — product flows
3.2 Automatic mode
Runs according to the selected product recipe. Operator selects recipe and active valves, then presses START.
Step Name Action
1 Select Select mode, recipe and active valve(s) on HMI.
2 Start Press START. System validates timing before starting cycle.
3 Fill / open Output OFF — valves open — product flows for the opening/filling time.
4 Wait / close Output ON — valves close — waiting for the closing/wait time.
5 Repeat Returns to step 3 until STOP, emergency, or invalid condition.
Two active valves operate simultaneously. Alternated operation to be considered if practical.
4. Product recipes
Up to 10 recipes stored in the HMI, retained after power-off. All fields editable from the HMI Recipe screen. Each recipe contains: recipe number, product name, volume per unit (ml), reference speed (units/min), opening time, closing time, enabled/disabled.
4.1 Initial product table
# Product name Volume / unit Ref. speed Status
1 Cup 150 ml 32 units/min Active
2 Tub 2 500 ml 10 units/min Active
3 Tub 1 550 ml 9.5 units/min Active
4 Tub 3 1,000 ml 5.5 units/min Active
5 Tub 4 1,500 ml 3.5 units/min Active
6 Free product TBD TBD Free
7 Free product TBD TBD Free
8 Free product TBD TBD Free
9 Free product TBD TBD Free
10 Free product TBD TBD Free
Max product flow: 500 litres/minute. Opening and closing times defined per product during commissioning.
5. Speed and timing logic
Reference speed is loaded from the recipe and adjustable by the operator. The system calculates cycle time automatically:
Cycle time = 60 / speed (seconds)
Opening time + Closing time ≤ Cycle time
If validation fails, automatic start is blocked and the message is shown: "Times incompatible with selected speed. Adjust opening time, closing time or speed."
6. Counters
Counter Reset
Partial unit counter Operator (HMI)
Total unit counter Password protected
Partial processed volume Operator (HMI)
Total processed volume Password protected
Each valve has its own counter. One active valve: +1/cycle. Two active valves: +2/cycle. Volume = units × ml per unit. Example: 100 units × 150 ml = 15,000 ml = 15 litres.
7. HMI screens
Main screen
Mode, recipe name and number
Valve 1 and 2 active / inactive
Valve state LED (open / closed)
Start / Stop buttons
Speed, opening time, closing time
Partial units and volume
Active warnings
Recipe screen
Recipe selection (1–10)
Edit name, volume, speed
Edit opening and closing times
Enable / disable recipe
Save / load recipe
Maintenance screen
Emergency input status (I0)
Foot pedal status (I1)
Manual output test V1 and V2
Buzzer test
Partial counter reset
Total counter reset (password)
8. Warnings and safety
All warnings displayed on the main screen. No separate alarm screen required.
Warning message Condition
Emergency active I0 = FALSE — highest priority
No active valve selected No valve selected before START
Invalid recipe Recipe disabled or incomplete
Timing incompatible with speed Opening + closing time > cycle time
Automatic start blocked Any blocking condition active
When emergency is active: all outputs OFF · valves open by spring return · cycle stops · manual mode inhibited · warning on main screen · operator must reset before restarting.
9. Deliverables required from programmer
Complete VisiLogic .vlp source file (mandatory)
HMI screens — 3 screens as specified
10 recipes pre-loaded (5 initial + 5 free)
Counter logic — 4 counters as specified
All warning messages implemented
I/O list and operand register list
Tested in VisiLogic simulation
Short operating instructions
Food product filling control · Unitronics SM43-J-R20 · VisiLogic · v1.0