ENGINEERING CASE STUDY · PUBLISHED
Automated Color Classification Storage System
A mechatronics thesis integrating color sensing, Cartesian robotics, pneumatic handling, PLC control, and an HMI for automated object sorting.
Thesis objective
Developed as my undergraduate mechatronics dissertation and later published as a conference paper, this project created an economical automated storage prototype for small and medium-sized businesses. The system identifies red, blue, and white objects and sorts them into the corresponding storage station.
Mechanical system
A Cartesian robotic arm moves along the X and Z axes, while a pneumatic actuator provides Y-axis motion. A parallel pneumatic gripper picks each object, transports it across the platform, and deposits it in the storage location assigned to its detected color.
Control architecture
The prototype combines a Xinje XC3-24RT-E PLC with two ESP32 controllers, a TCS3472 color sensor, TCRT5000 proximity sensors, limit switches, an L298N motor driver, relays, and two solenoid valves. This distributed architecture coordinates sensing, positioning, pneumatic handling, and system safety.
Software & HMI
PLC logic was developed in XCP-Pro using Ladder programming, while the ESP32 controllers were programmed in C with the Arduino IDE. The HMI provides automatic operation, manual maintenance controls, real-time status feedback, and production counts organized by object color.
Validation results
Testing used 100 discs of each color under controlled and uncontrolled lighting. Under controlled conditions, classification accuracy reached 97% for red, 96% for blue, and 98% for white. Uncontrolled light reduced accuracy to 76%, 64%, and 68%, demonstrating why stable illumination is critical to reliable color sensing.
My role
As an equal-contributing author, I worked on methodology, software, investigation, resources, data curation, and project administration. I helped develop the control strategy, integrate the automated system, collect and organize experimental data, and prepare the published research.