The internal product manager, which can be accessed via the FB_Infeed.ifProductManager interface, manages the products on the infeed distance. The products are listed in FB_Infeed.ifProductManager.raifProducts. The products are arranged in the order in which they lie on the infeed distance. The first element of the array refers to the product that is closest to the end of the infeed distance. The second element refers to the product that is located before the first element on the infeed distance, etc.
Each product is allocated to a belt. The product tracing moves every product at the velocity of the belt to which it is allocated. While the product is moving over the infeed distance, it changes from one belt to the next. Depending on the configuration of a belt, there are three ways in which a product can be added to or removed from a belt:
oThe belt detects the products using a sensor.
If it is the first belt, a new product is created for each signal of the sensor and allocated to the belt.
If another belt is located upstream of the belt, a validation is started upon the signal of the sensor. If a product is allocated to the previous belt that is within a window of IF_Belt.lrProductInFrontBeltDetectionWindow around the position detected by the sensor, the product changes the belt. Offsets of the product during the belt change thus can be detected. If the validation is unsuccessful, a new product is created and allocated to the belt.
oThe belt has no sensor, the products are managed automatically.
Belts without sensors can only take over and transport products of previous belts. No new products can be detected. If it is calculated that a product has reached the end of the previous belt, the product is automatically allocated to the next belt. Real offsets of the product, e.g. in the case of belts with different velocities, are not taken into account.
oThe products are added and removed by the user.
In exceptional cases, the user might be required to add or remove products from the belt. This can be done via the methods of the IF_ProductManager interface.
