Hi,
I am trying to make a automatic ketchup dispenser for that reason looking for some cheap flow sensor and some schematics that how can I interface it with arduino board.

Is there any possibility that I can diy liquid sensor at home?

 

Measuring the flow of a ketchup type fluid would be better by counting turns or steps of a helical screw (or piston) dispensing it.
Counting the number of turns/steps corresponds to a fixed known amount of fluid and then the amount can be known.

A schematic would correspond to driving a stepper motor with your processor. There has to be many published somewhere on the net.

Miguel

 

Thanks for the reply

Can I use servo motor instead of stepper motor for liquid flow

 

HI,

Can anyone guide me where can I buy rotary valve and piston for liquid flow.I tried farnell,maplin but could not find.

thanks

 

Hi,again

It will be very helpful if someone can direct me to a website which has schematics for liquid flow project

 

With no concrete device or method selected, that is difficult. We do not know if your dispenser is to be used to handle food, or just for a working project.

Ketchup dispenser pumps are often very similar to hand soap pumps. But you need to look into the subject and select some reasonable device.

 

Hi,

It is a working project for ketchup dispensor in fixed quantities

I am trying to implement this method mention in the link below

http://www.fillers.com/piston filling machine guide.htm

also I found this method on three different websites as Automated Bartender but I think it will be difficult to use with Ketchup

http://www.betterthaneveryone.com/archive/2009/07/31/877.aspx

http://claymore.engineer.gvsu.edu/~chana/auto_tend.htm

http://www.ecs.umass.edu/ece/sdp/sdp04/ganz/project_specs/


thanks for helping out

 

For some paste dispensing, they use a electric solenoid type valve, then provide a regulated low air pressure to the paste container. Then it can dispense accurate amounts of paste based on the time the valve is opened, which is linear to amount dispensed.

Solder paste dispensers use the valve to control the air itself, which is applied to the end of the paste syringe. The syringe acts like a piston so a controlled pulse of regulated air pressure again gives a exact dispense amount. They sell these to dipense dots of solder paste for SMD.

 

You may have to make it unless you buy the entire assembly as replacement part of some existing dispenser, perhaps from a liquid soap machine. The ice cream dispensers may have some sort of useable mechanism, and has to be available as spare part.
http://www.germes-online.com/catalog/13/14/727/14350/automatic_soap_dispenser.html
Or get these, fit one in a pipe elbow, attach/extend a shaft to a stepper motor:
http://www.hkmould.bc.ca/images/products/ima001.jpg
Miguel.