Hardware Installation Guide¶

This guide explains what is involved in installing the Busroot hardware on your machines, what power and mounting you need to prepare, and the tools required on the day. It is written so that your maintenance team or an electrician can plan and carry out the installation. Our team is available throughout to answer questions and to check wiring photos before anything is powered up.

1. What is being installed¶

There are three types of device. Everything is supplied pre-configured by us, so the work on site is physical: mounting, power and wiring.

Device	Where	What it does
Machine monitoring unit	Inside the machine's electrical cabinet, one per machine	Reads the "machine running" signal and the production count from sensors and sends them to Busroot
Operator screen	At each station, in reach of the operator	A touchscreen with a small pre-configured computer behind it. Operators use it to log downtime reasons, quality issues and tasks
Gateway router	One per area of the factory	Creates a dedicated wireless network for the devices above and connects to Busroot over the 4G mobile network. No connection to your existing IT network is required

The devices talk only over the dedicated wireless network, and the router sends data to Busroot over 4G. Nothing connects to your site's network, so there is no IT configuration, firewall change or network cable on your side.

2. Power requirements¶

Please have power available at each location before installation day. This is the part that most often causes delays.

Device	Supply	Connection	Typical consumption
Machine monitoring unit	12–24 V DC	Screw terminals on the unit. Usually fed from the 24 V DC supply already in the machine cabinet	Under 3 W
Operator screen	Mains, 230 V	Standard UK 3-pin plug. The screen and the small computer each have their own plug-top adapter, so two sockets (or a short extension lead) are needed at each station	Under 20 W
Gateway router	Mains, 230 V	Standard UK 3-pin plug	Under 15 W

Notes:

The machine monitoring unit must be powered from a DC supply only. If the cabinet has no spare 24 V DC output, a small DIN-rail 24 V power supply fed from the cabinet's control voltage is the usual solution. Your electrician can specify this.
Mains sockets for the screens and routers should be permanent, not trailing leads across walkways. If there is no socket near a station, arrange for one to be fitted before the day.
The devices are designed to stay powered permanently. Ideally, they should not be switched off with the machine's main isolator, so that downtime is recorded while the machine is off. If the only available supply is inside the machine cabinet and is isolated with the machine, that is acceptable. Please tell us so we can account for it.

3. Machine monitoring unit¶

Mounting¶

The unit clips onto standard 35 mm DIN rail, the same rail used for terminals and relays in a control cabinet.
It is not weatherproof or dustproof, so it must be mounted inside an enclosure. Inside the machine's existing electrical cabinet is ideal.
Allow around 70 mm × 100 mm of DIN rail space plus room for cable entry.
Keep it clear of large motor contactors and variable-speed drives where possible to reduce electrical interference.

Signals¶

Each machine will provide two signals to the unit:

Productive signal. A signal that is on when the machine is producing and off when it is not. This normally comes from an existing machine output, such as a "run" or "cycle active" contact, an andon light, or a sensor fitted to detect movement.
Production count. A pulse for each part or cycle produced. This normally comes from a sensor at the point where the part exits the machine, such as an optical or inductive sensor, or from an existing counter output in the machine control.

The signal inputs accept DC signals up to 24 V. Each input simply needs to see voltage present (on) or absent (off). If a machine can only provide a volt-free contact, it can be wired through the cabinet's 24 V supply to give a switched 24 V signal.

The unit has six digital inputs and two 0–10 V analogue inputs, so there is room for extra signals later, for example a line-speed signal. The relay outputs on the unit are not used.

Sensors¶

Where a machine has no suitable existing output, a sensor will be fitted:

Sensors are 24 V DC industrial types with a switched output. They are powered from the same 24 V supply as the monitoring unit.
Sensor cables run from the sensing point back into the cabinet. Use screened or shielded cable for runs over a few metres, and keep them away from motor power cables.
Mounting brackets are typically a small angle bracket or a magnetic base. Position sensors where they will not be knocked or covered by swarf, packaging or coolant.

We will agree the sensing point for each machine with you before the day.

Wiring checks¶

Double-check that DC power is connected only to the marked power terminals. The two communications terminals next to them must never be connected to power.
Photograph the completed wiring of every unit, including the terminal labels, before closing the cabinet. Please send these to us. We check every photo before asking you to power the unit up.
Record which machine each unit is fitted to. Each unit has an ID printed on the front. Note the ID against the machine name and which input each signal is wired to.

4. Operator screen¶

The operator screen is a touchscreen with a small computer fixed to the back of it. The computer comes fully configured, so there is nothing to set up. The station's screen will show the correct station as soon as it is powered up and in range of the gateway router.

Mounting¶

The screen has standard VESA mounting holes on the back, so it can be fitted to a wall bracket, a swing arm on the machine guarding, or a desk stand. We will supply a mount, but if you prefer a particular arm or bracket, let us know.
Position it where the operator can see and reach it from their normal working position without stepping into a hazardous area.
Avoid positions where it will be in direct spray, heavy dust, or where forklifts or trolleys can hit it.
Keep the back of the screen accessible. The small computer and the cables are fixed there.

Connections¶

Two short cables run between the screen and the computer on its back: one for the picture and one for the touch input. These come fitted. On site, the only connections to make are the two mains plugs described in section 2.

Location relative to the router¶

The screen connects over the dedicated wireless network. Keep it within roughly 30 metres line-of-sight of a gateway router, and not separated from it by a steel-clad enclosure or a thick wall. If a station is further away or heavily shielded, tell us and we will add a router.

5. Gateway router¶

The router creates the wireless network that the machine units and screens use, and sends the data to Busroot over the 4G mobile network. It is fully pre-configured, with a SIM already fitted.

Plug it into a standard UK 3-pin socket. That is the only connection. It does not need a network cable, and nothing on your site network needs to change.
Position it as high and as central as practical for the area it covers. On top of a cabinet, on a mezzanine rail or on a wall bracket at 2–3 metres height works well.
Do not put it inside a metal cabinet or behind racking full of metal stock. Metal blocks both the local wireless signal and the 4G signal.
It needs a usable mobile signal at its location. A quick check is to look at the signal bars on a mobile phone at the intended spot. If the signal is poor deep inside the building, a position nearer an outside wall, a window or a roof light usually solves it, and the router can still cover the stations from there. If it cannot, tell us and we will supply an external aerial.
Leave it powered on permanently.

We will confirm how many routers are needed and where, based on the layout of the stations, before the day. As a rough guide, one router covers a group of stations within about 30 metres of it with clear line of sight.

6. Tools and materials¶

People¶

An electrician, or a maintenance engineer competent to work inside machine control cabinets, for the monitoring units and sensors.
A second person is useful for mounting screens and routers and for running cables.

Tools¶

Small flat-blade and cross-head screwdrivers for the monitoring unit's screw terminals and cabinet terminals.
Wire strippers and ferrule crimpers. Ferrules are recommended on all stranded conductors into screw terminals.
A multimeter, to confirm 24 V DC at the power terminals and to check the on/off state of each signal before it is connected.
A drill and fixings for wall brackets and sensor brackets.
Cable ties, trunking or conduit for sensor cable runs.
A label printer or marker for labelling cables and units.
A phone or camera for wiring photos.

Materials to have on site¶

Spare 35 mm DIN rail and end stops, in case the existing rail is full.
A small DIN-rail 24 V DC power supply for any cabinet without a spare 24 V output.
Sensor cable, typically 3-core screened, and cable glands for cabinet entry.
Mounting brackets for sensors.
Double sockets or short extension leads where two mains sockets are not available at a station.

7. Suggested sequence¶

Before the day. Confirm power at every location, agree sensing points with us, and complete the machine list with the signal source for each machine.
Routers first. Plug in and position the gateway routers. This means the other devices connect as soon as they are powered.
Monitoring units. Fit the units and sensors, machine by machine, with the machine isolated. Photograph the wiring and send it to us before applying power.
Power up and check. With our confirmation, power each unit. We will confirm from our side that it is connected and that both signals are being received, then ask you to run the machine so we can see a production count.
Operator screens. Mount and plug in the screens. Each should show its station within a minute or two.
Handover. Send us the final list of machine, unit ID and input allocation, plus the wiring photos, so we can complete the configuration in your Busroot account.

8. What we need back from you¶

A photo of the wiring inside each cabinet, showing the unit and terminal labels.
For each machine: the machine name, the unit ID printed on the front of the unit, and which input each signal is wired to.
Confirmation of which locations are powered from the machine's isolated supply rather than a permanent supply.
Any station or machine where the wireless signal seems weak, so we can add coverage.

9. Support¶

If anything is unclear before or during installation, contact us at support@output.industries. During the installation day we can be on a call to check wiring photos and confirm connections as you go.