A system comprising a gear having at least one slot, wherein the gear is connected to an icetray and a motor so that when the motor rotates the gear, the icetray twists, and an optical sensor that detects when the gear has rotated the slot over the optical sensor. The icetray twists while the gear is rotated in a first direction away from a home position to a reverse twist position. The rotation of gear then reverses to twist the icetray to a harvest position in a second direction that is opposite of the first direction until ice in the icetray is dislodged.