Project Profiles

Profile of Recent Projects

Machine Design - Automated Test - Process Control

Machine Design, Turnkey Ink-Jet Marking Stations
Table top and standalone ink-jet marking stations incorporate X/Y motion control, intelligent printer interface, and a simple menu-driven operator interface. A single PC/486 performs all motion, machine, printer, and operator control functions. The software incorporates a product database for storage, retrieval, and editing of message content.

Machine Design, Injection Molded Part Handling
Turnkey machine accepts injected molded components and accurately positions them for inspection and/or marking. Parts are automatically ejected to next station.

Machine Control, Automatic Dispensing System
A PLC (96 I/O ) controls and monitors four independent syringe filling stations. The system automatically dispenses paste into syringes and performs control functions to maintain precise repeatability of fill weight.

Machine Design, Turnkey Print/Apply Labeling Stations
Adjustable fixturing insures consistent placement of small barcode labels on memory circuit boards. Several hundred board configurations are accommodated. Changeover is less than thirty seconds. A single PC/486 performs all machine, printer, and operator control functions. The software incorporates a product database for message content and proper fixture settings for each board.

Machine Control, Wave Solder Machine
Computer controlled system for printed circuit board soldering equipment. The system monitors and controls conveyor speed, conveyor width, temperature (5 preheat zones and solder temperature), proximity sensing, infrared temperature sensing, pressure and flux density control. The software provides "recipes" storage/retrieval for predefined machine settings as well as production data recording and a host interface.

Machine Control, Printed Circuit Board Scoring Machine
Computer controlled system integrates multi-axis servo and stepper motor control for automatically scoring printed circuit panels. A single PC/486 performs the motion, machine, and operator interface functions.

Machine Control, CNC for Metal Spinning Lathes
A "hardened" PC/486 performs operator interface and machine control functions in rugged manufacturing environment. The PC performs all machine control functions including; real time closed loop motion control, machine interlocking, and operator interface. Motion control software includes cubic splines and multi-axis interpolation.

Automated Test, Military Power Supplies
A PC/486 based automated burn-in system controls the AC power input and monitors power supply outputs for ripple, under, and overvoltage while controlling the burn-in chamber, accruing test time of the unit under test by serial number, and printing test report documents. The system tests up to forty eight power supplies simultaneously.

Automated Test, NSA COMSEC Equipment
A PC/486 based automated test set for a battery operated paper tape reader. The system performs continuity checks and monitors data outputs for signal integrity including voltage levels, rise times, and data format.

Automated Test, F-18 Hydraulic Valve
A PC/486 based test set performs production testing on a load damping valve used on F-18 aircraft. The system records and graphically displays load, velocity, and position data as well as pass/fail analysis for a variety of tests. The system is used at several test stations for various acceptance tests.

Automated Test, Harrier Aircraft Aileron Servocylinder
Control and analysis firmware on an embedded micro-processor based test set. The test set generates sine, square, and triangle waveforms to simulate control inputs to an aileron servocylinder. Analysis software includes FFT algorithms to determine frequency response. The test set performs all production and acceptance testing for the aileron servocylinder.

Data Acquisition, Elevator Motion
PC/486 based hardware, software and instrumentation to record hydraulic temperature/ pressure, displacement, speed, and valve timing for evaluation of elevator motion parameters.

Data Acquisition, Cycle Testing of Ball Bearing Drawer Slides
PC/486 based hardware, software, and instrumentation to measure/record force and displacement parameters during month long cycle testing of slides.

Dual Host Control System
Two PC/AT host computers monitor and control the same analog and digital I/O points. Special interface software allows both computers to share the same communication link to the I/O hardware. Each computer can be taken off-line without disturbing data acquisition or control functions. This provides a "Hot Back-Up" system in case of computer failure.

Ethernet interface (TCP/IP), Real-time database
Host computer (RS-6000) provides routing information to several PC/486 based controllers. The PC/486's maintain a database of barcode and destination information. The PC/486's provide destination information to sort controllers within 250 milliseconds of a barcode read.

Statistical Process Control
A PC/486 computer monitors and records data from production equipment. Software written in 'C' graphically displays statistical data on the VGA screen. Custom machine interface software receives data via the computer serial ports. Data is automatically recorded to hard drive and converted to Lotus 1-2-3 compatible files.

Process Control, Ramp & Soak Temperature Control for Lab Mixers
For laboratory mixers, the system controls hot and cold water supply solenoids to maintain ramp up/down and soak temperatures.

Process Control, Glue Mixing
A PLC based control system (80 I/O) performs the glue mixing process for a textile manufacturer. The PLC software controls and monitors each step of the mixing operation automatically (ie: feed water, feed steam, feed powder, feed chemical, feed water, and run mixer). During operation, the system monitors and regulates the viscosity and temperature of the paste based on the preset values.

Process Control, Automatic Bleaching & Dyeing
A PLC based control system (96 I/O) performs the production bleaching and dyeing process for a variety of fabrics. The system is capable of storing different bleaching or dyeing operation profiles for each type of fabric. New operation profiles can be added to the system for new materials.

Process Control, Microprocessor Controls Lab Mixers in Hazardous Area
The system controls timing functions for three laboratory mixers in a hazardous environment (Class I, Group C). Explosion proof controls and displays include non-volatile setpoint storage for each mixer.

Flow Control, Polyurethane processing
Closed-loop control software regulates flow rates in polyurethane processing equipment. A special algorithm derives average flow measurements from encoder pulses. The software dynamically chooses values used in PID calculations.

Clean Room Environmental Control Systems
Closed loop temperature, and humidity controls are incorporated with duct and room pressure gages for a low cost clean room control system. Optional SCR controller for heaters is packaged separately.

Flat Panel Remote Display, Washdown Environment
A single board PC is interfaced with an LCD graphic display for a low power, compact remote, operator display on oil rig drill floors. Data is received via serial interface for real-time updates of the graphic display.

Machine Design - Automated Test - Process Control