Micro Controllers - Complete Design Package

HMI, A/D, D/A, LEDs, LCDs, counters, solenoids, RFID, communications buses - our micro controller designs incorporated them all. We specialize in the complete package including how it all fits into your system.

MAJOR SUPPLIER OF AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EQUIPEMNT NEEDED AN ALL-IN-ONE SYSTEM CONTROLLER/OPERATOR INTERFACE FOR NEW SERIES

Challenge: A leading supplier of automotive service equipment approached Intellicon to provide a controller for three separate automotive service machines. Customer required machines that were simple to operate, fail safe, and easy to maintain. Units should also have commonality of spare parts to reduce the number of spares the customer would need to inventory.

Analysis: Many of the sophisticated engine and transmission service operations must be done with the vehicle's engine running. Therefore, the equipment must operate precisely or leave the service provider and equipment manufacturer open for liability if the machine fails. Timing of service steps is also important since pressures must be increased and decreased at precise intervals; valves opened and closed, and correct amounts of detergents and fluids added.

The units should also be portable, in a compact package, be compliant to all OSHA and EPA requirements and run off the vehicle's 12 VDC power. Each machine must also have an update path for future model service requirements. Moreover, the machine must be cost-efficient.

Results: Working closely with the customer's product development team, Intellicon engineers developed a unique two-board solution that utilizes a common controller and a model specific operator-machine interface.

The controller board uses an industry standard micro-controller with a programmable flash memory that holds the system's service routine. The board also has bi-directional motor control, up to 8 solenoid drivers (depends on the unit), A-D converter for measurements, closed loop PID and full display functions and input processing. To help program the units, an embedded Ethernet option was included for future use.

The operator interface board and overlay is specific for each machine and each application. Operators are prompted to push buttons to machine prompts and instructions with read-outs provided through a combination of LEDs, seven-segment displays, and LCD screens. In addition, Intellicon engineers designed audible warnings with variable tones to quickly alert service technicians about the status of any process.

The Proof: The design has helped the equipment manufacturer reduce the number of spare parts for this equipment family as well as improving control of the service project. The assemblies reduced the manufacture's production time leading to a better product that cost less to produce.

Automotive Engine Service Equipment - Custom controller for easier operation

Challenge: Provide an easier to use control panel for the service technician to improve system cleaning and ensure no catastrophic failures. The ease of use is important because the new machine will flush oil and sludge from an engine while the engine is running. It must dispense a proprietary, powerful, yet safe detergent into the crankcase and through the entire lubrication system of the engine that will remove the burned, caked on oil created by heat. At the end of the service, a regulated supply of on-board air will evacuate any remaining oil or sludge from the lines and oil pan and clean the oil pump screen.

Analysis: In addition to the above design, the unit was required to be portable, powered from the vehicle's 12 VDC power. Since operator experience varies greatly, the user interface must be very informative yet easy to read. The system must precisely dispense the detergent and air automatically during a timed cycle. And it had to fit in a limited volume because the majority of space must be dedicated to the pumps and reservoirs of the self-contained system.

Results: Working closely with the product development team, Intellicon engineers developed a semi-custom 8-bit micro-controller-based solution that integrated many more features then the user had specified. Intellicon also developed a new valve assembly that increase the precision of the detergent dispensing (does not waste detergent) and an electronic timer to more accurately control the dispensing and evacuation cycles, ensuring no detergent is left in the vehicle's oil lines.

Other improvements that resulted included better warnings to the service technician. Competitive units have a single warning buzzer to indicate cycle changes and potential problems, such as low oil pressure, that could result in the engine seizing, a catastrophic and costly failure. The Intellicon design varies the tones of the warning buzzer, alerting the service technician more quickly to the status of the process.

The controller also provided better diagnostics and protection for the machine. Intellicon's power supply design and auto mechanic experiences allowed for a simple polarity and over-voltage protection and warning to be incorporated on the board, protecting the unit while informing the operator.

Better and more built in self-diagnostics not only help service the machines, but keep them running longer. The unit also has a run-time counter that can only be reset by the manufacturer's technicians, ensuring that on leased machines the customer uses only the manufacturer's detergent products.

Advantages of the Intellicon designed controller and valve assembly go beyond the ease of use. Intellicon engineers, who are experience in both electrical and mechanical assembly, also look at ways to reduce manufacturing costs of the machine. Taking advantage of their microcontroller board design, they incorporated all the previously separated warning and process indicator LEDs onto the controller board. This eliminated the time to wire and mount each LED while providing an out of the way space to mount the controller.

In addition, the new dispensing valves became an entire assembly, making it much easier to build and service the equipment. Intellicon's assemblies reduced the manufacture's production time leading to a better product that cost less.

The Proof:A better end product is always our goal. Intellicon designed a custom controller and valve control assembly to lower the cost and improve the performance of the Motorvac Engine Oil Flush System.