Description of the automation problem
Testing the temperature stability of sensor systems presents many development and testing laboratories with organisational and technical challenges. Particularly in the case of bimetallic temperature sensors, switching points and their behaviour must be precisely documented over long test series involving repeated temperature cycles.
In practice, this often means:
- cyclical heating and cooling processes lasting many hours or days
- Simultaneous recording of temperature trends and switching operations
- consistent test conditions across multiple test chambers
- Reliable data logging for validation and quality assurance
Without suitable test automation for test benches, a significant amount of manual work is quickly required. At the same time, the risk of measurement errors, inconsistent data or interrupted test runs increases.
Therefore, a manufacturer of bimetallic foil temperature sensors was looking for a reliable automated solution for testing the temperature stability of both existing products and new developments.
Technologies and system components for implementation
The M!OS system was used to set up the automated temperature test benches. The platform monitors the entire temperature cycle within the test chambers while simultaneously documenting sensor behaviour. A previous engineering sample had already demonstrated that M!OS is suitable for use as an embedded test platform for test bench automation. The final setup uses robust production units that are specifically designed for endurance testing and industrial test environments.
M!OS performs several key functions within the test system:
- Monitoring of temperature cycles during heating and cooling phases
- Recording of the switching points of the bimetallic strips in parallel with the temperature curve
- Data acquisition and logging for long-term tests
- Autonomous operation of the test systems without the need for constant operator intervention
- Control of energy supply for automatic heating and cooling
Several built-in logging modes are available for data logging:
- Storage of measurement data in non-volatile memory (logging to NVM)
- direct output of measured values via a terminal interface
- Simultaneous analysis of temperature curves and switching operations
Recommended approach to solving the automation problem
The test bench developed is based on a self-contained test system for cyclic temperature testing, which implements the entire test logic directly within the M!OS system. The combination of automated test bench control, integrated data acquisition and a robust hardware platform results in a reliable test system for endurance temperature testing.
The main advantages of this approach:
Rugged endurance testing environment
- reliable operation even during very long test runs
- robust hardware platform for continuous data logging
- consistent test conditions across multiple test cycles
Accurate and verifiable test data
- precise recording of temperature curves and switching points
- consistent data storage for later analysis
- reliable results for product validation and quality assurance
Easy to use in a laboratory setting
- quick setup of new test runs
- low risk of errors during testing
- can be used independently by laboratory staff without the need for programming
About the M!OS system
M!OS is a modular platform for automating technical test and development environments. It has been specifically designed for applications in which hardware and software are closely integrated.
The key features of the platform include:
- open interfaces for custom hardware integration
- platform-independent system architecture
- robust design for continuous industrial operation
- flexible logging and automation functions
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