The challenge: costly process monitoring in mass production
In many manufacturing processes within mechanical engineering, electronics manufacturing and test engineering, press-fit, joining and torque curves need to be monitored precisely. Specialised process controllers are often used for this purpose. Whilst these systems offer a high degree of measurement accuracy, they incur significant hardware costs when dealing with large production runs.
A cost-effective, scalable solution therefore needed to be developed for a new test device, one that is functionally comparable to established systems but enables significantly lower costs per unit. The aim was to create a platform suitable for planned series production of up to 200 test devices per year, whilst offering sufficient flexibility for future expansion.
The specific requirements for the new solution were:
- Precise measurement data acquisition for industrial sensor technology
- Seamless integration into existing test bench systems
- Open interfaces for customised evaluation logic
- Scalable architecture for series production
- Lower hardware costs compared to traditional process controllers
The solution: Modular hardware integration using M!OS and Raspberry Pi
The system architecture is based on a clear separation between control logic, visualisation and physical signal acquisition. This allows individual components to be adapted or expanded independently of one another.
The main system components are:
Raspberry Pi-based control controller
The controller handles the main control functions of the test equipment and acts as the front-end interface for operating the system and displaying the measurement data.
M!OS hardware as a central I/O platform
The modular system acts as an interface to the sensor technology and is responsible for acquiring measurement signals from the connected peripherals.
Sensors and industrial measurement technology
Force, torque or displacement sensors are connected directly via the M!OS hardware.
Software logic for analysis and process monitoring
The measurement data is analysed by the control unit and used for process monitoring.
The M!OS hardware acts as a real-time data interface between the sensors and the control computer. Measurement values are recorded at high temporal resolution and made available to the control unit for further processing.
This architecture offers several advantages:
- clear separation of measurement hardware and control software
- flexible expandability of the test systems
- easy integration into existing automation environments
The approach: a scalable test bench solution based on a modular architecture
The core approach of the solution is to adapt the traditional operating principles of a process controller to a modular system architecture. Whereas proprietary devices combine all functions within a closed system, here the functionality is distributed across several specialised components.
The division of responsibilities is as follows:
- M!OS handles the precise data acquisition of sensor signals
- The control unit performs the evaluation and process logic
- The front end displays the measurement trends for operators and quality assurance staff
This architecture enables a significant reduction in hardware costs per test unit without compromising on measurement quality. At the same time, it offers a high degree of flexibility, as both the evaluation logic and the user interface can be further developed independently of the measurement hardware. This modular architecture enables cost-effective mass production of the test units whilst ensuring a high degree of technical flexibility.
Technical and economic benefits
1. Reduction in hardware costs
By using M!OS as a modular input/output system, there is no need for expensive, proprietary measurement hardware.
The clear separation of graphical control logic (Raspberry Pi derivative) and physical signal acquisition (M!OS) leads to a drastic reduction in hardware costs per test unit.
2. High-precision sensor connection
Despite the cost optimisation, the high-precision sensor connection remains fully intact.
M!OS ensures stable, near-real-time acquisition of process data and enables reliable analysis of force, displacement and torque curves.
3. Scalability for mass production
The modular architecture of M!OS supports cost-effective series production of up to 200 units per year.
The standardised hardware platform ensures:
- consistent quality
- easy integration into existing manufacturing processes
- long-term maintainability and scalability
M!OS in detail: The flexible I/O system for test bench technology and hardware integration
M!OS is a modular input/output system for industrial test automation, test bench technology and hardware integration. The platform has been specifically developed for applications requiring a flexible and open architecture.
The system makes it easier to automate processes. Thanks to its open interfaces, M!OS can be integrated into a wide variety of system environments.
Typical areas of application include:
- Test benches in development and production
- industrial test automation
- Hardware integration in specialised machinery
- Prototyping and validation of new products
Thanks to these features, M!OS is particularly well suited to engineering teams looking for a powerful yet cost-effective platform for custom test systems. When combined with open control platforms, it offers a scalable alternative to traditional proprietary process controllers.
EDU-Lizenz
Für Ausbildung und Studium
- Speziell für Schüler, Studierende und Bildungseinrichtungen
- Voller Funktionsumfang für Lernen, Forschung und Prototyping
- Attraktive Konditionen für den nicht-kommerziellen Einsatz
Einzellizenz
Für den professionellen Einsatz
- Lizenz für den kommerziellen Betrieb pro Gerät
- Ideal für Einzelanwendungen, Tests oder kleinere Installationen
- Flexibel einsetzbar ohne Mindestmenge
Serienlizenz
Für skalierbare Anwendungen
- Entwickelt für größere Geräteflotten und Serienprojekte
- Beliebige Anzahl an Geräten innerhalb einer Lizenzstruktur
- Erweiterbar durch zusätzliche Geräte zu reduzierten Konditionen
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