Services

We work with you to develop custom solutions to suit your requirements and environment.
If you have staff, services or capabilities then we will work with them.
If you need assistance in any areas then we will assist.
If you need expertise in research, design, or development then we will provide it.
Together we make a formidable development team.

Previous Projects

• A low cost ECG used for medical screening
• An automatic thermal welding machine
• A radio data modem system
• A batch production steel roll mill and punch system
• A secure storage and monitoring system for keys
• Interface units allowing a PC to control and monitor hardware
• Gas monitoring and alarm indication systems
• Supersonic Projectile Location systems
• Distributed data capture and analysis systems

Design Review

We have the real-world experience and technical expertise to provide a design review capability covering a broad range of project fields.
Design Review provides a valuable second opinion, and validates design assumptions, decisions and calculations.
Before beginning an update design, a design review of existing equipment and systems is invaluable. It provides a perfect opportunity for thinking “outside the square”, and helps prevent wasted effort in “re-inventing the wheel”.
Contract proposals and third party designs can also be reviewed.

Analysis

Performance analysis can be performed on designs or production units and systems.
A performance analysis is essential when evaluating the potential benefits, and short-comings of a product or system. A performance analysis will provide a numerical measure of system performance if one is available.
Designs can be evaluated using dimensions and values. The difference is subtle but essential to
good design. Enormous amounts of time and money can be wasted pursuing improved performance, if that performance is not clearly defined before the work starts.
Dimensions:
These are performance measures that can be unequivocally measured or calculated.. Examples of Dimensions are weight, density, top speed, and length.
Values:
These are performance perceptions and therefore are subjective in nature. Different people will perceive the same product as having different values. Examples of Values are user-friendliness,
nice colour, good looking.

Electronics

Electronic design capability covers a broad range.
Many of our past products are covered by Non-Disclosure Agreements which prevent a detailed description of them here. The following lists show some of our areas of expertise.
Hardware can be custom made or off the shelf.  Often deciding which to use is confusing and complicated.  Both options can cost or save a lot of time and money.

Services are available:
• PCB Design (Printed Circuit Boards)
• Electronic circuit design for sensor systems (ultra-sonic, infra-red, signal analysis)
• Circuit design using through-hole components or surface mount components
• Microprocessor based control systems
• Industrial control consoles
• Circuitry used to interface to industrial control systems
• Packaging and production design

Software

Everything includes software now – doesn’t it?
Most things include software.  Generally the trick is to decide what to do with software and what to do with hardware.

The choice of hardware has a major impact on software options and requirements.

Languages
We have used a myriad of languages. The language is chosen based on the project requirements and available options.
Task complexity, supportability and development costs are all factors when choosing the development language.
We have used assembler, ladder diagrams, logo, C (various flavours), C++, C#, pascal, Delphi, FORTRAN, BASIC
(various flavours), Visual Basic, Java, MFC, .NET, Visual Studio and Visual Studio based systems.

Operating Systems and Embedded Software
We have extensive experience in programming embedded control and processors, and developing operating systems.
Whatever product you can imagine, we can provide the embedded intelligence to make it work.
We have worked with tiny micro-controllers, Industrial Control PLCs (DirectLogic, AllenBradley, SEW, Omron), Handheld Computing Devices (Windows CE, Android, iOS, WinPhone, Pocket PC, Windows Embedded), Desktop Computers (DOS, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows XP Embedded, Windows CE, Windows 7, Windows 10, Mac OS).

PC Software
We have produced PC software for data collection, data analysis, and system control.
In many cases the equipment that we are controlling has become so complex that a visual interface as provided by a PC is the most logical control interface to use. In these cases we use an embedded processor to control core functions, and a PC to provide a rich user interface.

Network Applications
Many of our products utilize network communications to provide distributed information input and output. We have produced systems that work with other networked computer systems, and systems that have provide their own network services and functionality to COTS equipment.

Database Applications
Increasingly systems are being required to provide more information and to capture all possible information from the environment that they are working in, or the systems that they are controlling.
The most efficient way to do this is by using standard database tools. These systems have in the past used small databases such as DBF files, or MS Access, but more usually require a larger database system such as MySQL, or Microsoft SQL Server. We have worked with all these systems.

We work with almost all options:
• Desktop Computers
• Mobile Platforms
• Phones
• Industrial Computers
• HMI / PLC systems
• Portable systems
• Custom built systems
• Single chip systems

Management

We can provide Research and Design Management, or Project Management services to suit your requirements.
We can provide various levels of management depending on your capability and requirements.
We aim to assist you to remain in control.
A thorough understanding of the project requirements and desired project outcome are key to managing any project. Design and Development projects require close monitoring and management as they have the potential to spiral out of control and over budget very quickly. To this end we approach development projects with a view to keeping a close eye on project progress, but still allowing the project to evolve in order to maximise return on investment.

The basis of our management approach is the six step paradigm outlined above.
DEFINE
your objectives, limitations and requirements.
DESIGN
your solution to meet your requirements and objectives within your limitations.
DEVELOP
your solution, and if necessary step back to and change the design or definition.
TEST
your solution against the definition.
DEPLOY
your solution to your users.
MANAGE
your solution by monitoring performance.