Custom-made controllers

Technology

Through the years E.D.&A. has built up a wide experience in developing customer specific controllers for diverse applications. This is also to your advantage, as this technological knowledge can very easily be applied to your new controller design.

Microprocessors

The microprocessor is the heart of a controller and therefore a very important choice. The choice is determined by several factors:

the complexity and demands that the customer sets
the required display to be used (this can vary from no display to a 10'' colour TFT screen with touch screen)
the reliability of delivery
the cost price

E.D.&A. has extensive experience in various types of microprocessors, from which to make the correct choice for each application: 8-bit : Atmel, PIC
16-bit: 80C188, Fujitsu
32-bit: ARM-processors

Industrial PCB design

The PCB or Printed Circuit Board is the basis of the controller. Through the many years of experience of their designers, E.D.&A. is able to design reliable industrial boards that satisfy the most stringent norms with regard to CE, EMC, UL, etc.

Data communication

Communication is impossible to ignore in today's technical age. Developments in this field are followed closely by E.D.&A.

Our controllers handle communication protocols including UDP, TCP/IP, SMTP, Modbus RTU and Ethernet.

Via the software you can use various media PSTN, GSM,GPRS, etc. The alarms can be sent in the form of SMS, e-mail, semascript, fax, etc. The configuration can occur locally or remotely.

Displays

E.D.&A. is familiar with small and large, graphic and non-graphic displays. Click here for an example. The size and type of display often determines the exterior of your machine or application, therefore a well-considered choice from many available options is absolutely necessary. E.D.&A. is ready to assist you in this with advice and help.

Operating options

There are several operating options for users of your applications or machines: membrane-keyboard, touch screen, etc. These keyboards are often integrated into the front of your machine or application.

Together with the display they form the look of your product. You can make your controller unique by applying your own logo and corporate identity on the front label with the keyboard. You integrate the controller completely with your product design! Look at the options here.

Embedded Software

This is software that, in combination with the hardware, forms the embedded system. This embedded system is designed to carry out a specific function.

Examples of these embedded systems are:
Controllers for

Baking machinery
Industrial washing machines
Pumps
Packaging machines
Commercial or automatic car wash systems
Ventilators
Etc.

The quality of the embedded software must be very high and must also withstand unexpected situations. It is a known fact that your office or home PC now and again locks up, but if your product (coffee machine, bakery machine, washing machine, etc.) breaks down, it is unacceptable to your customer.

E.D.&A.'s software developers have the experience to find and to take care of possible error sensitive situations. Safety measures are taken in the software. If an unforeseen error does arise, this is picked up. All these factors contribute to make your application stable.

PC-software

Often it is necessary to write a programme for data processing, i.e. to monitor a number of machines. This software can then be written in C#, Delphi, etc. Support of several languages is no problem. Our programmes are written to be used with various versions of Windows.

Creating a Graphical User Interface (GUI)

The operating options for your machine are unlimited. You could consider operating your machine using a 10" touch screen! This offers great choices, yet makes the design of a good intuitive Graphical User Interface (GUI) a true challenge.

To be taken into consideration:

How do I take care of the navigation through my application? Can the user find everything (almost) intuitively without a manual?
How will I design this? ("look and feel", company logo, buttons, icons, etc.)
What needs to be shown on the main screen and the supplementary screens?

The creation of a professional Graphical User Interface is really specialist work. We often work together with "software usability" experts to achieve this goal.