Project Portfolio

Ford’s Dunton Technical Centre in the UK, one of the most advanced automotive R&D facilities in the world, required a portable air intake heater system for use at their test site.

In response, we designed and delivered three custom-built heater units — fully portable, pivotable, and operable via both local and remote control. Each unit features a simple, robust relay logic system for reliable electrical control.

An integrated control panel provides intuitive local operation, while remote control is enabled through external reference signals. Built-in safety monitoring ensures automatic shutdown to protect the unit and any connected equipment. Alarm conditions are clearly displayed on the local interface and can also be communicated remotely through system integration.

Valeo, a global leader in advanced automotive technologies and a trusted partner to automakers since the early 1920s, approached us to support the development of a new product.

They required six identical coolant supply modules, each capable of operating independently while precisely controlling pressure, temperature, and flow of a test fluid to user-defined setpoints.

To meet these requirements, we engineered a control system built around the ABB AC500 eCO PLC, programmed using CODESYS. Each module incorporates dedicated PID loops to manage its internal components. Digital and analog I/O modules provide seamless interfacing with control elements, while an ABB touchscreen HMI offers an intuitive user interface.

The modules can be operated locally via the HMI or remotely through a TCP Modbus protocol, which enables communication with a central control PC.

Designed for endurance, these systems are capable of continuous operation—24/7—for testing cycles that typically exceed 1,000 hours. Each unit includes integrated safety monitoring that automatically shuts down the module in the event of a fault, with error reporting to keep users informed.

Dunlop Oil and Marine stands at the forefront of the hose manufacturing industry, supplying cutting-edge solutions for oil, gas, and petrochemical operations both offshore and onshore. They engaged Engineered Software to develop a durability test specifically for their marine hoses—a product trusted in over 50 countries worldwide.

To conduct the tests, up to four hoses are simultaneously arranged into a bundled setup. Each hose is filled with a testing fluid, and the pressure is gradually increased to a predetermined value. The system carefully monitors the pressure over an extended period—typically beyond one hundred hours—to detect any potential leaks.

A custom-built LabVIEW application controls the entire testing process. It empowers users to configure hose parameters as well as pressure profiles, which can be saved and later recalled to streamline the testing of new products. During each test, the selected profiles and corresponding results are overlaid and archived in a results file for detailed analysis.

The system is engineered with resilience in mind. Should an unexpected failure occur, the software allows tests to either resume once the issue is resolved or terminate safely. Continuous monitoring through an event log captures critical conditions throughout the test duration.

Additional features include precise signal calibration, real-time engineering status updates, and intuitive user control. A comprehensive interlock system paired with failsafe devices further enhances safety, ensuring secure operation throughout the testing cycle.

As part of the Webasto group, Webasto Roof Systems ranks among the largest tier 1 suppliers in the automotive industry. They engaged us to develop a PC-based testing station that automates the verification of completed sunroofs at the end of the production line—ensuring quality before shipment to the final assembly plant.

The solution uses a custom LabVIEW application running on a PC to manage the station’s operations. National Instruments data acquisition devices interface seamlessly with the control hardware, while TCP/IP communication facilitates integration with the line control PLC.

Designed with flexibility in mind, the application offers multi-level user controls, real-time result visualization, and comprehensive engineering setup features. Additionally, a trend-monitoring function identifies recurring production issues. All measurement data is compared against user-defined test thresholds and recorded in an SQL database for thorough traceability.

Built to integrate uniformly across existing and future production lines, this robust testing station demonstrates our commitment to delivering scalable, high-quality automation solutions.

As the world leader in aircraft landing and braking systems, Safran Landing Systems supports more than 27,000 aircraft making over 60,000 landings every day.
The company required a dual-purpose tank monitoring system that would monitor the temperature of plating tanks while allowing users to schedule and manage workflow through the tanks.

We developed an application in LabVIEW that receives temperature data and probe status from wireless temperature transmitters. This data is then monitored against user-defined limits, and alert conditions and status triggers are displayed to users.

A scheduling feature enables users to process multiple jobs through each of plating tanks. Users enter job-specific data, time commenced, and duration, and active jobs are then displayed on an overview screen. A report is generated on completion of a job, and users can additionally examine all job data in a database within the application.

All data is recorded throughout the job duration so that, in the event of a power loss, all active jobs can be resumed upon restoration. Such events, in addition to application events, are saved to the application event log

Knorr Bremse is the world’s leading manufacturer of rail braking systems and a supplier of safety-critical sub-systems for rail and commercial vehicles.

As part of an installation on a Philippine underground rail system, we designed and supplied 82 platform control panels to custom specification. Each panel contains hardwired relay logic which interfaces to an existing system currently in service in the underground.

Two variants of the panel were supplied for up track and down track. The up track panels are located adjacent to the train drivers’ in-station position, while the down track control panels are located on the platform. The functionality of both panel variants is identical, but the panels located on the platform are fitted with a lockable door to prevent tampering. We accommodated the fitting of a lockable door on the platform panels by using bespoke-designed panels for both variants.

As part of the project, test equipment was designed and manufactured to test the function of the front panel controls and the functionality of the panel interface. Testing was carried out in the UK prior to shipping to the Philippines and each panel was issued with a certificate of operation

Mahle Filtration, a division of the Mahle Group, specializes in manufacturing high-performance filters for engine applications, with a focus on improving efficiency and reducing emissions.

As part of their product development process, Mahle approached us to design and supply specialized testing equipment to validate the bonded strength of a new product.

After extensive collaboration, we provided a solution capable of conducting destructive burst tests to determine the failure point of the components.

The system supports testing of up to four components simultaneously, which are placed in a proprietary temperature chamber. A pressure profile is applied to each unit under test, and all data is logged into a database for subsequent analysis.

The equipment is housed in a free-standing enclosure, which contains both electrical and pneumatic control systems. These systems are managed through a custom application running on a desktop PC. The control enclosure interfaces seamlessly with the temperature chamber, automating the testing process for efficiency and precision.

In collaboration with JSK Ultrasonics, a leading manufacturer of vacuum forming presses, we developed a control system now implemented across their entire range of equipment.

By harnessing the efficiency and rapid response of infrared emitters, we created a versatile process suitable for a wide array of forming applications, particularly in the automotive trim sector.

The control system is PLC-based and has evolved in-line with industry advancements, incorporating the latest safety PLC technology.

The presses are organized into distinct heating zones, with each zone precisely controlled via PID loops to ensure optimal operating conditions.

To complement the machine control, we designed an intuitive user interface that enhances navigation and functionality. The integration of recipe handling further boosts the equipment’s flexibility.

The control system remains a robust, reliable, and adaptable solution, now serving as the industry standard in manufacturing facilities.

Rencol Components have designed, developed and manufactured plastic and metal components for almost a century. They approached us for help in automating the analysis of their tolerance rings.
We designed equipment that measures the pressed ridges of tolerance ring strips using a matched pair of Keyence 2D laser distance measuring heads and a servo motor drive slide. A PC running a LabVIEW application controls the connected equipment and performs the strip analysis.

A manufactured strip sample is mounted and clamped to a precision servo motor driven slide, which has an accuracy of 5 microns. The Keyence measuring heads are set to scan 800 points across a width of 40mm with a height accuracy of 2 microns. The strip passes between the laser heads, and measuring the top and bottom of the strip gives the ability to take out the natural twist of the product.

The height, width, pitch and thickness of strips is analysed and tested against user-definable tolerances to determine whether the product passes or fails.

UK company, Synergy required a PC-based control system to control a stretch bending machine. Both hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders provided the machine’s bending motions, and they therefore needed a flexible approach for the user to program this combination of motions.

A standard desktop PC running a LabVIEW application provided the solution for the machine control. The PC was then coupled with an industrial touchscreen and a National Instruments compact DAQ chassis.

The application we provided is based around a matrix which enables the user to decide the motions required on each step, and the transition needed to continue to the next step.

A sequence can be put together either through the application front end or through a provided excel template, which can then be loaded, and subsequently modified and re-saved if required. This provides the option of offline and online programming of variants.

This approach means the system is capable of running multiple variants and has ability to create new ones.

A separate operator console houses the PC control system, which is then connected to the main machine using Mil Spec plug and sockets. This allows the PC equipment to potentially be coupled up to repeat machines, reducing the need to duplicate the PC control system