Client problem
A specialist manufacturer of gas content sensing equipment for industrial foundries required the development of highly accurate portable and modular gas analysis systems capable of operating reliably within demanding industrial environments.
The systems needed to:
- Accurately measure low-level electrochemical gas sensor outputs
- Integrate precision thermocouple temperature measurement
- Operate reliably in high-noise industrial environments
- Support portable handheld and modular analyser configurations
- Provide data logging and export functionality
- Interface with external HMI and industrial control systems
- Maintain measurement accuracy across wide operating temperature ranges
- Support future expansion and additional sensor technologies
Measurement precision, reliability and long-term maintainability were critical due to the systems being used for process-critical industrial analysis applications.
Solution
Designed and developed multiple embedded gas analysis platforms including a portable handheld analyser and a modular industrial data acquisition and control system.
The handheld analyser incorporated:
- Precision electrochemical gas measurement
- Thermocouple temperature sensing
- Embedded signal conditioning and filtering
- Rechargeable battery operation
- Local data logging and export
- Multi-language graphical user interface
- USB and SD-card data export
- Industrial-grade portable operation
A second modular analyser platform was also developed for integration into larger industrial systems, incorporating:
- MODBUS communications
- Relay and solenoid control
- Probe heating management
- Ethernet and USB expansion capability
- Battery backup operation
- Industrial HMI integration
- External sensor interfacing
- Firmware update infrastructure
The systems were engineered to provide highly stable precision measurements from extremely small analogue sensor signals while operating within electrically noisy and mechanically demanding industrial foundry environments.
IBEX Role
- Full electronics hardware design
- Precision analogue circuit design
- Embedded firmware development
- PCB schematic and layout design
- Sensor signal conditioning design
- Embedded UI development
- Industrial communications integration
- Windows desktop software development
- Data logging and export system development
- Power management and battery charging design
- Industrial interface and relay control design
- Manufacturing documentation and prototype development
Technology Stack
- Embedded C/C++
- Precision analogue electronics
- MODBUS communications
- USB and SD-card interfaces
- Ethernet-ready embedded systems
- Windows desktop software
- Industrial relay and control systems
- Rechargeable battery management systems
- Industrial sensor integration
- Data logging and CSV export systems
Challenges Overcome
- Achieving extremely accurate low-level analogue measurements from electrochemical gas sensors
- Designing stable precision analogue front-end circuitry for signals as low as ±500mV with sub-millivolt resolution
- Maintaining measurement accuracy across varying ambient temperature conditions
- Implementing advanced signal filtering within electrically noisy industrial environments
- Preventing sensor damage through carefully controlled measurement circuitry
- Designing reliable battery backup and charging systems for industrial operation
- Supporting prolonged vibration and mechanical shock environments
- Balancing low development cost with future hardware expansion capability
- Implementing modular communication and firmware upgrade infrastructure for long-term maintainability
Outcome
Successfully delivered multiple industrial gas analysis platforms including portable handheld analyser, modular industrial control system and supporting desktop software tools.
The completed systems provided highly accurate industrial gas measurement, data logging and process integration capabilities while supporting future product expansion and ongoing operational development.
