Development
-from an idea to a finished product
Westcontrol AS has many years of experience within product development, industrialisation, and the manufacturing of large and small series of electronic items as well as assembly.
Product Development
The development of new products or redesigning of old products is a demanding process which requires exceptional levels of expertise within many different areas. Because of this we have an international development team with product developers from several European countries. Our colleagues have extensive experience with many development tools for design and the programming of electronic systems. We cover a wide specter of HW and SW solutions.
Industrialisation
Over 10-years of manufacturing experience has taught us many things concerning the importance of good productivity, and the production of cost efficient and profitable products. We will gladly help you adapt your prototypes to industrial manufacturing.
Our engineers will arrange, adapt and form the design specifications connected to the customer’s idea or product. Our experienced development department will then prepare the design of the necessary electronics and software in order to make the product ready for manufacturing. Prototypes and pre-series are important agents on the path towards an industrialised product. We also provide our competence within, for example, EMC testing, component options for HPHT (HighPressureHighTemperature) and electronics for explosion hazard (EX) areas.
Project Management
The projects are developed in close dialogue with the customer. This incorporates our involvement with the customer from the onset of an idea and we like to be of assistance until the product is fully approved and certified.
The project model that is used splits the project into clear and simple phases which clearly defines the commissioning of the project and the process involved.
A typical project may include the following content:
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Specification
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Hardware
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Software
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Mechanics
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Manufacturing
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Documentation
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Testing Certification
In the early stages we work closely with the customer to get the best possible overview of what the solution should do. The customer has criteria or a requirement specification that must be followed. Based on this information we will prepare a design specification. This document will underline technical solutions, the customer’s boundaries and other parameters which are important to emphasize at an early stage.
Our development team has vast experience within:
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Small micro controllers(e.g. 8 bit AVR, 16 bit MSP430)
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Medium micro processors (e.g. 32 bit Coldfire, AVR32)
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RFID
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Motor control
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Process control
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Surveillance cameras/CCTV
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Communication (Ethernet, CAN, Profibus, Modbus, HART wireless, RS-232, RS-485, USB )
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Displays and MMI (man-machine-interface)
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Analogue electronics (e.g. amplifier technology, filter technology)
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RF communication
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Opto electronics
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Vision systems
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Programmable logical circuits
Embedded programming
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C
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Assembly
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C++
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Network
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Communication protocols
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Embedded Linux
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Delphi
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Python
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C++
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Windows GUI
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Server software (linux, database, webserver)
Mechanics: |
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Electronic boards are adapted to the mechanics and we are flexible in adapting the printed circuit boards to suit the customer. By talking to the customer we find out the amount of space that is available and design the electronic boards accordingly. We assist in finding solutions regarding different types of encasing should the customer lack expertise in this area.
Manufacturing:
During the project we will put forward prototypes and 0-series units. Everything is done in-house on our manufacturing site. Our development engineers work closely with the manufacturing department to make designs that are cost efficient and well adapted to machinery.
Documentation: |
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Documentation is agreed upon with the customer from project to project. Typical documentation may be:
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Requirement specification
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Design specification
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Status reports
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Project plans
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Test reports
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Manuals
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Schema drawings
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Connection diagrams
Testing & Certification:
We assist our customers with guidance and testing within EMC and we conduct some of the tests internally as a pre-test for our customers. This ensures that the products are more likely to be certified, for example, by Nemko in the first instance.
Some customers also want to certify electronics within explosion hazard areas and we have the competence to design electronics that are suitable for this type of area.
Pressure testing of electronic boards can also be performed and our engineers have immense experience in the choice of components for such conditions.