• Automotive, Special Mechanical Engineering

• Propulsion Technology, Image Processing, Bus Systems and Radio, Optical Measuring Systems, Intuitive Input Devices, CAE; Measurement, Control and Regulation Technology

• The aim of the project was to develop with partners an automatic driving robot for precise, repeatable simulation of road travels, even under extreme conditions, on a roller dynamometer test bench for long periods or for emission tests.
  Special emphasis was laid on an intelligent, modular and lightweight system design. This allows extremely short set-up times of <8 minutes and a simple, menu-driven handling.

• No need for a test drive or learning the clutch bite point
• Via Knestel Rapid Prototyping Environment (RPE) the complete system is debugable and configurable at runtime
• Adaptive and model-based control, depending on the objective, reproducibility, good sequence of speed and / or emissions
• Because of the modular design and the innovative drive concept (linear motor), the system is basically applicable to all types of vehicles
• Repeatability <0.04 parts per thousand (control performance of +/- 0.2 km/h at constant speed)
• Drives similar to people

• Control of actuators based on Model-Based-Design
• Expansion of cognitive abilities of the robot
• Fully automatic driving of all types of vehicles with minimal `teach-in` effort of the actuators
• Reproduction of the states sequence when driving to human model
• Development of the motor control

• Propulsion Technology
• Test and Automation Systems
• Nonlinear, model-based, adaptive control technology

• Automotive, Testing and Measuring Technology

• Propulsion Technology, Bus Systems and Radio, CAE; Measurement, Control and Regulation Technology

• The aim of the project was the development with subsequent production of an EtherCat fieldbus node with Linux-based control unit and EtherCat master for an chassis dynamometer with up to 16 200 kilowatt drives and numerous auxiliary drives. Flexible EtherCAT fieldbus nodes had to be developed for data acquisition, motor control and data communication. A robust design for use in harsh test rig environments, the dynamic control of the forces to be simulated in a few milliseconds and the precise synchronization of the individual drives were essential project requirements.

Fieldbus Nodes

• Force measurement with 24-bit resolution
• Displacement measurement with 27-bit resolution
• Temperature measurements
• Pressure measurement
• Control of up to 8 linear motors for vehicle centering
• Controlling up to 2 roller shutter motors for roller cover

EtherCAT controller unit

• EtherCAT Master for data transmission in real time
• High-precision synchronization of the individual participants (latency << 1μs)
• Programming with Matlab / Simulink
• Real time Linux
• KNESTEL Rapid Prototyping Environment for online debugging

• Potential analysis, target price estimate, project management, requirements specification, project planning, development software and hardware, electrical and mechanical construction, EMC testing, prototyping, serial production

• Networking of MSR nodes and systems
• Safe and highly dynamic control and regulation of distributed systems
• (Special) mechanical engineering and test bench construction

• Automotive, Gas Analysis

• Measurement, Control and Regulation Technology; Optical Measuring Systems

• The aim of the project was to develop a device for measuring the concentration of nitrogen oxides (NO and NO_x) in the exhaust gas of vehicles and combustion processes. The challenge here was to cover an extremely high dynamic range with measuring ranges between 0 - 1ppm as well as 0 - 5000ppm. The detection limit should be only a few parts per billion (1 - 5ppb). Another challenge is to minimize the distortion of the measurement signal by components in high concentrations, such as water and carbon dioxide. In addition, the unit had to be designed for a limited space.

• T90: <1 second
• Limit of detection (LOD): 1-5ppb
• No delay time
• Measuring range: 0-1ppm / 0-5000ppm

• Target price estimate, project management, requirements specification, project planning, development of hardware, electrical and mechanical construction, EMC testing, prototyping, serial production

• Automotive, Testing and Measuring Technology

• Measurement, Control and Regulation Technology; Software Development, Image Processing, CAE, Optical Measuring Systems

• The aim of the project was the development of an electronic measurement system for measuring and evaluating headlights for vehicles (cars, trucks, motorcycle) in test centers and workshops as well as for quality assurance of the headlights with the vehicle manufacturers. Requirement was also the possibility of data storage as well as the output of archived measurement protocols.
• This project was realized with our partner MAHA Maschinenbau Haldenwang GmbH & Co.KG.

• Battery mode, Battery Charger Integrated
• 7 inch TFT display with touch screen
• Camera-based headlight measurement
• 600MHz CPU for fast image processing
• Connection of USB devices, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
• Tilt sensor to compensate unevennesses at the measuring station
• Wireless software update for new headlight systems
• Custom operating system based on Android / Linux
• Drivers and software(=app) development
• Automatic measurement of the headlight height via optical distance sensor
• Interfaces for PC connection, a printer or an automatic driving system
• Radio (Bluetooth, WLAN) and LAN connectivity

• Project planning, development software and hardware as well as the image processing, EMC testing, prototyping

• Customized systems with touch input
• Mobile, battery-powered devices of all kinds
• MSR and bus nodes with touchable user interface
• Man-machine interface with measurement and monitoring function

• Automotive, Mechanical Engineering, Medical Technology

• Measurement, Control and Regulation Technology; Software Development, Bus Systems and Radio, Image Processing, CAE, Intuitive Input Devices

• The aim of the project was to develop a platform for an HMI (Human Machine Interface), which offers the possibility to connect a display and provides a variety of interfaces. Among others, the module should also provide the opportunity to accomplish control and regulation tasks.

• 600 MHz ARM processor
• 512 MB of RAM
• 7 "or 10.4" display with resistive or capacitive touch
• HDMI, LAN, RS232, CAN bus
• 4x USB
• serial output (TTL) Audio Out
• microSD Card Reader, Realtime-Clock

• Target price estimate, project management, requirements specification, project planning, development hardware, electrical and mechanical construction, EMC testing, prototyping, serial production

• HMI tasks such as measuring instruments, custom control and regulation tasks with touch input
• Data processing and networking tasks

• Automotive, Testing and Measuring Technology

• Optical Measuring Systems, Software Development, Bus Systems and Radio, Image Processing; Measurement, Control and Regulation Technology

• The aim of the project was the development of a highquality, high-precision, wireless measurement system with the associated evaluation software for wheel alignment at different vehicle types. A user-friendly, innovative software, as well as the highest possible degree of flexibility and accuracy of the measurement technology formed the framework for the project.

• Radio transmission with 10 channels at a transmission power of 10 mW and a frequency range of 433 MHz
• Battery mode; Operating time> 10 h with fully charged battery
• Quick capture of all axis-relevant parameter
• Intelligent camera: image processing in the measuring head
• Insensitivity to daylight
• 360° rotating camera measuring heads
• Concise and clear menu guidance
• Accuracy <1% of the measuring range

• Target price estimate, project management, specification of requirements, project planning, development of software and hardware, electrical and mechanical construction, EMC testing, prototyping, serial production

• Object measurement, object recognition and object tracking of any kind
• Quality assurance
• Pattern analysis
• Spectroscopy
• Microscopy
• Diagnostic

• Trace Gas Analysis, Automotive, Testing and Measuring Technology

• Optical Measuring Systems; Measurement, Control and Regulation Technology

• The aim of the project was the development of a NDIRflex measuring bench with modular design for different cuvette lengths. The measured values should be accessed via a CAN or rather a serial RS232 communication protocol. Furthermore, it should also be realized a heated cuvette and a Peltier cooling for the thermopile receiver. About a further measuring input, an electrochemical O2 sensor should be evaluated additionally. A further requirement was to determine the flow of the gas to be measured and a pressure or temperature compensation of the measured values.

• Analysis of up to four thermopile channels
• Modular design for different cuvette lengths
• Temperature and pressure compensation
• CAN and RS232 interface
• Integrated pressure sensors for flow determination
• Measuring input for electrochemical O2 sensor

• Target price estimate, project management, requirements specification, project planning, development hardware, electrical and mechanical construction, EMC testing, prototyping, serial production

• Software Development, Bus Systems and Radio; Measurement, Control and Regulation Technology

• Automotive, Testing and Measuring Technology

• The aim of the project was the development and production of a brake fluid tester with a fully automatic test run for the automotive industry. With the help of the tester can be judged whether the brake fluid continues to fulfill its function, or whether it has to be substituted. To measure the values, the boiling point method was selected. The power supply as well as the transfer of the evaluated measurement data to a PC is made without cables. With the additional LCD display on the Brake Fluid Tester, the temperature can be read directly. The connection of different sample needles is possible.
• This project was realized with our partner MAHA Maschinenbau Haldenwang GmbH & Co.KG.

• Temperature display in °C or °F
• Status display via LEDs
• Analysis software for PC
• Bluetooth and rechargeable batteries for wireless operation
• RS232 debug interface
• Luer connector enabling fast needle exchange
• Standby mode
• Handy and compact design

• Potential analysis, target price estimate, project management, requirements specification, project planning, development of software and hardware, electrical and mechanical construction of the MSR unit, EMC testing, prototyping, serial production

• Quality measurements of liquids that change its boiling point by absorbing water