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Partnering March, 2019
ARRK Engineering: A Strategic Automotive Development Partner
By Annika Mahl, Consultant — Marketing and Public Relations, ARRK Engineering
ly require electronic components that have to be developed and manufac- tured for a single use. This comes at a high cost and
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requires an extensive amount of time. The costly initial phase rules out a rapid response to changes at short notice. This is a serious disad- vantage, especially in the fast-paced automotive industry. In order to accelerate this
process, while simultaneously creat- ing space for the flexibility required, the development service provider ARRK Engineering has created a so- lution. Many use cases were drawn on to identify frequently requested designs and develop the relevant components for a modular control de- vice system, the “Build Rapid Sys- tem” (BuildRS). This system allows the company to create measurement and control systems for a wide vari- ety of applications much faster and more affordably than ever. These
uring the concept develop- ment and testing phase, proto- types and test systems typical-
components must only be taken from and combined with a pool of existing hardware and software products.
Supporting Automotive Applications
“For many years, we have sup-
ported automobile manufacturers and suppliers as their strategic de- velopment partner,” explains Zarko Tomic, team leader for software de-
Generally, special control de-
vices are developed specifically for these cases. Teams may resort to uni- versal control devices, which are usu- ally oversized for the specific applica- tion. Both extend development times and costs —an obvious disadvantage. “Instead of repeatedly develop-
ing new control units for test devices and prototypes that can only be used for single projects, we wanted to
“Throughout the course of pre-development projects, component tests and test series, certain applications emerge time and again. These include the transfer of data and signals through bus systems or wireless
networks, the evaluation of sensors and control of motors.”
velopment at ARRK Engineering. “Throughout the course of pre-devel- opment projects, component tests and test series, certain applications emerge time and again. These in- clude the transfer of data and signals through bus systems or wireless net- works, the evaluation of sensors and control of motors.”
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specify components that can be as- sembled in a few easy steps to create a unique and freely adaptable control device for the relevant application,” continues Tomic. ARRK Engineering developed
the underlying hardware kit and software in-house. “This was neces- sary because comparable systems on the market were either too large and cost-intensive for our purposes or were targeted at electronics hobby- ists. As a consequence, they were in- efficient and unstable,” says Tomic. Another problem often arose when it was not possible to directly integrate these models into the software, leav- ing ARRK Engineering unable to perform any comprehensive changes. “After the platform concept was
established, a new component for our modular control device platform was developed for all subsequent projects requiring a function that had not pre- viously been necessary,” Tomic says.
Comprehensive Modular System Over the course of the past year,
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the comprehensive modular system has continued to grow. ARRK Engi- neering can refer to a pool of functions for different possible applications, such as digital or analog inputs and outputs, engine control and Bluetooth or wireless transmission, and numer- ous supported bus systems. BuildRS comprises two circuit
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boards. The controller board con- nects to other devices through CAN and forms the starting point for the unit. The peripheral unit specifies the actual function of the control de- vice. “If, for example, it is necessary to switch from digital to analog in- puts or from one sensor to another due to a change in customer require- ments, we only have to change the peripheral board,” explains Tomic. There are two options for fitting
the boards together. They can be arranged next to each other for easi- er access to all components, or stacked neatly on top of one another to make the system less vulnerable
to external influences. The software architecture for
the BuildRS platform is also modu- lar. “The software and hardware have a constantly growing portfolio of possible functions that correspond to the functionality of the peripheral board,” says Tomic. The system can be configured or reprogrammed through the CAN interface. In the event of a function change, often only software reconfiguration is required, with no need for complete repro- gramming. This is a matter of in- house development by ARRK Engi- neering, as the company has full ac- cess to the source code. This way, it is possible for both hardware and soft- ware to be adapted to customer re- quirements quickly and effectively at any time, ensuring that hardware is utilized to its full potential.
BuildRS Applications BuildRS offers a wide range of
possible applications relating to con- cept development and testing. The modules can support the electrifica- tion of individual prototypes. “For in- stance, BuildRS was used in a seat box for seat adjustment — as a motor driver and for digital signal trans- mission,” Tomic says. The durability of the modules is a great advantage here.
They can be stacked or built
into a housing and used for years to come. This also makes them suitable as long-term test subjects or demon- stration samples, such as for trade shows. But the BuildRS also offers ad-
vantages for budget and time-plan- ning as part of workstations during concept testing, because, unlike in other cases, it is not necessary to de- velop a new control device. At the same time, it can be more freely ad- justed by the customer, unlike stan- dard units, giving them the option of using the BuildRS multiple times. Since the individual peripheral
boards are replaceable and can be switched easily, it is quick and com- parably affordable to purchase new functions. The new board can be started up through its CAN connec- tion using the modular basic soft- ware, which is installed in the con- troller board. The user is able to in- dependently adjust the function of the control unit and integrate it into the workstation. “BuildRS can be used for all types of prototypes and small batches. This allows develop- ment costs to be drastically reduced
per terminal,” concludes Tomic. Contact: P+Z Engineering
GmbH, Frankfurter Ring 160, 80807 Munich, Germany % +49-0-89-318-57-0 E-mail:
info@arrk-engineering.com Web:
www.arrk-engineering.com r
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