Engineering by Technology

Engineering by Technology - FPGA/VHDL

Project

Custom Trackball Interface

Application

Control System

Customer Need

An industrial trackball interface that communicates over a proprietary serial channel to a custom MIL-SPEC VME CPU. The trackball electronics transmit actual X-Y position over an SDLC communication channel using a proprietary protocol. All inputs and outputs are isolated.

AVID's Solution

The SDLC channel was implemented in a FPGA which also received the pulses from the trackball and calculated actual position. A SDLC core was purchased and modified for this application.

Value Added or Technologies Applied

Specification Development
Product Architecture and IP Evaluation/Acquisition
VHDL Development
PCB Design and Implementation
Product Mechanical Packaging Design and Implementation
Test Software Development for Validation
Prototyping and Validation

Project

System Electronics

Application

Volumetric CT/PET/SPECT Diagnostic System

Customer Need

Electronics to detect and collect sensor data from a large photo-sensor array excited by X-rays. Unique requirements were pixel sizes eight times smaller than previous generation systems as well as a large XY array instead of the prior single slice.

AVID's Solution

In addition to the quantity and execution speed that pushed the electronic design, there were also major challenges from power, signal distribution, and thermal management that needed to be addressed. Advanced packaging was required to achieve the circuit density, and special consideration for the mechanical design included the ability to remove heat from the electronics. A mass amount of parallel signal processing was implemented as stand-alone subassemblies with dedicated ASICs, DSPs, communication interfaces to centralized memory arrays, and power conversion. The memory data on the rotor side was then organized and packed for transmission across the rotating interface and stored on the stator side for use by the post processing imaging engines. The front end processing subassemblies provided a means for modular testing and system maintenance.

Value Added or Technologies Applied

Electronic System Requirements/Architecture
Data Flow Diagrams. Memory Architecture and Management, Speed Performance Analysis
Hardware Design; Advanced Packaging Concepts (Ceramic Carriers, COB, Rigid/Flex)
In-Line Real-Time Signal Processing and Combination, VHDL and DSP Techniques
Thermal Management; Fluid-Based and Thermo-Electric Cooling
High-Speed Data Transfer Method (20GBps) Across a Rotating Interface
Proof of Concept Modeling
Manufacturing Techniques and Process Research/Definition

Project

Control Hardware

Application

Commercial Inkjet Printer

Customer Need

Mass marketing requires high-speed printing for customized printed materials and addressing. Multiple print heads are required along with strict timing based on material position. Ink jet print heads take serial bit streams containing the commands and data. PCs are used as the main print job driver; however, specialized hardware is needed to control the individual print heads. In this case, a PCI card was desired that would control up to four independent print heads. Each head is performing a different print job based on its location on the media transport system.

AVID's Solution

AVID started with the customer’s system architecture and implemented a FPGA-based solution in a PCI card form factor. Due to high speed signals, careful attention was paid to board impedance, trace lengths and routing, and termination techniques to insure signal integrity. The FPGA implemented the critical timing of the signals, data buffers for print head data, and interfaced to a processor used for overhead control. Diagnostics were included to assist with system troubleshooting. AVID used simulation to verify the VHDL implementation as well as performed verification testing on prototype hardware.

Value Added or Technologies Applied

System Architecture Review / Planning
Hardware Redesign / New PCB Layout
VHDL Development / Simulation / Verification
Prototyping and Validation
Management of an Engineering Build for Software Development and Field Trials
Manufacturing Engineering Support for Full Production

Project

Control Electronics

Application

Down-Hole Drilling System

Customer Need

Our customer acquired Intellectual Property relating to techniques to detect the earth content, looking for oil and gas pockets. The drill head uses this information to determine the direction of the drill head, and other aspects important for well development. This application is brutal to the electronics in terms of heat and vibration. Reliable packaging was critical to the project. Additionally, RF technology is included in the techniques and required accurate low frequency transmitters and receivers for the sent and reflected waveforms. A communications interface with surface instruments is part of the down-hole system.

AVID's Solution

The design included custom RF design along with microprocessor control and an FPGA implementation. Power conversion stability and efficiency were required for proper operation. Special consideration was made for the PCB implementation to help insure parts would stay on the boards. Correction factors and other techniques were used to insure the accuracy of the RF signals. Multiple boards were required as the physical constraints dictated long and skinny outlines. This required careful system partitioning. The boards were encased in silicone rubber for protection and resistance from the elements.

Value Added or Technologies Applied

System Architecture / Component Selection / Partitioning
Hardware Design and Implementation, FPGA Code
Prototype and Validation
Production of Multiple Systems for Testing and Field Trials
Manufacturing Engineering Support; Production Test Procedure

Project

Control System Electronics

Application

Nuclear Power Plant

Customer Need

Nuclear power plants are controlled by the NRC and have strict requirements for the control instrumentation and any changes to it. The life of these systems outlasts the availability of replacement components. Our customer was faced with system obsolescence and required form, fit, and functional replacements of eight different logic boards that were built with outdated technology. All new designs require extensive review and test prior to any possible commissioning. All design work must follow documented procedures and result in a complete design package.

AVID's Solution

AVID implemented the control logic which was previously done with basic gates and 15V logic, in a CPLD device with discrete transistors to interface and drive the higher voltage at the I/O connector. Additionally, AVID invented a proprietary real-time diagnostic feature that performs a continuous health check on the board and reports any electronic failures. This check is performed by a separate CPLD and offers to eliminate the requirement for periodic manual testing of boards by instrument technicians, which requires the boards be removed from an operating system to run the test. AVID also designed suitcase encased board testers which allowed field technicians and production personnel to completely test a board for proper operation.

Value Added or Technologies Applied

Hardware and CPLD Architecture, Continuous Self Test
Hardware and CPLD Design
Design and Production Documentation
Prototype and Validation, Test Result Reports
Portable Tester Development and Documentation, Test Procedures
Engineering Build of Qualification Units
Manufacturing Support

Project

Optical Inspection System

Application

Bottle Production

Customer Need

An optical inspection system that quickly identifies product flaws on a high-speed production line. Our customer developed proprietary techniques to detect these flaws by using the reflected light intensity. The final system required tightly packaged electronics for the optical source and the detector, which could accurately and reliably sense these variations in the reflected light intensity. Customer Intellectual Property implemented in a FPGA was to be incorporated in the design.

AVID's Solution

Maintaining a consistent light source was crucial to the proper detection of these flaws. This involved tight regulation of the LED current using closed loop PWM control techniques. As several light sources from different directions were used, any single LED needed ON/OFF control based on system timing. The optical sensing circuit required special care during the component selection and the PCB layout phases to minimize the system noise while still achieving the required amplification and bandwidth required by the high-speed system. The system packaging required the design to be implemented on several small boards, which interfaced together to complete the assembly. Proper partitioning was critical in order to keep the low level signals localized and away from noise sources. Careful layout along with simulations, analysis and refinement of the analog circuitry was required to achieve the system performance objectives.

Value Added or Technologies Applied

Part Selection / System Partitioning
Hardware and Firmware Design
Prototype and Validation
Engineering Build for Evaluation and Field Trials
Low-Volume Initial Production
Prototype and Validation
Production Test System Development
Manufacturing Support and Product Life Cycle Management