Industrial and Scientific Computing, Validation and Automation
LabVIEW, TestStand, LabWindows/CVI

Test bench and Measurement freelance Engineer

SCPI (Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments) is a standard that defines a language for communicating with instruments based on messages. The majority of the GPIB instruments use the SCPI but also RS-232, Ethernet, VXI, PXI may use it. Several measurement instrument manufacturers have adopted this standard as HP / Agilent for example, allowing some communication uniformity between several devices.

Some examples of SCPI commands:

Instrument identification querry: *IDN? Instrument reset: RST Measure querry: MES?

This software does the automation the characterization measurements of the skin during clinical trials of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, using more than 15 instruments usually present in this type of laboratory: corneometer, sebometer, pH-meter, thermometer, glossimeter, mexameter, colorimeter tewemeter, reviscometer, spectrocolormeter, chromameter, cutometer, torquemeter. Therefore, it makes quicker measurement through a single software tool.

Example of a samples series of and analysis, for skin elasticity study , with the clinical testing software for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics products

This system allows the study of refrigeration systems and the implementation of the thermodynamic calculations applied to refrigeration. Its uniqueness is that it is fully controllable via the Internet directly from a web browser like Internet Explorer or Firefox.

It consists of two cold rooms, each with their own evaporator but sharing the same cooling fluid R134a system (compressor, condenser ...).

The control and configuration of this system can be done in two ways:

a classic console coupled to a regulator PLC type industrial PAC (programmable automation controller) Compact Fieldpoint

The Compact Fieldpoint adds the possibility of remote control via the Internet, viewing the evolution curves of temperature, air and refrigerant fluid, pressure and power at various points. This allows calculating the required cooling system features such as enthalpy, entropy, Mollier diagram and performance coefficients.

Refrigeration system with control panel and circuit fluid

 

The AK protocol define a communication protocol over serial RS-232 or TCP/IP connection between devices, typically between a PC and measuring instruments.

The RS-422 is a standard for serial bus. It is newer than the RS-232 and more efficient. The RS-422 cable contains a twisted pair. We can form a point to point network linking up to 10 devices (1 driver and 10 receivers) and up to 1200 meters in length. It operates in differential mode on levels +6V -6V and can reach speeds up to 10Mb/s. It can operate in half-duplex or full duplex with 4 cables.

The RS-232 is a standard for serial bus. It operates in point to point mode with one transmitter and one receiver, up to 15 meters in length. It operates with voltages of -15V to -3V for logic 1 and +3V to +15V for logic 0 (typically -12V to +12 V) and can reach speeds of 20Kb/s.

The RS-485 is a serial bus standard. It is an evolution of the RS-422 and like it, the RS-485 cable is composed of a twisted pair. We can form a point to point network linking up to 64 devices (32 transmitters and 32 receivers, this is the diference with the RS-422), and up to 1200 meters in length. It operates in differential mode on levels -6V and +6V and can reach speeds up to 10 Mbits/s. It can operate in half-duplex or full duplex with 4 wires.

Specifications and development of gas production quality test bench.

Technical implementation:

Tools: LabVIEW Harware: National Instruments Compact Fieldpoint, DAQ, DIO, RS 232 implementing AK protocol, Emerson Gas analysers

Calibration system development for oil well probes. Persone in charge for the maintenance of the probes calibration system: problems gravity analyze, treatment, intervention at the customer.

Technical implementation:

Tools: C language, LabWindows/CVI, Windows, Access, Visual Basic, ODBC. Instrumentation: GPIB, RS-232, switches, multimeter DMM, DC power supply, temperature generator, pressure generator, barometer.

Migration of a test system of optical coder used by engines, DOS Qbasic to the TestStand sequencer with C libraries. Project leader; management of 2 developers; planning of tasks. Software expertise. Validation with the customer.

Technical implementation:

Tools: C language, LabWindows/CVI, Windows, Excel to ceate reports, TestStand. Instrumentation: GPIB, RS-232, digital multimeters DMM, DAQ, DIO.

Avionic calculators’ production support department (Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Dassault, Embraer, Saab…)

Test libraries development for TestExe, a test sequencer. Tools libraries development. Development of a test sequencer under TestStand interfaced with a data base. Development of software of test and management of production of downloadable diskettes on calculator. Development of downloadable software of basic creation of data hard calculator. Calculators test software maintenance. Design of software architectures for the semi-automatization of test bench.

Technical implementation:

Tools: C , LabWindows/CVI, Visual C ++, TestStand, TestExe, Access, Excel, ODBC Instrumentation: ATHENA 7000 bench  : VXI chassis (switches, multimeter DMM, acquisition DAQ, signals generator, ARINC, RS-422)

Development of a system (hardware and software) to validate an electric consumption management calculator of the A380 from Airbus.

Technical implementation:

Tools: C, LabWindows/CVI Instrumentation: VXI chassis (switches, multimeter DMM, acquisition DAQ card, signals generator), CAN bus and SIS (I2C bus)

Specifications of a sand quality control supervision system coming out of sand quarry for cement production.

Technical implementation:

Tools: National Instruments LabVIEW, Module LabVIEW Datalogging and Supervisory Control (DSC) Harware: PLC (Siemens, Mitsubishi, Twido) with OPC, RS 232, Compact Fieldpoint, DIO, DAQ

Hardware:Measurement and test / validation solutions Computing languages and softwareC, Language G, C++, C#, Visual Basic, Fortran, Java, SQL, PHP, JSP, Pascal ObjectLabVIEW, TestStand, LabWindows/CVI, Visual Studio, Delphi, MySQLMethod: UML, RUP, RAD Protocols: GPIB, VXI, PXI , ARINC 429, RS (232, 422), TCP/IP, CAN, I2C, VAN, BlueTooth, WIFI, UHF Languages: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese EXPERIENCE

LabVIEW is used in this system to program a supervisor controlling the quality of sand in a career, before filling the trucks after the results of measurements of quality, we will inject a product to improve the characteristics of the sand to neutralize impurities (such as clay for example) and make them suitable for building. This pilot supervises three PLC (programmable logic controller), which each have a dedicated function: a sampler, a analyser and a divider. Software for the supervising of the sand quality control Programmable logic controller

The role of this test bench is the analysis and quality control of gas cylinders used in metallurgical industries, chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and food industry. The control system of gas is functionally decomposed as follows: Entering management and production information of gas Measuring the gases composition, Analysis of measures and results, Archiving data to a remote database. The bench contains the following elements: Gas delivery system, Measurement instrumentation, Acquisition and control central, Management and supervision software. User interface of the supervision software for the gaz analysis bench

Calibration system for oil well sensors. This system measures the pressure and the temperature behavior of the sensors along one week to one month. All measurements are safeguarded in a data base to be analyzed and to create reports/ratios.

Oil sensor example

Measurement software screenshot

I am a supervision, control, test and measurement specialist. For this reason, my work consists to conceive and develop automatic or semi-automatic systems of measurement, validation or qualification of products for industrial or scientific applications.

With my experience since 1998 in the field of test and measurement, many of my clients appreciate my analysis and advice to optimize and improve both technically and in terms of production processes and validation. Indeed, test and measurement benches are central elements that identify with precision the problems caused by a malfunction or bad process: settings of production machines, manual actions or arrangement.

Technics

I support my expertise on the use of:

software solutions with: LabVIEW LabWindows/CVI TestStand Measurement Studio .NET material solutions containing: data acquisition card relay matrix card, DIO signal generator, DAQ oscilloscope, analyzer compatible with the following standards: PXI, PXI express, VXI GPIB, USB, FireWire PCI, PCI express, Compact PCI RS-232, RS-422, RS-485, AK protocol CAN, VAN, LIN, I2C, ARINC Job

I intervene in the various phases of life of the projects:

• Study/Research/Documentation

Feasibility study Analyzes and research solution Search for materials Helps with the documentary drafting Retro-engineering (analyzes systems without documentation)

• Software of tests (dregs to the material)

Development of advanced software functions Analyzes, second reading of source codes Debugging of software functions Drivers of instruments Development of simulators of instruments

• Software applicatifs (not dregs directly with the material)

Complete development of software Analyzes, second reading of source codes Debugging Course of specifications of tests

Project examples

I invite you to read articles detailing projects examples I have done, take a look to my experiences.

Price

To obtain the detail of the prices of my interventions and developments, please contact me by email or for telephone.