CNC Control

How do You get a Cost-Optimized Control System?

The Standard Design Platform for Real-Time Control and Signal Processing

Applications with hard real-time requirements are the domain of this standard design. Modern microcontrollers combine in a single device all the necessary memory, various interfaces, high-resolution timers and function blocks for fast numerical processing. With this and the achievable clock rates of up to 500 MHz, it is possible to replace systems that previously required programmable logic (CPLD/ FPGA) to meet real-time requirements.

The built-in numerical units enable these controllers to solve digital signal processing (DSP) tasks such as those found in measurement systems or motor controls. In many cases, this makes the use of special and expensive digital signal processors (DSP) unnecessary. Also simple AI (artificial intelligence) model can be processed.

Operation can be realized via (capacitive) keys, rotary knobs, text display or a graphical user interface (GUI). A GUI enables touch-based device operation as known from smartphones. In addition, standard wireless or wired IIoT interfaces can be used. This allows remote control or software update of the device via Internet or locally via a tablet or smartphone.

We combine our standard design with your domain-specific functions to create an optimal and cost-conscious solution. You choose the required functions for your control from our construction kit and get a customized product from us, which you can produce yourself or which we produce for you with our partners.

Since you get the sources and schematics of the whole project, there is no dependency, no vendor lock-in.

Fields of Application

  • Appliance & device control
  • Motor control
  • Power electronics
  • Communication systems
  • Measurement systems
  • Handheld
  • IIoT nodes

Realize quickly and efficiently a customized controller based on our standard hardware and software toolbox.

Hardware

Our real-time/ DSP control standard design is based on the Arm Cortex-M family, which is particularly suitable for hardware-near applications due to RTOS support, fast interrupt handling and very low power consumption. With clock rates up to 500 MHz, floating point numbers, SIMD and MAC instructions, the controller can replace programmable logic (CPLD/ FPGA) and expensive digital signal processors (DSP) in most cases. The implementation of filters, signal transformations or an FFT is easily possible, up to the calculation of simple AI models.

For more computing power, dual-core microprocessors can be used. And if these are still not powerful enough, our GUI/ Control Standard Design can be used for control and GUI.

Software

Of course, we also have a standard design for the software. The software kit contains ready-made solutions for recurring tasks, such as the graphical user interface, device configuration, a service interface (local or remote), data storage, web services and an infrastructure framework that leads to a maintainable software architecture. By using these components, it is possible to get a running application quickly, as development can focus entirely on your customer specific functions.

Graphical representation (block diagram) of the structure of the Solcept Real-Time & DSP Platform

Functionality of the Standard Design

The platform offers these options (see also the drawing above: blue part):

  • Communication with user
    • via a local user interface
      • LCD/ OLED display up to 800 x 600 pixel resolution
      • touch
    • with smartphone, tablet or laptop
      • USB
      • WLAN/ Bluetooth
    • maintenance
      • communication with e.g. service
        • service interface incl. service tool
      • remote maintenance
        • via any interface, e.g. with MQTT
    • communication with the internet/cloud
      • Fast Ethernet
      • Wireless LAN
  • Application framework
    • infrastructure framework for modular and maintainable applications
    • automatic generation of protocol code
  • Data storage
    • device configuration, event log...

The non-functional requirements that the design fulfills are also important. These are often the larger limitation than the functional aspects:

  • Data security
    • built-in hardware secure element (Root of Trust)
    • secure processor/ system on chip
    • secure certificate and key store
    • encryption
    • identification
  • Secure software update via the Internet
  • Industrial quality
    • temperature range -40..+85 °C
    • long product lifetime (long-term availability)
    • EMC and radio certification
    • developed according to Solcept processes (CMMI for Development (Maturity Level 3), ISO 9001)

Your Application

The specific application (developed in C/ C++) can include, but is not limited to:

  • Operator interface
    • local operating interface
      • GUI development based on the platform framework
        • e.g. automatic generation of menu trees
  • Analysis and signal processing of sensors
    • position (satellite navigation)
    • temperature, humidity, air quality
    • position in space, attitude, distance
    • vibrations, acceleration, forces, weight
    • current, voltage measurements
  • Control of actuators
    • switching of (resistive) loads
    • stepper, DC, BLDC motor
  • Any control function

Technology Base

This Standard System Design is based on the following technologies:

  • Microcontroller
    • ARM Cortex-M
  • Operating system
  • Display
    • LVDS
  • Security
    • unique ID
    • cryptography unit
    • external Secure Element
  • Interfaces & protocols
    • Wired
      • Profinet, EtherCAT, Profibus
      • CAN, LIN, IOlink
    • Wireless
    • "IoT/ IIoT"
      • MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport)
      • AMQP (Advanced Message Queuing Protocol)
      • CoAP (Constrained Application Protocol)
    • Towards sensors, actors...
      • USB, UART
      • SPI, I2C
      • ADC, DAC
      • current/ voltage interfaces

Projects? Ideas? Questions? Let's do a free initial workshop!