Handheld Device Design for the Automotive Industry

cmclivingston.com / Customers / Automotive

Automotive

Vehicle Diagnostic Tool

Customer: Daimler Chrysler - MCC Smart

Application: Vehicle Diagnostics

Custom Design:

Embedded CAN-bus Card
Ruggedised mechanics and enclosure
Custom I/O panel
SMART livery

In-car electronics have reached a new level of sophistication with the increasing use of the Electronic Control Unit (ECU). From its humble beginnings, this is now a device capable of communication with a wide range of vehicle components, ranging from the engine management systems and suspension control, to power window regulators and lighting systems.

Daimler-Chrysler needed a diagnostic tool enabling quick interrogation of central management system processors, reducing diagnostic times and saving money.

Of crucial importance to the SMART R&D team, the handheld could be modified to exactly meet the technical specifications, and withstand the demanding environment, of the automotive industry. This unit, capable of communicating with ECU's using CANbus communication protocol, represents a massive leap forward - it is, in effect, a handheld CANbus diagnostic tool.

"We identified at an early stage the shortcomings of the PC-based solution," says Hendrik Salomon of SMART, who is the Project Leader in the development of this groundbreaking instrument. "Windows CE offered the solution, but we needed a suitable platform. Following a period of evaluation, we selected the DI-225." He goes on: "The ability to fully integrate our CANBUS hardware into the unit, and to customise the connector panel was ideal. The size and weight of the unit allows us to connect the diagnostic tool to the ECU from within the car cockpit. It gives us the flexibility we need, which translates to a valuable reduction in time to market for SMART."

Please note that the prototype Daimler Chrysler Diagnostic Tool discussed in this article is not available for sale from SKF.

If you have a requirement to create a diagnostic instrument for the automotive industry, please get in touch and we would be delighted to discuss your project further with you.

Automotive Image

Automotive.

The power of SKF knowledge engineering can assist customers operating in demanding automotive environments, with applications that extend far beyond the traditional areas that SKF is world renowned.

For example, SKF CMC Livingston is the centre of excellence within SKF for portable instrumentation and computing solutions. Our specialist knowledge in designing fully ruggedised electronic devices, creating and integrating custom electronics, experience and mobile instrumentation building blocks can all be combined to provide unique solutions for your automotive portable device and instrumentation requirements.

The result is a one-stop shop for your outsourced product design, development, and manufacturing requirements.

Our approach to product design and development reduces your time to market, saves you money, and gives you the ability to move your project forward by quickly creating fully working, complex instrumentation prototypes.