Development Process
Conception of the electronics and software

Ideas and Conception Analysis

development step 1

The customer's specifications, the client's ideas or even a workshop are the essential for the successful start of the first important phase in approaching the development of devices and solutions. The analysis of important information is a core part of the first development step. In the customer´s specifications basic requirements are defined for the customer-specific development. The design of the solution is open to different approaches. The engineers for electronics and computer science examine and analyse the newest technologie, all innovations that are available on the market, competitor products and preliminary work that has already been done. At pironex the following principle is lived and breathed throughout the organisation: the product to be developed must look good, have many functions and actually be producible. The costs are to be evaluated with the actual functions in the result and recorded in the specification.

pironex GmbH fulfils the requirements according to the QM system ISO-9001.

Scope of Services for Customer-Specific Device Development

In regards to complex and functional product development, the following technical topics would be worked on:

  • Development of concepts and specifications partially or for the entire system
  • Draft design and usability
  • Selection and coordination of device housing
  • Case design and technical draft
  • Mechanical development of the device
  • Electronics development
  • Development of the embedded software
  • Development of PC software for control and evaluation
  • Backend software for collecting and processing of data
  • Frontend software for data visualisation and user interaction
  • Creation of native apps for Android/iOS

Development Process, Testing and Prototypes

The following provides a list of development steps that would mainly be used in order to plan for the work involved with a development project.

  • Drafting and Creating the Functional Specification
    • Functional requirements for the electronics have been determined
  • A-Sample:
    • Printed circuit board in the target format for the final product
    • Programming of the commissioning software
    • Commissioning and troubleshooting
    • partially functional device software
  • B-Sample:
    • Error-corrected hardware
    • Almost all functional software features are implemented
    • Functional but partially untested modules are available in small numbers
    • EMC Tests and Certifications are in progress
  • C-Sample:
    • Pre-production sample matches the design and target function
  • D-Sample:
    • Pilot series devices for field testing
  • Series
    • Product support

Main Areas of Work Concept/Specification Creation

Requirements:

  • Agreement on project specifics
  • Defining of electronic and software functionalities
  • Development of functional processes
  • Design and usability of user software
  • Defining of the interfaces to mechanics and operation
  • Defining of the core components (CPU, interfaces, performance classes)
  • Research, component functionality and availability
  • Joint review with customer

Result:

  • Precise specification of the customer-specific development
  • Defining the test and acceptance parameters
  • Project plan (time, cost, suppliers)
  • Final approved specification

Main Areas of Work: Development of Electronics

Scope of Work:

  • Creation of component libraries
  • Analogue and digital circuit development
  • Simulation of circuit parts and functions
  • Checking the availability of components used
  • Critical review of the EMC protection measures of the circuit in hand
  • Defining the PCB (shape, layer structure)
  • Decoupling  of the PCB (EMC compliant multi-layer design)
  • Assembly of the PCB (optionally with an external service provider)
  • Commissioning the module (testing the basic functions)
  • EMC pre-testing during development (optional)

Result:

Functional testing under laboratory conditions in accordance to customer requirements

Main Areas of Work: Housing Development

Scope of Work:

  • Defining requirements of housing - shape, function and size
  • Checking feasibility of design draft
  • Exterior design of housing
  • Design of the housing parts (fixtures and brackets)
  • Housing construction and any movement of the housing parts
  • Construction of prototype sample
  • Checking the housing in terms of function, shape and feel
  • Adjustment and adaptations of the prototypes
  • Creation of production documents
  • Production support

Result:

  • Functional housings tested under laboratory conditions in accordance to customer requirements

Main Areas of Work: Software Development

The integration of the operating system software is offered as part of the development project.

Scope of Work:

  • Creation of the commissioning software with the basic functions
  • Driver development (Linux Kernel/Barebone)
  • Functional software in accordance with specification requirements
  • Development of functional bootloaders
  • Creation of test routines for functional validation purposes
  • PC configuration software for the production process
  • Backend and frontend application
  • Development of native apps for Android and iOS

Result:

  • Embedded software
  • Measurement and communication software (Windows, Linux)
  • Native app (Android or iOS)
  • Platform solution (databases, backend, frontend)