Universal Drive Configuration Tool

In 2017, PSA was contacted by a global company specializing in application-engineered fractional-horsepower motor and motion products for the industrial, commercial market, and consumer product applications. To control the motors’ torque speed smoothly and accurately, specific drives are commonly used. This function is critical for the proper operation of particular mechanisms, such as elevators, cranes, conveyor belts, mixers, extruders, and the like.

Expand the range of products to increase the number of target sales industries.

Create a solution to simply and cost-effectively coordinate the performance of various motor types.

To simplify the control operations within motors, the drive had to be universal; that is, be compatible with all types and models of motors produced by a company. To provide seamless interaction with the drive, we needed to develop a custom desktop application. First, we visited the client’s production facility to identify requirements for the Universal Drive Configuration Tool. 

Together with the client, we defined the significant user capabilities:

• Create and manage drive configuring projects;

• Look for and store motor and drive parameters in databases;

• Communicate with attached drives;

• Receive the actual operational values of the attached drive;

• Check and run the updates; 

• Select a UI language.

At the design stage, we identified USB communication protocol as optimal to send and receive the data and configure the system. We selected technologies to be used in the application and libraries development, and created the UI/UX design of the application. To provide drive management capability within 3-rd party applications, we developed an API for communication with drives with the special library. 

To provide our clients engineers with access to all drive parameters and special tools, we designed both Standard and Factory modes of the application by implementing corresponding packages.

To make the tool user-friendly, we also designed and implemented Interactive User Guide. 

At the end of the project, the client got an installation package and the source code.

• Requirements clarification
• User stories creation
• Architecture design
• Software design and development
• Firmware development
• Communication library development
• Minimum Viable Product (MVP) development
• GUI development
• Storyboards creation
• Documentation creation
• Functional and performance testing