Electronics Development for Sensors and Instruments

Typically, we perform most of the electronic hardware and software development at our own facility. Most projects require confidentiality, and we are fully committed to executing a reasonable non-disclosure agreement.

Our Electronic Hardware Development Process consists of the following steps:

	First we review your system level needs and translate those needs to a required group of subsystems.
	We then determine the requirements for each of the subsystems. If research or experimental testing is needed to assure the required technology is fully understood prior to a detailed design of the subsystems, we identify those needs and do the necessary work and reporting.
	Once all of the required technologies are understood, we then do the detailed circuit design.
	This is followed by a careful "blue printing" of critical circuits.  Circuit blue printing is a subsystem evaluation of the first prototype where each component value is measured and the outputs of important circuits are calculated based upon the measured component values.
	Once a design survives blueprint testing of individual subsystems, it is ready for system level testing.

We are here to assist you with a successful project. Typical hardware deliverables include hardware requirements report, schematics, parts list, assembly drawings, component data sheets, net list, PCB CAD files (e.g., Gerber files), analysis reports (upon request), and test reports (upon request).

Our Software Development Process consists of the following steps:

	Requirements analysis
	Architectural design
	Software construction (including design, coding, testing, and system integration and validation testing)
	Documentation, and;
	Release

Our development process allows for incremental, controlled development in preplanned stages. This allows you to view real project progress against planned milestones. Iterative development allows the project to be adjusted based on your feedback and approved changes. Throughout the process, we conduct quality control to ensure that our process standards are properly followed. This Software Development Process assures that the project development costs are kept under control.

Where practical, we use object-oriented methods to make it easier to create and maintain the software. Where possible, we reuse generic code for the user interface, serial communications, graphics, and so forth. This reuse of code can substantially reduce the cost of development.

We use up-to-date tools for development of the software. This maximizes the productivity of our development staff. If applicable, we also use hardware simulators to allow development of the software in parallel with hardware development.

Typical software deliverables include Software Requirements Report, Software Design Report, Staged Delivery Plan, Software Test Report, Project Documentation File, and source, object and executable files on diskette. In most cases, the Users Manual can be drafted from the requirements and design reports.

For more information on our software development capabilities and experience, please refer to our web page titled "Software Development Services for Sensors and Instruments."