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Automation Project Examples and Case Studies

Explore a few examples of completed automation projects:

An automated life cycle test machine for evaluating duability and reliability of medical devices.

Problem solved for Nordson Medical

Need: Life cycle test machine to repeatedly connect and disconnect tubing couplings with requirements including:

  • benchtop size and easy to set up and run tests
  • able to independently run tests on 3 sets of 5 couplings each
  • adjustable travel, speed, number of cycles
  • self-aligning mechanism
  • ability to detect failure to connect or disconnect

CAMDAC's solution:

  • stepper motors and linear slides for precise motion
  • PLC-based control and touch-screen HMI for simple and reliable operation
  • sliding racks for easy access to each set of test stations
test fixture for ASTM D2990 tensile creep testing

Problem solved for an independent test lab:

Need: Fixtures to perform ASTM D2990 tensile creep tests with the following requirements:

  • compact design to fit limited space

  • applies constant load of up to 200 pounds to each specimen

  • automatic recording of strain measurements at specified intervals

 

CAMDAC's solution:

  • compact fixture using lever arms to multiply the force of hanging weights

  • custom data acquisition application created with LabVIEW for automated recording of strain measurements

  • best commercial strain data acquisition module selected

  • software drivers and hardware wired and configured

  • shock absorbing lever-arm support in case of specimen rupture

Components of an automated control system for heating of a test apparatus.

Problem solved for an independent test laboratory:

Need: An unusual test program required hot air, up to 250F, be circulated through a section of pipe. This required consideration of:

  • safe operation of heater
  • steady temperature control
  • display and recording of temperature at 16 locations

CAMDAC's solution:

  • custom built PID control box
  • temperature switch to shut off heater in case of fan or control failure
  • strip heater sized and installed in metal duct section
  • installation of heater in client's test setup

  • placement of thermocouples and configuration of data acquisition computer

An example of a LabVIEW program front panel.

When performing a plastic deformation test (ASTM D648 - Deflection Temperature Under Load), a technician was manually recording temperature and deflection readings every 5 minutes until each specimen failed. This was a perfect situation for automating a time-consuming and tedious process. LabVIEW was used to create a custom program that acquired the data from the instruments, calculated results and saved everything in a spreadsheet file. Technicians were set free to work on other tasks while this test was running automatically.    

PID temperature controller and custom-designed panel in an enclosure.

A client had a plastic molding specification with a very tight tolerance for the cool-down rate -- but their press simply wasn't designed to meet it.

 

CAMDAC designed, assembled, and integrated a PID temperature controller into the existing control system and tuned it to work exactly as needed.

 

"John sucessfully designed and built a temperature controller to retrofit our older press, enabling us to comply with our testing requirements. Automating this older model required many fine-tuning hours which John dedicated to ensure it was working properly. A much-appreciated success."

An example of a LabVIEW program used for a LIMS system.

A chemical analysis laboratory with a heavy sample workload needed a simple LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) program to automatically perform some of the repetitive and tedious tasks associated with gathering, processing, and reporting test results. CAMDAC used LabVIEW to create a custom executable program, created an ethernet network to communicate with instruments through various protocols (RS232 and TCP/IP), and modified the client's report template so that the LIMS program automatically generates the report. Lab personnel are now able to use their time more efficiently and their samples can be analyzed and reported in a shorter time.