Projects

UCE Projects

All UCE software was written in Macro Assembler.
UCE is now discontinued. It was a 1980's-design machine controller featuring one or two axis motion control and a custom networking capability. It is shortly to be replaced with a 21st century version with Modbus communication and USB flash-disk
• A general purpose Replacement Control Panel for bandknife splitting Machines.
  Ten of these have now been built and installed as partial or complete replacements.
• Replace obsolete CNC controls on Cardboard Box Folding Machine and on Die-cutting Press.
• A Production Line control system making duvets, (carding, sewing, cutting, overlocking, weighing).
  A network of an industrial PC and 5 UCEs running three different programs.
  A second system was built and installed in Capetown, South Africa.
• A Data recording system to log machine production and downtime,
  with UCE wallboxes networked to a central PC
• Temperature Controller for heated moulding press. Dual cascaded PID control.
• Sequencer for cushion filling machine. Allows sets of different sized cushions to be produced in a single run.

  Other Industrial Microprocessor projects

• Replace punched tape control on CNC Quilt Pattern Sewing Machines with microprocessor and EPROM cartridges.
• Fan Controller for laboratory clean-air cabinets. Designed, programmed and supervised manufacture.
• Turnstile control systems used in swimming pools, football grounds, car parks and duty-free shops.
• Servo synchroniser unit to operate a flying shear on a production line.

  Data Communications Microprocessor projects

• A time-division Multiplexor for multiple lines at 64kbps and higher. Designed and sold the design to a major manufacturer. Microprocessor control (MC6802) with hardware data paths in PAL FPGAs and a CMOS ASIC. Frequency synthesised dynamically switchable synchronous and asynchronous channels.
• A Reverse Multiplexor to combine two 9600bps lines.

  Industrial Software Projects

• Bedquilt thermal resistance (tog value) measuring instrument.
• Area measuring video camera system.
• Turnstile recording / crowd control system for football clubs.
• Worked as Millenium Bug Auditor for multinational company.
• Cardboard and timber case Costing System for an export packaging company. Written in Microsoft Excel and Visual Basic.
• Plant Mimic Display system, Production Recording and control software for Duvet production line. Written in C and running on an industrial PC.
• USB Flash disk operating system for microcontrollers.
• Interface software in C to connect the Logging System to an industry-standard spreadsheet on a PC.
• Program prototype Rotary Die-cutting machine using a Parker programmable motor controller .
• Program a prototype Sponge Buffing machine using an Allen-Bradley PLC.
• Modify undocumented software in glue spraying machine using a Siemens PLC.
• CAD program for quilt sewing patterns for my CNC system. Originally written in BASIC, later rewritten in C to run on a PC.
• Interface software to link Apple Macintosh Plant Inventory Database to Honewell Distributed Control System.
• Logic simulator tool originally written in PASCAL to run on Apple II.

  Other Hardware Projects

• A 250A Solid State Switch for pulsed resistance heating transformers.
• Temperature Controller for hand-held welder for polyethylene packing.
• Motorised 'Frictionless' Thrust Bearing for musical string winding.
• Very low cost Air Velocity Sensor for fan control and draught detection.
• Heatflow sensor for measuring heat loss from buildings.
• Turnstile control and counter unit with PC networking.
• Test rig for DC servo drives
• Computer workstation chair.