Control, Communications and Power Supplies for a Game--Changing new Flat Panel Antenna - No dish, no moving parts. Design and analysis.
High precision analog measurement products - Design and analysis. Used in industrial applications.
Laser-based Products --- Performing the design and analysis of specialized switching power supplies used to drive lasers over a wide variety of power levels. Products are used by the US Military and a number of Police departments.
New Medical Instrumentation --- Performed worst case analyses of digital, analog, linear and switching power supplies, loading, timing, and power dissipation on a number of designs, as well as analysis of FPGA Verilog code. Recommended and instituted design improvements.
Medical Instrumentation --- Performed a detailed product definition effort, as well as developed a large, extensive and at times highly complex VHDL design, with detailed simulation and documentation in the effort to meet those requirements.
New
Satellite Thruster Controller --- Improved
thruster controller design, working with another Digital Engineer, helped
complete the design in full VHDL, no schematic capture. Also completed
detailed power, loading and timing analyses, with complete design documentation
package.
Two
Satellite Thruster Controllers --- We
were brought in by one of our repeat clients to work on two new satellite
thruster controllers. Both designs are very different from each other.
One controls a considerable amount of power, generating a fair amount
of force. The other simply controls a very small amount of power, generating
a very small force. In Space it doesn't take much force to slowly move
tons of satellite.
Another Satellite Design
--- Our firm was called in to assist with the digital electronics for
another spacecraft design.
And
we were involved in layout of one of their boards. Our client also had
the need for a Graphical User Interface (GUI). One of our Software Engineers
was called in to write the GUI. The entire application was designed,
written, and debugged in two weeks. This package received many compliments.
Precision
Measuring Device --- One of our clients was designing an instrument
to make precision measurements using a patented approach they had
developed. We were called in to design circuitry that would interface
to their measurement circuitry, as well as perform various other functions.
We successfully completed the design, working closely with theirSoftware
Engineers.
Thruster Controller
--- We designed the thruster control electronics for a spacecraft,
integrated into several Field 
Programmable
Gate Array (FPGA) designs. These Integrated Circuits (IC's) provide
the many unique timing signals required to turn on and off various
circuits. Extensive worst case power, loading, and timing analyses
were performed to ensure the extremely high reliability mandatory
in Space flight.
I/O Intensive Controller Board --- The initial design was based
on Motorola's MC68360 communications processor which uses a CPU32
core. Our client needed to support several communications modes, using
software to easily change operation to match their customer's varied
requirements.
External circuitry
included an IEEE interface. Additional hardware, i.e. "hooks",
were placed in the design to allow an Ethernet interface to be included.
The board was up
and working when the Software Engineers decided they needed even more
speed. Our client asked us to come back and remove the MC68360 and
replace it with the more powerful MPC860 which we did.
Video
Color Graphics --- Our firm designed a PC plug-in card that took
gray scale converting each level real-time into a software selectable
color. We also handled text and graphics.
Another client
had us convert a standard monochrome Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
on a portable piece of equipment to a color Thin Film Technology (TFT)
LCD display. We were also involved in writing portions of the software
used to debug and test the design.
Large Crane
Positioning Controller --- A very large crane needed an improved
positioning controller. The system we developed allowed the operator
to use joysticks to easily maneuver the crane sections.
Spread Spectrum
Technology Radios --- Two separate clients have had us integrate
Spread Spectrum Technology (SST) radios in their equipment. The advantage
of SST is that the Federal Communications Commission does not require
a site license for each radio, and these radios have fairly good transmission
range. The energy of the transmission is spread over a broad spectrum
of frequencies, meaning the energy level at a particular frequency
is relatively low.
Ethernet
--- Our firm designed an Ethernet repeater, and aided in the development
of the substantial amount of software needed to communicate over the
repeater. While completing this project, we were asked by our client
to study another of their products to find why it exhibited intermittent
problems. Performing a detailed timing analysis, we found the problem,
and proposed and implemented the successful solution.
Moving-Display
Controller --- An innovative advertising display designed by one
of our clients needed a specialized controller which we successfully
developed.
Light Metering
System --- Our firm designed and developed the hardware and the
embedded software for a light intensity measurement system. We also
designed and developed the PC based system level software used to
automate the calibration of the device.
Cellular Radio
System Controller --- One client asked us to take multiple circuit
boards and a lot of hand intensive assembly and wiring, and give them
back one board that was more reliable, manufacturable, and specific
to their needs. We successfully completed that design.
Audio
Products --- Four of our Engineers and one technician were involved
in designing an audio application. The system included a Digital Signal
Processor (DSP), precision, low noise analog circuitry, extensive
software development, and Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA).
Design and
Debug Tools --- Our firm has the C compilers, assemblers, and
software simulators for embedded software design, and C/C compiler,
assembler, and debugger for system level software design. We also
have the complete Altera Quartus™ and Xilinx development tools
for the design of Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLDs) and Field
Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). Our company uses the latest OrCAD
schematic capture. We have considerable experience with Cadence's
Concept schematic capture package. We also design in the high level
VHDL language and we have powerful analog simulation and analyses
tools. Several Printed Circuit Board (PCB) layout tools are used by
our Circuit Board Layout Designers, allowing us to select the methods
that best meet our clients' varied needs. And the same is true with
our Mechanical CAD capabilities. Our hardware debug tool experience
includes various evaluation boards, emulators, logic analyzers, serial
analyzers, oscilloscopes, waveform generators, and much more.
Altera / Xilinx
/ Actel CPLD's and FPGA's, and Texas Instruments DSP's --- We
have considerable experience in the design of Altera and Actel's Complex
Programmable Logic Devices (CPLDs) and Field Programmable Gate Arrays
(FPGAs), using their powerful design tools. Several of our projects
use these parts to reduce board space requirements, add flexibility
to the designs, conserve power, and improve product reliability by
reducing overall parts count. They reduce inventory and the associated
costs, as one part can be programmed for several different applications.
We also have design experience with Xilinx's FPGAs. Our Digital Signal
Processing (DSP) expertise focuses on the broad Texas Instruments
family of DSP processors. We have branched out to other DSP manufacturers
as well. We also have the ability to embed processors with FPGAs,
and develop the software which they operate.
Motorola / Intel
/ Microchip Technology Processors ---- Our product designs have
included the Motorola 6800/02, 68X05, 68HC11, 68HC16, 68000, 68008,
and their powerful communications processors, the 68360 and MPC860,
with an option for the 68160 Ethernet transceiver. We've also completed
many designs with the Intel 8X48, 8X31/51, 8085, 80152, 80186, 80188,
and 80596SX. Several of our other projects have used various members
of the Microchip Technology "PIC" family of single-chip
RISC-like (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) processors. One family
of products we have developed using the PIC processors allows disabled
people to play the Nintendo game systems, full speed, with many added
special capabilities.
Worst Case
Analyses and PCB Layout --- Whether our firm does the product
design, or we are called in to analyze someone else's work, we conduct
thorough, detailed worst case analyses. These analyses include power
dissipation, capacitive and resistive loading, and signal timing.
Our firm has extensive experience in proper components placement,
power and signal filtering, grounding and shielding, impedance matching
of signals to reduce transmission line effects, and overall organization
of PCB documentation for layout. We also take into account reliability,
manufacturability, testability, and cost goals. Our goal is to help
our clients improve their products, while attempting to contain costs.
Some of the hidden costs we deal with include the reduction of field
failures and no-problems-found, lower MTBF (Mean Time Before Failure)
/ MTTF (Mean Time To Failure) rates, and reduced warrantee, maintenance
and repair costs. All of which can lead to happier customers and increased
profits.
Safety Engineering, FCC and European Community (EC) Certifications
--- Our firm has many years of experience in Safety Engineering, both
U.S. and international. We also have considerable expertise in FCC/EC
test and certification Engineering. We help clients determine what
is necessary to meet the complex and often confusing safety and EMI/RFI
specifications and regulations. We also provide EMI/RFI testing, documentation,
and technical assistance in the certification process. Prior to formal
certification, our firm can do preliminary testing and analysis of
your product at local EMI/RFI test sites, to determine if design changes
would improve your chances of passing the formal tests. And we have
the Design Engineers whom you can call on to help you make those changes
if deemed necessary. Our firm can also assist you with self certification
when determined it is permissible.
Andrews
& Associates Engineering, Inc.
17409 - 57th Avenue West
Lynnwood, WA 98037 U.S.A.
Cell: 206-390-8607
