Case Studies

Industrial Automation Systems for the Plant Floor

We Develop, Engineer, Build, Test, Control, Monitor, Report, Analyze, and Archive.

Case Study - Diesel Engine Assembly and Testing

For over 35 years, Comptek has been a partner with Cummins Incorporated to provide engineering services and systems for diesel engine assembly and test applications.

Comptek currently supports engine test systems in 15 Cummins manufacturing plants worldwide. Comptek test software runs comprehensive diesel engine functional tests in over 115 end of assembly line test cells.

Each manufacturing facility typically has multiple test cells networked together. The Comptek Production Test Network is connected directly with the plant engine scheduling database and executes tests by selecting pre-determined model dependent test schedules which vary the test procedure and test limits to the engine performance specifications. Upon completion of the test a pass/fail determination is made and test results are reported to the plant manufacturing database.

Along the assembly line, Comptek provides software engineering services to design, develop, maintain and support assembly line stations for programming the engine specific information and calibrations into the engine control module (ECM).

Comptek also provides Cummins software engineering to design, develop, maintain and support in-process verification stations which communicate via CAN bus to modules on the diesel engine as it is being manufactured on the assembly line.

Case Study - Generator Set Test

A major manufacturer or generator sets (an engine and generator combined into one power package) needed to test their product across a wide variety of models and performance standards. They manufacture generator sets that range from 7 KiloWatts to 100 MegaWatts and wanted a common test controls architecture they could use for all of the products. Having this capability would provide for a common hardware interface and common software support across all of their product test areas.

Tapping into Comptek’s vast experience in engine based test systems we were able to provide them with a solution that would work across their entire product line in all of their test areas.

Currently our customer is running Comptek software at over 20 test stations. Their maintenance and product engineering personnel only need to support one common test system which saves them time, effort and expense.

The Comptek Generator Set Test system provides commonality across all product models for the following:

  • Draws model dependent test specifications from a common plant database
  • Provides common editors for test scheduling and definition of test data limits
  • Provides common interfaces to a variety of controls hardware for different test areas
  • Engineers can easily re-configure the system for a variety of generator set interfaces (load banks, power monitoring equipment, and data acquisition equipment).
  • Common test limit and test results databases are used
  • Provides a common user friendly operator interface

Case Study - Exhaust Sensor and Harness Verification

New Federal Emissions standards are causing many automotive companies to redesign their powertrain packages to provide better fuel economy and fewer pollutants. As a result, many powertrain subsystems and devices are becoming more sophisticated. This was the case with one manufacturer of exhaust systems who was chartered with the requirement to test and verify electronic components that were now required as a part of the exhaust assembly.

The manufacturer was required to verify the functionality of temperature probes and pressure transducers that were mounted to the exhaust assembly and connected by a common wire harness. A pressurized leak test was also performed on the part.

Comptek used it`s computer based controls expertise to deliver a simple and cost effective system that would plug into the harness connector and test the harness and electronic devices for continuity and functionality. The computer based system was simple and easy to use for plant floor assembly personnel. The system was configured to run functional tests on various exhaust assemblies and save the performance results to a database. Engineers could query the database to determine failure trends in their assembly process.

Case Study - Embedded System

A major manufacturer of diesel engines needed a device to program ECM`s while mounted on the engines, as they travel down the assembly lines. This manufacturer produces a wide variety of engine models, on several different types of assembly lines, in plants around the world. The ideal solution for their application was determined to be a small box that could:

  • Communicate wirelessly with a host computer to obtain build information and ECM programs
  • Operate indefinitely on 24VDC, or up to an hour on battery power
  • Be mountable on a bracket, hang from a cable, or be handheld
  • Control power and key switch to the ECM
  • Communicate with the ECM via J1939 protocol
  • Operate without a keyboard or mouse, but have a USB port for an optional barcode scanner

Drawing on our experience with CAN bus communications, instrumentation and control systems, and custom software development, we developed a device that meets or exceeds all of our customer`s requirements. And, it`s affordable enough to deploy dozens of units on each assembly line.

Contact us to discuss your control and monitoring needs. We can provide unique automation innovation in your manufacturing facility and throughout your enterprise, please email or call us at 1-248-477-5215.