INTEGRATED DESIGN, MANUFACTURE AND TEST - ECD M.O.L.E.® Thermal Profilers

ECD M.O.L.E.® thermal profilers are sophisticated devices equipped with configurable temperature monitoring, built-in rechargeable battery, RF link for real time thermal monitoring, and bootloader so firmware updates can be made from the field. 

The Challenge

When thermal profiling pioneer ECD approached ControlTek they were looking for a highly technical partner to complement their resources and work effectively with their other mechanical design partners. ECD had plans for a new line of thermal profiling devices, one that would eventually include multiple models and improve and expand on other ECD products already in the market.

Knowing the product line would grow and would also need to communicate with other products, ControlTek's engineering team quickly integrated with ECD's team in order to address the problem of compatibility.

ControlTek engineers started with the design of an embedded microcontroller and firmware for precision analog circuitry design. They then collaborated with ECD's mechanical design to design custom connectors and device packaging and prepared communications protocol documentation to support ECD’s development of its PC based monitoring and profiling software.

The Results

ControlTek's approach to design includes plenty of time upfront to understand our clients' needs to ensure we address the right problems during design. By making the right design decisions early in the design process, our engineers were able to ensure finished designs were ready for successful production on the first iteration and for several subsequent releases.   

ECD also benefited from early involvement with ControlTek’s manufacturing engineers, ensuring product designs were ready for manufacture and production test fixtures and test scripts were created quickly in-house for product modules.

The ECD temperature monitors can be found in use around the world today, and the products have helped to create a longterm partnership between ECD and ControlTek built on successful collaboration.