Digital Controllers
| North Star
designs digital controllers for servo valves, direct or geared motor-driven
mechanisms, cameras, VCRs, transducers, and gimbals. Check out some of
these examples: |
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Common
Sensor Interface
The
Common Sensor Interface (CSI) controls three sensors on an optical bench and
communicates to a host controller located far away via RS-232 serial datalink.
The CSI uses an embedded Rabbit2000 microprocessor.
CSI Datasheet (.pdf)
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Timing and Control
Board
The Esonix
Timing and Control (T&C) Board was designed to upgrade and
replace an obsolete controller. The Esonix T&C board controls a
high-frequency switching amplifier (H-bridge) to deliver very high power to an
ultrasonic impact generator tool. The Esonix searches and phase-locks to
the impact transducer's resonant frequency somewhere between 27 and 55kHz, and
delivers almost 100 Amps of current. The T&C uses a programmable logic
device for the control algorithm.
T&C
Datasheet (.pdf)
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Fire Control Computer
Designed to control a
weapon mount, the Fire Control Computer utilizes the Intel x86 family of Pentium
processors. It controls a three-axis weapon mount (train, gun, and sight), three sensors, and
overlays tactical graphics for firing the weapon and configuration menus for
setting up the system. The FCC includes embedded software for ballistic
calculations for several different types of ammunition. The code has been
certified safe and is in operation.
FCC
Remote Datasheet (.pdf)
FCC Console Datasheet
(.pdf)
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 Programmable Flow Controller
Utilizing
a new state-of-the-art digital signal processor (DSP), the programmable flow
controller (PFC) controls the flow of fire retardant dropped from aircraft while
fighting forest fires. The DSP and embedded software control a servo
valve, and receive inputs from a cockpit-mounted control box. The
PFC is pre-programmed with tables of data about the various flow
characteristics of different aircraft tanks. The pilot selects one of
several flow rates using a selector switch, then presses a single button to
initiate the drop. The controller automatically calculates all the
parameters and
controls the drop from start to finish, including cleanout if the tank is empty.
PFC Datasheet (.pdf)
Other Digital
Controllers
Click on any of the
links below for more information:
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