Educational training equipment - Product design & development
3Minds were approached by Bytronic Ltd to completely redevelop their PCT100 Process Control training system. These poducts can be found in some of the leading Universities, Colleges and Training Centres around the world.
This project included the design of the Controller and Rig interface PCBs. To assist with cost reduction the component count and sub-assemblies have been kept to a minimum. All the interface items, the Power and Fault switches, Test points, LED's, Connectors and Connector plates are all fitted directly to the main PCB which is fitted to a silk-screened Aluminium front panel. All the remaining power components are fitted to the Zintec fabricated chassis.
The Controller unit is able to interface with either a PC via USB, or directly to a PLC. The training application provides the student with safe control of the individual process elements, which include pump, heater, proportional valves and cooling fan. Input sensors include temperature, pressure, level and flow rate.
Guitar tutor - Concept design & development
3Minds worked with Splashplay Ltd. in it's development of a patented electronic guitar tutor. The product uses an electro-luminescent panel on the fret board. A control module was designed to light segments using data streamed from a mobile phone via Bluetooth.
3Minds were appraoched initially to finalise the concept in a very small form factor, suitable for mounting to the neck of the guitar. The design process included the PCB layout and firmware.
Further development and value engineering of the design has since been carried out, with particular consideration to power consumption, battery life and manufacturing costs.
3Minds built prototypes for evaluation and market testing.
