Tips & Tricks: How to Ruggedize an Embedded Control System – Feature in Control Engineering

10 Tips For Making Rugged Control Systems Include Knowing The End User Of The Product, How The Product Will Be Used, And Operating Conditions. Which Are The Most Important Attributes, And Which One Requires The Most Careful Consideration?

July 20th, 2011

Important tips for ruggedizing embedded control systems include knowing the end user of the product, how the product will be used, and operating conditions. Below the list, learn which attributes are most important and which one requires the most critical consideration.

1. Who is the end user of the product?
2. How will the product be used?
3. What are (or will be) the conditions that the product will be exposed to?
4. Where will the product be placed or located?
5. What types of physical connections will be required?
6. What materials should be considered in the design of the product?
7. How will it be secured or attached?
8. What level of testing and what specific tests will be required?
9. When will the product be first installed?
10. How and how often will it need to be accessed?

When ruggedizing an embedded system for use in automation, controls, or instrumentation, which of the attributes above are most important and why?

How the product will be used and the conditions to which the product will be exposed are the key elements when ruggedizing a design. The first part (usage) defines the parameters of expectation; the designer should insist on understanding how the end customer will be expected to use the product. Although the product itself may not require human interaction on a regular basis, it will require human manipulation during its lifetime. That manipulation will take many forms:

• Manufacturability: Someone has to be able to build it.
• Installation: Someone has to be able to install, mount, and connect to it. For large volumes this may have to be repeated many times in a day.
• Usage: One way or another and at some point someone will have to interface with the product.
• Serviceability: The device will need to be serviced; access to it while maintaining integrity of the design (at times in the field) will need careful consideration.

The second part (exposure) indicates the practical side of design. If the customer’s specification calls for a design that is water resistant, but the end user plans to attach the product to the bottom of a boat, then that, and not the specification, should be the primary consideration. In such cases it will be up to the designer to push back and have the specifications changed to meet the expected performance. Many good designs have failed in the field by adhering strictly to the customer’s requirements without challenge.

Tip number 8, involving “specific tests,” isn’t among the “most important” for various reasons, primarily because blindly requesting specific tests (or blanket tests) without knowing the aforementioned items is pointless. It will add unnecessary costs and potential bulk to the product.  Invariably it will miss the mark with the end customer by being too expensive or too big.

Also, test specifications are at times used as a “cover all bases” method.  It can be a wonderful thing to follow but also can be a dangerous road when taken as gospel without deep understanding of its intended application. Often customers will ask for a specific test standard to be followed “to the letter, and in its entirety.” Just because there is a test for the survivability of a product if it is thrown out of an airplane at 35,000 ft, doesn’t mean you have to design the product to adhere to it. The best design rule is to observe how a product will be used and push like mad to have the customer understand it.

Original Link – Control Engineering: http://www.controleng.com/home/single-article/tips-and-tricks-how-to-ruggedize-an-embedded-control-system/f1e265ed79.html

From Tele- What to Telematics – RTA and MOREY Featured in Grading & Excavation Contractor

From infant- to toddler-stage, construction equipment telematics tracking and management is on its feet.

June 2011

By Carol Wasson

Telematics may be defined loosely as the blending of computers and wireless communications technologies, although the contractors who currently employ telematics commonly refer to it as a “GPS system,” which requires a transmitter being attached to equipment to remotely monitor location and other key performance data. Estimates of telematics construction market penetration to this point vary from 3% to 10%. Manufacturers, both OEM and aftermarket, rightfully boast its many benefits—from greater equipment utilization to fuel costs savings, streamlined maintenance management and more. But until recently, its introduction was met with some amount of confusion and frustration. Many obstacles have been knocked from its path since then, making it truly viable for an abrasive and fast-moving construction environment.

Those considering the use of telematics systems are advised to determine what real-world payback they desire and establish a game plan before jumping in. Current users suggest starting with the basics and building from there. Consider the following:

• What specific goals can one achieve from the collection of key data?
• How does one tie reports to desired action?
• How should management react to employees who feel that “big brother is watching?”
• How can data be used to change actual human behaviors to positively affect the bottom line? The last is integral to telematics implementation and is one of the most important issues affecting its success.

We asked a number of providers for their thoughts on the situation as it stand today and the expansion of telematics capabilities and adoption in the future.

Ken Calvert, director of product support systems, Komatsu America Corp.

It’s fair to say that the adoption of telematics has entered the toddler stage. Because it’s common for most North American manufacturers to include a telematics system in the standard machine package, the reporting population base is reaching critical mass. This is causing machine owners to consider its integration into daily operations, leading to an interest in adding devices to legacy machines. Early adopters added telematics to machines more or less as an experiment to improve operations. Second-generation adopters realize telematics is here to stay and have a clear vision of its benefits.

Linking the office to the job site requires that end-users integrate telematics data into business systems, budgeting and planning, and daily decision-making and performance management. This integration needs to happen before machine owners will be able to benefit from a proliferation of features. As an example, when data is placed where it is easily accessed, then managers will check for an underutilized machine prior to ordering a short-term rental. Eventually, I see a time when manufacturers, distributors and machine owners use telematics information to manage performance-based contacts written around criteria such as machine productivity, efficiency, uptime, fuel consumption, and more.

The obvious future is machines streaming real-time CAN-bus data to troubleshoot assets, being able to do remote diagnostics and make embedded software changes on the fly. This is already a reality for certain mining-size machines, and the technology will push down to construction-sized equipment. Technology that is feasible but not yet cost effective will call for maintenance intervals based on results from onboard oil sampling and large-particle analysis. The balancing act isn’t what’s possible but what can be cost-justified in lowering owning and operating costs.

Komatsu’s KOMTRAX technology can be installed on any brand equipment and provide basic location and usage data, which is presented in a way that allows fleet managers to identify if the machine is working where it should be. Once a machine owner installs KOMTRAX on a unit, there are no monthly communication fees or service charges. Secondly, for fleets with mixed telematics, Komatsu provides an industry standard (AEMP) raw-data feed.

Renaat Ver Eecke, vice president and general manager, Navman Wireless, North America

Actual telematics construction market penetration is about 3%. A figure of 5% is inflated, as most of the OEMs are providing the systems as standard on their equipment, which leads to a very limited use of the technology.

Navman Wireless entered the construction market because we saw a void in this critical need and we felt we could address it better than anyone else in the industry. Since we are not an OEM, we are able to empower our customers to track assets across any make, model, and year that they own. Furthermore, since we provide solutions for both on-road and off-road assets, Navman Wireless customers are able to track not only their heavy equipment but also their vehicles. Often times, our customers have two times the number of vehicles as compared to heavy equipment. Thus, the ability to provide one platform to monitor all these assets is a critical value-added that we bring to this market segment.

The two main goals are maintenance and job costing. Remote and real-time capturing of engine hours allows for better planning of maintenance. Furthermore, it reduces costs by preventing over-maintenance of assets, while also decreasing costly downtime. A job-costing functionality allows contractors to allocate in real-time what a job is costing them, enabling them to use that data to improve the bidding on new jobs.

In the future, one could see a predictive management of fault codes coming from the engine. For example, if certain fault codes happen in a certain sequence, a failure could be predicted and sent to the equipment manager, which could possibly prevent catastrophic failures.

Christi Wilson, marketing representative, Caterpillar Inc.

Telematics is quickly becoming a minimum expectation in the industries we serve rather than a luxury or a puzzling techno-gadget. More and more customers are realizing the benefits of remote monitoring.

We noticed a marked change in understanding and demand since ConExpo 2008, when customers were uncomfortable with the technology and couldn’t imagine how it would benefit them. At ConExpo 2011, it was evident the adoption curve had spiked significantly. More customers understand basic asset management features and are anxious to extend its utilization to improve productivity and reduce costs.

Cat Product Link compares machine time in idling versus working. This simplifies the process of reallocating assets to improve productivity and utilization, which in turn reduces unproductive fuel consumption—resulting in higher overall efficiency as measured in material moved per gallon of fuel burned. This timely insight also prevents potential delays in work schedules, or even possible rental needs, by quick identification of machines that are being underutilized.

Also, contractors can identify maintenance and service needs before they become unplanned downtime, and can plan around production schedules.

With operator-generated alerts, Product Link helps the fleet manager spot patterns of harsh operation, which indicates a need for additional operator training. Also, GPS tags on alert help pinpoint site issues such as soft spots or too-steep grades, allowing the quick dispatch of a motor grader, for example, to take other appropriate action that can help improve fuel efficiency and enhance equipment life.

Cat Product Link is as much a part of the modern Cat machine as the engine or transmission. However, this expanded capability is extended to the entire fleet, regardless of make or model, allowing all equipment to be monitored in one secure web-based application eliminating the need to visit different applications with varying functionality. The new VisionLink application from Caterpillar’s partner, Trimble, offers enabling hardware that allows mixed-fleet owners to consolidate machine management efforts.

Steve McGough, chief operating officer, HCSS

When it comes to getting data from the field, time and accuracy are money, and telematics gets accurate information into decision-makers’ hands rapidly. By itself though, it is not a magic bullet. Telematics only takes care of gathering the information. In order for that information to be useful, you need an integrated back-office solution that can make sense of all the data.

Specifically, getting run-time hours automatically into your preventive maintenance and job costing systems is a big time saver and prevents over- or under-reporting. Theft alerting is always an issue, and you need a system that will not only text and e-mail but will actually call you when a possible theft might be occurring. Getting text or e-mail alerts for fault codes and speeding is a start, but you also need to use these events to generate alerts or potential work orders for the shop. You could also be using GPS information along with job and site information to automate your billing and to verify truck deliveries.

Currently, the market is really in a “show me” phase where telematics systems just make the data available to equipment managers. Going forward, these systems will move into a “show me where I can save money” phase wherein they will point out manageable areas such as fuel consumption and driver and operator habits. An equipment manager will then be able to benchmark a change and track the resulting cost savings.

Also, getting more intelligent data from the engine and transmission will allow owners to better schedule preventive maintenance work. Instead of a hard and fast rule of 250-, 500-, or 1,000-hour maintenance cycles, owners will be able to run real-time oil and fuel analysis to identify when maintenance needs to be done based on certain machine-level readings. At that point, the machine can also tell the shop what actually needs to be repaired or replaced so the mechanic can have all the parts needed for the day.

Taking an agnostic approach to telematics allows us to apply a solution regardless of make, model or age. HCSS can supply CAN-bus units that read robust data from the latest onboard computers, or we can supply analog devices with switches and relays for even the oldest of cable-operated machines. We then funnel all that data into the same easy-to-use interface so that our customers have one place to go to find the data they need.

Rugged Telematics Alliance (RTA)
Part of the vision behind the Rugged Telematics Alliance, which leverages the experience of a 7-member group of OEMs, is a solution that is taking the critical data coming from machines and extending the value of that data beyond basic remote monitoring or tracking capabilities. With the intelligence built into the solution, data can be repurposed to streamline any number of business processes for job status, planned versus actual hours, emissions validation, HR/payroll, validation of operator credentials, and more. The complexity is in correlating multiple things such as associating an equipment operator with work hours and connecting that to payroll—a complexity made easy by the object modeling capabilities inherent in the solution.

The ability to not only gather data, but to also make sense of the data in a way that is meaningful to its users will enable business model transformation across almost all industries. For example, with real-time visibility into a machine’s activity, a heavy equipment rental company might move to a usage-based pricing model instead of charging a flat rental fee.

The Rugged Telematics Alliance providers leverage available standards to make integration at the hardware and software level of the solution almost invisible to its users. The solution “normalizes” data coming from all different kinds of assets—placing it in a common format so a rule can always be applied in the same way. For example, the platform can make all engine data look similar so that customers can build applications without having to know the details of where the data came from. This enables customers to manage a diverse set of equipment within a single application—allowing them to monitor their entire fleet in one place.

Another advantage is the ease of tailoring thresholds and performance criteria within the applications for alarming or reporting purposes. Once the machines are reporting in, customers can see machine performance data in real-time, manipulate that data, and adjust thresholds or alarm notifications through a straightforward process that doesn’t require programming skills.

Craig Whitney, vice president of marketing, Networkfleet

Because Networkfleet continuously monitors GPS location, it provides reports that can be used to track workers’ time, reducing timesheet and payroll errors; or to locate the vehicle quickly, improving security.

Since Networkfleet connects directly to the vehicle’s engine computer (OBD-II), it monitors engine diagnostics, including fuel usage, idle time and emissions, giving construction managers the ability to reduce fuel expenses and repair costs.

In addition, Networkfleet offers a sensor expansion module (SEM) to give fleet managers access to more vehicle diagnostic data. The SEM detects voltage events from the vehicle, such as Power Take Off (PTO) engagement/ disengagement, secondary engine on/off, and door open/close. Users get detailed reports on sensor activity showing both the duration of events as well as the location of where those events took place. For example, a company can track the use of the “boom” on a cherry picker, or when a street sweeper broom has been engaged.

Telematics continues to evolve toward prognostics—helping to anticipate and fix critical vehicle or equipment issues and avoid costly maintenance costs or failures. These systems will gather more and more data from engines through sensors and then combine that data with predictive statistics to help identify and diagnose potential sources of problems.

Construction companies operate a variety of vehicle types and therefore need a way to track their entire fleet to improve asset utilization. Networkfleet was designed from the start to work with all vehicle classes and types, with the ability to read proprietary diagnostic trouble codes for specific manufacturers on both light and heavy-duty vehicles. We offer devices designed for all types of powered equipment such as bulldozers, scrapers and backhoes. We also offer a battery-powered asset tracker so that contractors can monitor equipment such as generators, trailers, pumps, and heavy-duty machinery, and receive alerts when those assets are moved or certain conditions are changed.

Liz Quinn, product-marketing manager for telematics, John Deere Construction & Forestry

Most contractors are using telematics for a utilization report to determine job costs. How much have their machines been run on a specific job? Some contractors actually use that report to bill customers. Reports on fuel consumed on idling machines are always “Aha!” moments on Deere’s JDLink. After all, you have to admit you have a problem before you can do anything about it. JDLink shows where your problems are so that you can put actions in place to resolve them, such as coaching your operators, or using machinery with auto-idle capability.

JDLink, which works on mixed fleets, is positioned as a platform to grow other technology services and offer new telematics features. By taking JDLink in-house, we’re able to apply the same successful processes to our WorkSight technology services that we already use to build world-class customer-focused iron. We’re constantly listening to JDLink customers’ suggestions, so we’re always looking at suggested improvements to the system. The next generation of JDLink improvements will come directly from users so that they will have the best and most useful data to manage and maintain their fleets.

Tony Woodall, Morey Corp.

Regarding heavy equipment OEM’s, some have jumped into telematics and others have not. Companies like Caterpillar and Manitowoc are blazing a new trail for telematics. I believe they have taken the right approach. They are deploying solutions that drive value for the OEM enterprise, particularly in the areas of parts/service and technology improvements for future machine designs.

Telematics is still widely looked at as a “problem solver” in the construction industry. Two examples: fuel consumption and theft deterrence. Fuel costs are a huge issue and contractors may deploy a telematics system to curb excessive idling. They may also deploy a simple track and trace solution if they’ve had inordinate theft issues on a site. Other than that, telematics is not currently considered to be a technology that will drive enterprise-wide efficiencies and cost savings. However, this is changing, albeit slower than most would like.

OEMs are increasingly using this data to drive design changes into the next generation of machinery. They are also using this data when investigating warranty issues. These are early trends of telematics use that will continue to take hold in the OEM space.

We provide telematics hardware to numerous aftermarket Application Service Providers (ASPs). These ASPs outfit mixed fleets with MOREY hardware layered with their proprietary software applications. We’re also keeping a close eye on the efforts of Association of Equipment Management Professionals (AEMP). They are comprised of OEMs and ASPs who are working together to standardize telematics protocols along all machine brands. Overall, telematics data is trending toward standardization that will encourage aftermarket telematics adoption.

Brad Mathews, vice president of marketing, Dexter + Chaney

When we first looked at this market, customers were really frustrated and upset with the difficulty of implementing this technology largely due to two issues—reliability or that of being rugged enough for the construction environment, and the inconvenience of having to go to multiple sites to collect data for different equipment brands and models. This is a rare occasion where the aftermarket world has the advantage by offering one platform covering all assets, all vehicles, and all units. Simplicity can truly be delivered by the aftermarket product.

What are the steps to driving the ROI for telematics? There is a significant return even in the basic, first-phase of implementation. We stress having a real game plan. It should be phased in. Only when the basics are mastered, should it be time to move to the next level. Think about it in two types of categories—the basics are location and maintenance. When companies have 100+ assets, understanding where assets are is a huge problem. That drives ROI because companies may end up renting units when they could have used their own equipment. Knowing which assets are on what job drives so much of your activities—and reports are automated for direct delivery to the fleet managers.

Bill Sauber, manager of remote technologies, Volvo Construction

Telematics can be managed very well so that people are excited about it, or it could be used to brow beat personnel with constant surveillance. It can be polarizing if managed in the wrong way.

As to the topic of tracking mixed fleets, the aftermarket products theoretically offer a solution to this, but none of them give the in-depth information, the troubleshooting capabilities, and the analytics that you will find with the OEM systems. The systems that we have are linked into our CAN bus electronics on the machines and they tie into other systems on the machines as well. For mixed fleets, almost all systems have a way to set up a notification plan that will send out e-mail notifications on faults that occur and routine service that is due—so rather than going to the website, the website is proactive and it sends you the indicators. So separately, the websites from any given OEM brand will send you the alerts as to low coolant levels, operator errors, low engine pressure, and more. As to reporting from all brands, contractors can use the common portal setup from the AEMP.

Association of Equipment Management Professionals (AEMP)AEMP offers a standard format for the transfer of telematics data from the providers’ servers to the end user database in order to facilitate programmatic retrieval of critical machine data in a mixed-fleet environment. The standard provides basic machine data such as cumulative operating hours, cumulative vehicle miles travelled, cumulative fuel consumed, and current location—all in a common xml document. The standard is intended to complement existing telematics web portals, rather than replace them. The data will allow users to automate daily updates to their fleet-level reports. The telematics providers’ web portals will still provide the more detailed information required for deeper inquiries into a particular machine or group of machines.

Murray Lodge, vice president of TPS construction business unit, Topcon Positioning Systems (TPS)

At ConExpo 2011, TPS introduced SiteLINK 3D, which is a powerful remote asset management tool that gives a company control—control over time, control over the productivity of machines and their operators, and control over data, from first cut to project analysis.

And with Topcon Tierra, contractors have available real-time data via a web portal allowing them to track every machine on every job site regardless of its location in the world.

Enhanced accuracy is the key to any onsite or underground data device. Information is information, but how fast you can gather it and then analyze it is the difference in winning and losing in the construction business. Saving time at every phase of the modern job site—from field to finish—increases productivity, protects the environment by using less energy, and drops additional money to a company’s bottom line.

The Power of Data
The collection of data quickly and accurately, with the proper analysis can be of immeasurable benefit to a progressive company. The smart business owners, in the worst of economic times, always invest in technology so that when the economy rebounds—as it is assuredly doing—they will be in the best position to be competitive on every single job they bid. Some business owners pull in their resources in order to “ride” out the fiscal realities of today’s world. Those owners will find themselves behind the technology curve in the future.

Author’s Bio: Carol Wasson writes on topics related to the construction industry.

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Morey Corporation Positions for Next Phase of Growth

New President Vincent Petrella to Lead Operations at 720 Employee Electronics Services Manufacturer

Woodridge, IL, June 8, 2011 – The Morey Corporation today announced the promotion of Vincent Petrella to president. Petrella has served as Chief Financial Officer of the company for 10 years.

“Vince has been a trusted and valued member of our executive team for the past decade and has earned the respect and loyalty of the entire organization,” said Scott Morey, Chief Executive Officer for The Morey Corporation. “His passion for operational excellence and continuous improvement as well as his keen understanding of our customers makes Vince a perfect fit for this role. Further, his appointment to president ensures that the principles and values that have defined us over the past 77 years will guide us for years to come.”

Growth opportunities, strategic initiatives and the need to maintain a laser focus on customer service led the Board of Directors to split the CEO and president roles, both of which were held by Scott Morey for the past 22 years. Having grown the company’s employee base from 150 to 720 on 1500 percent revenue growth during that time, Scott Morey will retain the CEO role and focus on strategic growth opportunities. As president, Petrella will lead all day-to-day operations of manufacturing, engineering and corporate support functions.

By putting in place an executive dedicated solely to operations, The Morey Corporation’s customers will benefit from an increased focus on continuously improving the quality of the products and services the company provides.

Paul Callaghan will replace Petrella as CFO, coming to The Morey Corporation from Motorola, Inc. where he served as Director of Finance for the Global Mobile Broadband and Cellular Networks Engineering Group.

“We’re equally excited to welcome Callaghan as our new CFO,” added Morey. “His long track record of excellence in financial management will be important as the company continues its strong growth trajectory.”

ABOUT MOREY

MOREY is an award winning, 77-year-old Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) company providing comprehensive design, engineering, manufacturing, and Global Supply Chain Management solutions for Original Equipment Manufacturers, Application Service Providers, Suppliers and other enterprises relevant to the aerospace & defense, industrial, utility, communications, heavy off-road/on-road and agricultural vehicles markets. MOREY-manufactured electronics can be found in every region of the world powering mission-critical applications in the most demanding environments. MOREY leverages deep expertise in telematics, power electronics, controls, sensors, displays, cord reels and handsets for its customers and complements its EMS offerings with value-added expertise in program management, ruggedization, and legacy support. MOREY is based in Woodridge, IL, and operates a 200,000 square foot, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and design center.

Morey Corporation Announces New Rugged Trax MT-10 Telematics-Based Asset Manager

Scott Morey Smart Business Column “Do you know your customer?”

05.01.2011 | Scott Morey | Chicago | Columnists

There are real people out there with many of the same needs, desires, problems and issues that you have. They have a job to do. They have demands and expectations that need to be met and a boss that at times can expect the impossible. Just like you, they want to be recognized and respected by their peers, supervisors and suppliers for doing a good job and also be rewarded by the company. And, just like you, they have a life outside of work, including family and friends.  Sometimes the stress of life impacts their behavior at work, and sometimes the stress of work impacts their life at home.

Customers are human, and like the rest of us, they are sometimes demanding, unreasonable, inconsiderate jerks. In my experience, most people do not want to act in a negative way, and when they do, it is usually because they have some problem or some need that is causing them pain. For most of us, pain is a call to action. We will do whatever we need to do to make the pain go away.

Your customer has specific goals, objectives, measurements and key success factors that will determine their success, raises and bonuses. At the same time, your customer has problems that impact their ability to meet those objectives. Remember this: Your customers’ every action and every request is motivated by some need or some pain. Do you know what it is? It may not be what you think. If you can discover your customers’ real needs and pain and help them to satisfy them, you have the key to a successful relationship.

Our job is to help our customers achieve their goals, eliminate their pain and satisfy their needs while bringing benefit to our companies.

If we are going to be appreciated by our customer, we need to understand what it is that they value. We need to understand their goals, objectives, measurements, key success factors and problems. Every customer is different; they each have different strengths and weaknesses. They each have different definitions of what success means to them. Our challenge and opportunity is to identify what it is that our customer really wants, both as an organization and as individuals, then modify the way that we act and perform so that we deliver the correct results.

Their success depends in large part on you and your performance. Without you, they are unable to do their job. Consider these questions:

What are the biggest problems and challenges that you and your company are facing?

What kind of impact are those problems having on you and the company?

What do you think are the reasons why those problems exist?

What would have to be different for that problem to be eliminated?

How can we help you solve your problems?

During the course of this month, take the time to find out more about your customer. Find out about their company, department and family. Try to learn about their goals for the year. How is their performance measured and in what areas do they need to improve? Write it down. Communicate what you learn with your team. Then take the time to try to figure out how you can help your customer eliminate their pain, achieve their needs and realize their goals. When you can do that, you have earned the right to be viewed as a trusted ally, someone who can be counted on to help. That is really bringing value.

Scott Morey is president of Morey Corp. During his 36-year tenure, the company has experienced marked growth and an expansion of service and product offerings. Morey has played a key role in developing and implementing the company’s best-in-class program management and quality systems. He serves on the board of directors for Morey Corp. and 10G (a joint venture with Caterpillar). He is also a member The Young Presidents’ Organization.

http://www.sbnonline.com/2011/05/do-you-know-your-customer/?full=1

MOREY and the Rugged Telematics Alliance in OEM Off-Highway Magazine: An Alliance For Progress

Seven companies have partnered to offer a turnkey telematics solution to equipment manufacturers, saving them on development time and nonrecurring engineering costs.

by Michelle EauClaire

April 4, 2011

The Rugged Telematics Alliance (RTA) has formed to provide a streamlined solution for heavy vehicle and equipment manufacturers to reduce their time-to-market for customized telematics platform integrations, as well as significantly cutting their development time.

“The goal of bringing this group together was to shorten the time frame to market,” confirms Jason Carabetta, VP of business development for ORBCOMM, a leading provider of global satellite and cellular M2M data communications solutions for asset tracking, management and remote control. Its global network and management tools enable delivery of small quantities of information to and from any place in the world on a near real-time basis. “Each of the seven companies in the alliance is an expert in one key component of the overall solution.”

The companies, their expertise and the portion of the system they contribute are:

Hardware

1. MOREY manufactures the ruggedized hardware platform that supports the CAN (controller area network) and is built to withstand the harsh environments of the heavy equipment industries.

2. Methode offers the first ruggedized biometric reader available in the heavy equipment space to provide reliable and accurate readings, available in any environment, to ensure that project managers know who is operating equipment at all times and that operators are authorized.

3. Hirschman’s industrial grade antenna supports satellite, cellular and GPS communications

Embedded software platform

4. LHP Telematics produces an OEM-based embedded software platform capable of custom CAN and sensor configurations. This ensures proper data capture and the delivery of desired data to a user’s back office systems.

Back-office applications

5. AXEDA offers a scalable back-office management platform, which provides configuration tools to customize to the user’s business and ensure that data can be rendered in the desired format and in the context of existing business systems.

Global communications

6. Telenor delivers cellular communications capability

7. ORBCOMM brings satellite communications capability. The two providers ensure equipment is never out of touch, regardless of how remote the location.

The opportunities from sending, receiving and storing wireless information for equipment users are becoming greater. As demand grows for telematics systems on heavy-duty equipment, efficiency in development and implementation will become increasingly more important to deliver a fast, customized solution to the equipment manufacturer.

“By pre-integrating our various expertises into a starter package platform, we’re able to shorten the development time and save the OEM a lot of money,” says Carabetta. “At the same time, it helps us get to market faster by not having to work with an OEM for two to three years to bring a customized solution to market.”

To address this, the RTA has created its Rugged Telematics Quick Start Kit. The kit is an affordable, integrated, end-to-end solution that ties together the four pillars of a telematics implementation (hardware, software, back-office applications and communications), includes the ruggedized biometric scanner and saves companies 18-24 months in back-office and embedded software development, as well as tens of thousands of dollars to validate a ruggedized hardware platform.

The kit is equipped with all of the necessary hardware (TCU, antennas, biometric identification and wire harness) needed to implement the telematics-based solution. Once the pre-configured ruggedized hardware unit is installed on a piece of equipment, users can track the location of the equipment, monitor common CAN messages and report the status of critical machine components using an embedded software application.

This critical information will be sent to the back-office platform for analysis and action, such as a timely scheduling of preventative maintenance. Each user has the ability to customize the type of data and reports they will receive depending on their needs.

In the telematics industry, equipment manufacturers are looking for custom off-the-shelf solutions. RTA’s platform will get an OEM “85% of the way there,” says Tony Woodall, VP of marketing, Morey Corp. “We give them a globally certified hardware platform, a proven communication system, basic CAN imbedded applications and a framed user interface.” The manufacturer can then take the system the other 15% with its own customization by adding CAN bus applications and user interface features specific to its customers.

In addition, RTA offers the first telematics platform that includes a ruggedized biometric integration component to identify who is using the equipment, which will improve safety for equipment operators and help to prevent unauthorized utilization and theft.

Utilizing a pre-established telematics system can also save the OEM a lot of money in non-recurring engineering costs. “If an OEM has to produce its own piece of hardware, there is a huge cost in developing the hardware with multiple modes of communication and getting it certified globally,” says Carabetta. “There’s also the cost of writing the embedded code from scratch, and creating a back-office infrastructure. Plus, that does not include all of the time finding and hiring the specialized staff to do the work, or the training time necessary to utilize a current employee.”

A global company facing international certification and hardware registration is an expense that can exceed a budget for telematics system development. There are a lot of hurdles and learning curves with each stage of telematics development for an OEM attempting it in-house. The time and money that can be potentially saved by utilizing a customizable off-the-shelf solution are not only benefis to the OEM, but also translate into advanced, fast time-to-market solutions an OEM is able to offer its customers.

Original Link:

http://www.oemoffhighway.com/article/10227203/an-alliance-for-progress?page=2

New ‘Rugged Telematics Alliance’ Brings Turnkey Solutions to the Heavy Equipment Industry

Powerful, Industry-First Solution That Unites the “Four Pillars” of Telematics on Display at CONEXPO-CON/AGG Tradeshow

Woodridge, IL, March 14, 2011 – The Morey Corporation (MOREY) today announced the formation of the Rugged Telematics Alliance, a group of seven companies, each best-of-breed in their respective industries, committed to providing Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and other enterprises in the Heavy Vehicle & Equipment space with a turnkey telematics solution that will generate visibility, efficiency and cost savings. Simultaneously, the Rugged Telematics Alliance announced the creation of its “Rugged Telematics Quick Start Kit,” an affordable, integrated, end-to-end solution that ties together the four pillars of a telematics implementation and can save companies up to 24 months in back office and embedded software development as well as significant time and cost savings to validate and verify a ruggedized hardware platform.

“The Rugged Telematics Alliance provides a streamlined solution for Heavy Vehicle & Equipment OEMs to engage Tier-One proven providers in each area of telematics,” said Dana Morey, EVP for MOREY. “This significantly cuts development dollars and overall time-to-market to implement a customizable telematics solution that will put any OEM on a fast path toward a more differentiated brand and a more profitable operation.”

The companies forming this alliance and the critical components each contributes in the context of the four telematics pillars include:

• Hardware – MOREY manufactures the ruggedized hardware platform that supports the CAN (controller area network) and is built to withstand the harsh environments of the heavy equipment and industrial industries. Methode’s ruggedized biometric fingerprint reader provides reliable and accurate verification, available in any environment, to ensure that project managers know exactly who is operating equipment at all times and that all operators are authorized. Ruggedized tri-mode communication is provided through an industrial grade antenna from Hirschman that supports satellite, cellular and GPS communications.

• Software – LHP Telematics produces an OEM-based embedded software platform capable of custom CAN and sensor configurations. This ensures proper data capture and the delivery of desired data to a user’s back office systems.

• Back Office Applications – AXEDA offers a robust, scalable back-office management platform, which provides configuration tools to customize to the user’s business and ensure that data can be rendered in the desired format and in the context of existing business systems.

• Communications – ORBCOMM and Telenor provide communications, offering the unique opportunity to select a combination of terrestrial and satellite offerings and provide a mixture of high bandwidth data and global connectivity. Working together, the two providers ensure that equipment is never out of reach regardless of location.

Sending, receiving, and storing wireless information is becoming a necessity for heavy equipment users. The Rugged Telematics Alliance strives to make these users more efficient in monitoring their assets to improve equipment performance and utilization, cut overall costs, and improve the bottom line. By presenting OEMs with an integrated, ‘plug and play’ telematics solution, the Rugged Telematics Alliance will significantly shorten OEM time to market and save significant Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) costs. In addition, it provides OEM’s with an open platform to control each component of the solution.

The “Rugged Telematics Quick Start Kit” is a preconfigured tracking and monitoring solution.  The Kit is equipped with all of the necessary hardware (TCU, antennas, biometric identification, and wire harness) needed to implement the telematics-based solution. Once the pre-configured ruggedized hardware unit is installed on a piece of heavy equipment, it will allow users to track the location of the equipment, monitor common CAN messages, and report the status of critical machine components using a powerful embedded software application.  This critical information will be sent to the back-office platform for analysis and action, such as a timely scheduling of preventative maintenance. Each user has the ability to customize the type of data and reports they will receive depending on their needs.

Rugged Telematics Alliance representatives will be at the CONEXPO – CON/AGG conference in Las Vegas, NV, from March 22-26 at the Hetronic Radio Remote Control Booth #B912 to provide a live feed of cellular and satellite delivered telematics data as well as interaction with the biometric hardware and back-office platform.

To learn more regarding the Rugged Telematics Alliance and the Quick Start Kit, please contact LHP Telematics or visit the Rugged Telematics website at www.ruggedta.com.

ABOUT MOREY

www.moreycorp.com

MOREY is an award-winning, 76-year-old Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) company providing comprehensive design, engineering, manufacturing, and testing services for Original Equipment Manufacturers, Applications Service Providers, Suppliers and other enterprises relevant to the aerospace & defense, industrial, utility, communications, heavy off-road/on-road and agricultural vehicles markets. MOREY-manufactured electronics can be found in every region of the world powering mission-critical applications in the most demanding environments on the planet. MOREY leverages deep expertise in telematics, power electronics, controls, sensors, displays, cord reels and handsets for its customers and complements its EMS offerings with value-added expertise in program management, ruggedization, legacy support and global supply chain management. MOREY is based in Woodridge, IL, and operates a 200,000 square foot, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and design center.

ABOUT LHP TELEMATICS, LLC

www.LHPtelematics.com

Founded in 2008, LHP Telematics has grown to become one of the leading telematics software platform companies focused on the OEM market. The LHPT embedded application’s advanced event correlation capabilities are unmatched in the industry and give OEM customers a level of customization that was previously unattainable. The addition of the Equipment intelligence service for Engineering Departments gives OEMs an easy entry point to try out telematics while gaining a needed tool.

ABOUT ORBCOMM

www.orbcomm.com

ORBCOMM is a leading global satellite data communications company, focused on Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications. Its customers include Caterpillar Inc., Doosan Infracore America, Hitachi Construction Machinery, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Asset Intelligence a division of I.D. Systems, Inc., Komatsu Ltd., Manitowoc Crane Companies, Inc., and Volvo Construction Equipment among other industry leaders. By means of a global network of low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites and accompanying ground infrastructure, ORBCOMM’s low-cost and reliable two-way data communication services track, monitor and control mobile and fixed assets in four core markets: commercial transportation; heavy equipment; industrial fixed assets; and marine/homeland security. ORBCOMM-based products are installed on trucks, containers, marine vessels, locomotives, backhoes, pipelines, oil wells, utility meters, storage tanks and other assets. ORBCOMM is headquartered in Fort Lee, New Jersey and has its network control center in Dulles, Virginia. For more information, visit www.orbcomm.com.

ABOUT AXEDA

www.axeda.com

Founded in 2000, Axeda is the leading cloud platform and applications company for connected products. The Axeda Platform includes 90% of the core infrastructure for connecting, building, and managing M2M applications. As a result, product manufacturers, solution providers, and system integrators focus on delivering innovative solutions that drive new business models and revenue opportunities—faster and at a lower cost than internally built alternatives. Axeda pioneered the market for remote service solutions. Since the demonstration of the first Internet-based remote monitoring system in 2000, Axeda has led the way with every significant innovation, driving the evolution of the market. Innovation is a key element of our culture. We listen to our customers’ challenges and opportunities so that we can deliver solutions that drive competitive advantage and create lasting value.

ABOUT HIRSCHMANN

www.hirschmann-car.com

Hirschmann Car Communication GmbH, headquartered in Neckartenzlingen and operations in Hungary, France, China, Japan, South Korea, Mexico and the USA, is a leading global provider of mobile communication systems. For over 80 years, the company impressed the market significantly. Today the product range of antenna systems and TV tuners for the initial equipment and an extensive range of antennas for the retrofit. The customers of the Swabian global players include all major automobile manufacturers. Starting with the invention of the banana plug in the 20′s and the world’s first telescopic antenna in the 30′s, developed the Hirschmann Car Communication GmbH numerous innovations and novel solutions tailored to the needs of their customers.

ABOUT METHODE

www.methode.com

Methode Electronics is a leading developer of custom-engineered and application-specific products and solutions utilizing the latest technologies. From biometric identification utilizing the unique characteristics of human skin structure; to magnetic signature sensing of mechanical and electrical properties; to the revolutionary solid-state touch sensitive switches used in today’s appliances and automobiles, Methode’s extensive toolbox of technical solutions help our customers differentiate their products. Our regional design and customer support centers, coupled with manufacturing campuses in the Americas, Europe, and Asia allow Methode to bring a total business solution to customers worldwide. We leverage the talents of our 2,800 employees to serve a diversified group of customers in four market areas: User Interfaces, Sensor and Switches, Power and Data. Methode helps customers win in their end markets by providing an unmatched combination of customer focus, differentiated technology, problem solving and world-class manufacturing.

ABOUT TELENOR

www.telenor.com

The core business of Telenor Group is telecommunications. We provide voice, data, content and other communication services in 12 markets across Europe and Asia. The Telenor Group is dynamic and flexible in its business approach, always exploring new markets and new technologies to make long-term investments. This is part of the reason why Telenor has grown from a national telephone service company in Norway to become one of the world’s largest mobile providers in less than two decades. At the time of its Initial Public Offering in 2000, Telenor had a mobile subscriber base of 15 million. By the end of the third quarter 2010 this reached 195 million mobile subscriptions (104 million in consolidated operations and 91 million in VimpelCom Ltd). The Telenor Group is now a driving force in the industry, engaging in pioneering research and technology development and other areas that are important to develop the core business of Telenor further.

Scott Morey – First Featured Smart Business Magazine Column “Take Responsibility”

Your customers don’t care whose fault it was

By Scott Morey

February 2011

One of the most destructive characteristics of our current culture is the belief of so many people that no matter what happens, it isn’t their fault; they are not responsible. Smoke three packs of cigarettes a day and get cancer. It’s the tobacco companies’ fault for making cigarettes. Eat Big Macs and french fries while sitting around watching Oprah, and then blame McDonald’s for obesity. Let a child play with a lighter and gasoline, and then blame the pajama company because he lit himself on fire.

We make our own decisions in life and we are responsible for our own actions and our own inaction.

I am responsible. Responsible is defined as: involving personal accountability, able to be trusted or depended upon, characterized by good judgment or sound thinking.

Anybody can lay blame for problems or failure at the feet of others. It takes strength, character and courage to stand up and say, “I am responsible,” and then deal with the consequences. When confronted with a challenge beyond our control, it is easy to say, “It’s not my problem,” and give up. It takes determination and effort to grapple with an issue and see it through to successful resolution.

Our job is to perform for our customers. Customers are not always reasonable, customers are not always fair, customers are not always rational, and sometimes customers don’t even know what they really want. Despite those challenges, we must find and satisfy our customers’ needs because, ultimately, our customers will judge us based upon how well we meet or frustrate those needs — real and perceived. If we fail to meet their delivery needs, if we provide defective product, if we don’t respond to questions or concerns in a timely manner, if we promise to take an action and then fail to take it, customers don’t really care why. Our fault, the customer’s fault, our supplier’s fault, nobody’s fault — it doesn’t matter. All that matters is: Did we execute or did we not? Laying the blame for failure elsewhere doesn’t change anything.

One of the first customer calls I ever went on was to address a quality problem that we were having. I was a fresh-faced 22-year-old representing our company alone for the first time. As soon as I walked into the conference room, I knew I was dead meat. Production staff, engineers, buyers and the general manager were all there to greet me, and they weren’t happy. Rather than submit to the beating I knew was coming, I landed the first punch myself by accepting that we were responsible for the problem. I told them what happened, what we were doing to fix it and what they could expect from us. I could see the anger and hostility fade as they were replaced by a mixture of relief that we were fixing the problem and disappointment that the beating wasn’t going to be any fun.

I learned a valuable lesson. Our customers need us to stand up and accept responsibility and accountability for achieving agreed-upon objectives. They need us to communicate how we are going to get the job done, and then they need us to keep them apprised of our actions and our progress. Customers need to know that we will seek help, advice and support when needed. They need to know that we will call on critical resources with the required skill and expertise. Customers need to know that once we take on a job, we own the job, we own the results, and they can count on us to get the job done. When things go wrong, as they will from time to time, our customers need to know that we will stand up, be responsible and take the action we need to take to fix the problem.

Over the course of this next month, your challenge, should you decide to accept it, is to demonstrate to your customers that you are responsible. Demonstrate that you are accountable and that they can trust you to stick with it until the job is done.

Scott Morey is president of Morey Corp. In this role, he provides overall strategic direction and leadership for the company. He specifically oversees manufacturing, operations, finance and accounting, sales, engineering, product development, and technology strategy. During his 36-year tenure, the company has experienced marked growth and an expansion of service and product offerings. Morey has also played a key role in developing and implementing the company’s best-in-class program management and quality systems. He serves on the board of directors for Morey Corp. and 10G (a joint venture with Caterpillar). He is also a member The Young Presidents’ Organization.

MOREY Telematics Article Featured in Utility Products Magazine

Telematics: Value-added Applications are Key for Fleet Management Solutions

Nov/Dec Issue 2010

Any technology that has been available at least a little while is probably saturated with product choices. If the endless choices aren’t enough, most companies say theirs is the best option. So how does the buyer resolve this struggle? What are the aspects of a product that cannot be compromised?

The tracking and asset management markets have many companies, each with its own telematics solutions. Each of those solutions comes with a long list of standard features. What happens beyond that list? Companies who understand the need to go above and beyond the standard list win out over those who do not.

The Morey Corp. (MOREY), a telematics solutions provider, has designed and manufactured electronic products for the most demanding environments. MOREY’s MT-13 telematic-based fleet management product was developed with the customer voice of application service providers (ASPs). Given the competitiveness and rapid pace change in the light-to-medium duty fleet space, companies seeking telematics solutions need a high-quality, low-cost product that is quick and easy to install, can quickly integrate into their systems and give them a competitive edge in the marketplace. The MT-13 is installed with the following baseline applications for solution development:

• Garmin fleet management interface-This feature enables the development of a complete fleet management solution in conjunction with Garmin portable navigation devices. Possible applications for this include dispatch system integration, two-way messaging and routing interface.
• Accelerometer threshold detection-Preconfigured on-board accelerometer applications can be rapidly customized to customer specifications. Applications for single event thresholds are crash event detection and reporting, rapid acceleration event detection and hard breaking event detection.
• Backup battery-Offers the customer backup battery power and up to 1,000 messages in the event of vehicle battery outage. Possible applications include stolen vehicle recovery and vehicle tamper detection.
• Idle detection-Enables the development of applications to report low and no speed thresholds over a configurable amount of time. This can include driver behavior monitoring and fuel efficiency monitoring.
• Inputs and outputs-Enables the development of applications to enhance monitoring of assets. These include two digital inputs, one analog input and two low side driver outputs.

The MT-13′s capabilities were enhanced in 2010 and field tested. According to the company, the MT-13 has received positive testing results from customers. Quick and easy to install on assets, the MT-13 also features a simple system integration that allows customers to effortlessly monitor their assets and increase fleet productivity.

Standard MT-13 features include global positioning system (GPS) based motion detection, Quad-band Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network support, virtual odometer, storage and forward of data when out of network coverage, status monitoring and event management, up to six geofences with 10-point polygons and over the air programming. It is supported by a quick-start Web-based configuration tool. The unit is 5.1-by-2.3 inches with a weight of 100g. The enclosure is designed to IP-65 standards, protecting against dust and high-pressured water.

About MOREY: MOREY is a 75-year-old electronics manufacturing services company providing comprehensive design, engineering, manufacturing and testing services for original equipment manufacturers, applications service providers, suppliers and other enterprises relevant to the utility, communications, industrial, heavy off-road and on-road vehicles, and aerospace and defense markets.