Power & Manufacturing · 2024
VoltEdge Industrial
Redesigned controller hardware and firmware for manufacturing lines with EMI-aware PCB layout and factory test integration.
Context
VoltEdge Industrial manufactures power equipment where legacy controller boards were failing EMI audits and field reliability targets. Replacement hardware had to fit existing enclosures and RS485 plant networks without forcing a line shutdown. Corexel paired hardware and firmware leads with VoltEdge manufacturing engineering to define acceptance tests before the first prototype spin.
Challenge
RS485 networks on the factory floor carry noise from adjacent high-power equipment. Firmware updates could not brick controllers mid-batch, and manufacturing needed ATE hooks for every unit shipped. Signal integrity, thermal headroom, and long-term firmware maintainability all had to be proven in chamber and on-line validation.
Architecture
STM32-based controller with layered firmware: HAL, Modbus/RS485 stack, watchdog and structured logging, and manufacturing test modes exposed over a service port. PCB layout prioritized EMI keep-outs validated in chamber testing. Release trains tag firmware with hardware revision matrices so field service knows compatible images.
Delivery
Three prototype spins, EMI certification pass, and firmware release train aligned to first production lot. Field bus reliability reached 99.7%; manufacturing test cycle time dropped 28%. VoltEdge internal team inherited flashing procedures, rollback images, and on-site support playbooks from the first week of production.
Engage
Share architecture constraints and success criteria. We respond with scope, risks, and an honest path forward.
