Programmable display provides marine interface: News from Teleflex Electronic Systems

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A new generation of programmable displays is helping the leading marine engine supplier, Volvo Penta, to evolve its ground-breaking EVC electronic vessel control system. EVC enables a boat's engine, control systems and instruments to communicate and exchange information via a CANbus network. The display's role is to provide virtual gauges and alarms for a boat's single- or twin-engine propulsion system, as well as a platform for displaying user interfaces for other networked electronic modules such as helm control and navigation systems.

The decision to use a commercially available display offered significant advantages for Volvo Penta in terms of reduced development time and expense.

However, a potential downside of this decision was a costlier bill of materials, as commercial displays typically offer more features than are required - a critical consideration for a player operating in a competitive global market.

This was resolved by Volvo Penta becoming the lead customer for a new generation of TeleflexMorse's CANtrak display - the 2600.

The 2600 was initiated to meet the stringent cost goals of the automotive industry, and exploits advanced technologies to reduce component count and manufacturing costs including chip-on-tab and a custom case moulding incorporating a waterproof connector socket.

The resulting display platform - although still offering a general-purpose solution - proved to be close enough to Volvo Penta's cost targets, allowing them to offer their customers a display alternative providing much more data than is possible with conventional dedicated gauges.

Another key hardware hurdle for CANtrak in this application was its environmental specification, as boat-builders often site the instruments on a fly-bridge which can be open to the weather.

Interaction during the design process ensured that CANtrak met all of Volvo Penta's exacting environmental requirements in this area which include protection against moisture, vibration, cold, electrical interference and many other adverse factors.

CANtrak's IP67 protection in particular, which covers immersion in water, provided more than adequate waterproofing for any weather exposure.

Other special design features such as flush mounting of the LCD panel and front lens - with negligible air gap - also protect the display against condensation problems that can result from the large disparities between internal and external temperatures, and the exacerbating effects of direct sunlight.

Following TeleflexMorse's own environmental testing, the display was put through rigorous testing by Volvo Penta - a process which included extensive trials in a number of commercial work boats.

Once the decision to use a commercial display was taken, the issue of application software became a focus.

Volvo Penta opted for TeleflexMorse to provide a fully programmed solution - further shortening the development cycle.

The final application software provides a wide range of multiple-gauge and single-gauge display screens - accessible using the display's pushbuttons.

Default displays show the most commonly required operating data such as engine speed, boat speed and fuel information.

There is also a standard multi-gauge display for twin-engine vessels - providing a cost saving instrumentation solution compared with analogue alternatives.

Users are additionally able to configure the display with their choice of units, choice of analogue or digital gauges, and selection of gauge type.

In addition to virtual versions of analogue gauges, the display is programmed to provide a wide range of text alarms and diagnostics, and a variety of computed information such as fuel usage rates.

This rich information resource provides invaluable support for boat users - and is both clearer and more reliable than warnings provided by conventional instrumentation.

The application software was developed by TeleflexMorse using a tried and tested project methodology that is part of the company's ISO90001:2000 quality system.

A key aspect of the process was an extensive software validation stage before the code was handed to Volvo Penta for final integration and testing.

At this stage, TeleflexMorse created a test program to prove the software met the specification - employing a special network analyser tool.

The instrument and test program allowed all of the EVC display's modes of operation to be tested using simulated messages from the engines and other networked electronic control systems.

The test results were then handed over to Volvo Penta as part of the software delivery process.

"Choosing a commercial display has helped to shorten the development cycle for our networked electronic control system architecture - a concept that is having a considerable impact in the boat building market".

"By working closely with TeleflexMorse we have, in effect, managed to obtain an application-specific display for a fraction of the price of developing our own in-house solution", says pal Loodberg, Display Engineer with Volvo Penta.

"Our ongoing relationship with TeleflexMorse is just as important - the CANtrak designers have effectively become an extension of our development team and are providing expert know-how on CANbus and protocols to aid the evolution of this software-centric vessel control concept".

The EVC system is now launched in combination with Volvo Penta's electronically controlled diesel and petrol engines.

Volvo Penta is continuing to evolve EVC with a range of new instruments and systems.

"EVC has a number of advantages".

"First and foremost, installation is simpler and more reliable, giving the boat-owner higher quality and better operating reliability", adds Volvo Penta's EVC Project Manager Martin Vansvik.

"It's also very simple to install additional instruments, since no new cables need be inserted".

"The information supplied to the instruments and displays is always exceedingly reliable".

"All messages and warnings are in the form of text, which clearly inform the operator what is going on".

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