Lithium battery manufacturer uses software to collect incoming serial data from optical gauge, parse, filter, format, and transfer it to PC
WinWedge inputs serial data from any instrument directly into Excel, Access, MMIs, Lims, statistical packages, etc - any Windows 3.x, 95, 98, NT or DOS application.
This case study looks at how Ultralife Batteries is using this software in its manufacturing process.
Ultralife Batteries is among the pioneers of the lithium battery industry.
Its primary manufacturing facilities are in Newark and New York.
It also maintains production in the UK.
It is known primarily for the development and distribution of advanced battery technology.
Ultralife targets several industrial and consumer markets.
The company's special feature is the line of disposable lithium batteries.
In fact, Ultralife is the first battery manufacturer in the world to make solid polymer rechargeable batteries. Ultralife's objective is to become the leading provider of advanced lithium batteries for applications requiring battery sources.
Ultralife uses WinWedge Pro software to collect data from an optical gauge called a Smart Scope.
The Smart Scope is located in the incoming inspections area.
Several different routines are written for the scope using a Windows based program called Measure Mind, which controls the scope and what data is collected from it.
The data are sent from the scope directly to a second PC that is running the WinWedge Pro software.
WinWedge Pro collects the incoming serial data from the optical gauge, parses, filters and formats it as needed and instantly transfers it to a Windows Statistical Process Control (SPC) system.
The data collected from the Smart Scope optical gauge is used to help determine if the raw materials coming into the plant are within the specifications required by Ultralife as part of its strict quality control system.
SmartScope optical gauge monitors raw materials coming into the plant.
The data from the optical gauge is sent to a Windows PC via an RS232 connection WinWedge Pro inputs the gauge data real-time into a statistical (SPC) software package.
The data is monitored in the SPC software for real-time quality control purposes.
WinWedge software is supplied and supported in the UK and Ireland by Adept Scientific.
